On Thursday, Major League Baseball announced suspensions for four players involved in Tuesday’s bench-clearing incident between the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals.
Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras and Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli both received seven-game suspensions for sparking the incident. Sox utility man Nate Eaton received a three-game suspension for his tussle with Nats right-hander MIles Mikolas, who was suspended for five games.
Willson Contreras throws his helmet during a benches clearing incident after Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli told him to “sit down boy” pic.twitter.com/IBEyYXKReN
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 1, 2026
Why such a harsh suspension for Contreras? According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, the seven-game ban is due to the veteran slugger throwing his helmet in the skirmish and also “violating the league’s social media policy by posting on Instagram during an in-progress game.” After the incident, Contreras responded to a fan’s insulting Instagram comment with, “Come meet me at Fenway.”
Cavalli’s seven-game suspension comes after he instigated the altercation by yelling “Sit down, boy!” after striking Contreras out.
Contreras’ absence comes at a terrible time for a Red Sox club that lost two of three to Washington and is six games back in the American League Wild Card race. He has by far been Boston’s best hitter all season, leading the team in homers (18), RBI (53), and OPS (.906).
The Red Sox will look to get back on track Friday when they begin a three-game series in Anaheim.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 27: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on June 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies enjoyed a well-rounded victory Wednesday night against the Miami Marlins and will now look to secure a series split in today’s finale.
Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.83 ERA) will make the start for the Rockies as he looks to continue the success he found in June. Lorenzen was roughed up in his first outing last month, but seemed to figure some things out and then delivered four solid starts. He has worked at least five innings in each of his last four outings while allowing more than two runs just one time. He has continued to keep walks in check and can get his strikeout stuff working more consistently to keep hitters off balance. In his last start, he allowed two runs on seven hits over 5.2 innings with just one strikeout. Lorenzen has been quite successful against the Marlins in his career, posting a 2.62 ERA over 18 appearances, including seven starts. His first start of 2026 came against the Marlins, where he allowed three runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings of work.
Ryan Gusto (0-2, 5.06 ERA) will get the nod for the Marlins. Gusto made 27 appearances last season, primarily with the Houston Astros, before getting sent to Miami at the trade deadline. He made just three appearances with the Marlins before being sent down in August, and then got injured when he was recalled near the end of the month. He spent the first two months of 2026 in Triple-A, where he posted a 3.83 ERA in 10 appearances. He was recalled to the big leagues at the start of June, throwing 20.1 innings with a 5.31 ERA over six games, including five starts. He has generally worked into the fifth inning but has yet to complete five innings. He hasn’t given up many hits and can get strikeouts, but he’s been on a shorter leash when starting games. In his last outing, he threw 3.1 shutout innings and allowed just three hits with four strikeouts on 63 pitches.
Athletics top prospect Ryan Lasko was hospitalized after a scary collision in the outfield with his teammate Devin Taylor.
Lasko, who played center field for Double-A Midland Tuesday, collided with Taylor after both players attempted to dive for a ball hit in the gap. Lasko was down for about 10 minutes before he was carted off the field and transported to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano.
Athletics top prospect Ryan Lasko was hospitalized after a scary collision in the outfield with his teammate. MiLB Athletics top prospect Ryan Lasko was hospitalized after a scary collision in the outfield with his teammate. MiLB Athletics top prospect Ryan Lasko was hospitalized after a scary collision in the outfield with his teammate. Getty Images
Lasko is in stable condition after undergoing spinal decompression and stabilization surgery, which resulted from a C6-C7 vertebra fracture. He currently has no feeling in the lower half of his body.
“The positive in the statement from the doctor is that there is not a definitive statement saying he’s not going to regain feeling in his lower half,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said, who provided the comment ahead of the team’s series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday.
A's No. 18 prospect Ryan Lasko was carted off the field after this terrifying collision with his teammate in center field. No update yet on his condition. #Athleticspic.twitter.com/eZ4LH20JmM
“We send prayers to him, to his family, to his teammate and the team, really. This is a trying and emotional time for them. We need to be there to support them, and I know we are. [A’s director of player development] Ed Sprague flew down [to Texas] this morning. Lasko’s family was with him there. All the teammates are going to go visit him at some point and show support.”
The 24-year-old was a second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Rutgers University. Lasko spent time with the big league team in camp this spring, where Kotsay and the A’s coaching staff were impressed by the outfielder’s defense.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
The Cubs’ 10 walk-off wins have come in 43 home games, just a bit more than half the home season. That means nearly a quarter of the home wins in 2026 have ended in a pile-up around a Cubs player and an excited crowd at Wrigley Field.
The franchise record for walk-offs in a season is 14, set in 1930. Walk-offs aren’t something you can necessarily predict or shoot for, but there’s a real chance that record is broken this year. The MLB record is 17, set by the Pirates in 1959, and tied by them in 1977.
There have been 13 seasons in the Modern Era (since 1900) when the Cubs have had more than 10 walk-off wins. I thought I’d take a brief stroll through that history on today’s off day, look at each of the years and how the Cubs finished that season, and pick one game from each year that I think was the most memorable.
(A tip o’ the cap to BCB’s JohnW53, who compiled the list of years for me.)
1930: 14 walk-offs
The Cubs nearly won a second straight NL pennant in 1930. They held first place from Aug. 11 to Sept. 12, and won 90 games. They only missed out on the pennant because the Cardinals went 21-4 in September. That resulted in team owner William Wrigley, incensed because the Cubs didn’t win, firing manager Joe McCarthy, a colossal blunder.
All 14 of the walk-offs happened by Aug. 29. In those days teams had long homestands and long road trips and the Cubs played 21 of their last 26 games on the road.
The best of the 14 has to be the game of June 25, a 13-12 win over the Phillies. The Cubs trailed 8-4 going to the bottom of the seventh, but led 12-10 before the Phillies tied it in the top of the ninth. The Cubs got the tying run to third on a dropped pop-up, a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball, and then Gabby Hartnett singled in the game-winner.
1932: 13 walk-offs
This time, the Cubs took first place in the league Aug. 11 and held on to it, winning the pennant by four games.
Again, all the walk-offs were done early, by Sept. 5, mainly because they had another long road trip in September, 18 games.
The best walk-off in ‘32 was one I’ve written about here many times, most recently last November. Here’s how it went down:
Kiki Cuyler pretty much singlehandedly won this game, 10-9 over the Giants in 10 innings. He had five hits in six at-bats. His single in a four-run Cubs ninth tied the game 5-5. The Giants scored four in the top of the 10th, taking a 9-5 lead. In the last of the 10th, after the first two men were out, the Cubs scored two and have two on for Cuyler, who hit a walkoff home run for a 10-9 win, their 12th straight.
In addition to all of that, there was a total eclipse of the sun that day, which, though not 100 percent total in Chicago, did darken the sky somewhat an hour or so before game time. Also, during the game the Cubs batted out of order at one point, but no one noticed, so they got away with it.
Fun times. It was the Cubs’ 12th consecutive win, in a streak that eventually reached 14.
2015: 13 walk-offs
There were lots of fun walk-offs in this 97-win season, but I think the one I remember most was one over Cleveland, in a game rescheduled to Aug. 24 because of an earlier rainout.
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead to the ninth, when Jon Lester ran out of gas and allowed the tying run.
With two out in the bottom of the inning, Kris Bryant launched Zach McAllister’s first pitch into the right-field bleachers for the walk-off 2-1 win. That led to what was termed the “Strop Strut”:
Watch Pedro Strop “strut” the final 60 or so feet home alongside Bryant. Fun times.
1915: 12 walk-offs
Despite all the walk-off wins, the 1915 Cubs, playing in their final season at West Side Grounds, finished 73-80 and in fourth place in the National League.
This is a very long time ago and so I just picked a game that looked fun – 14-13 over the Cardinals on June 24. The Cubs led 7-3 after five, then gave up a five-spot to St. Louis in the sixth. The Cubs led 10-9 going to the ninth, but the Cardinals scored four in the ninth to go up 13-10. The Cubs then matched those four runs, winning the game on a steal of home by Heinie Zimmerman.
1923: 11 walk-offs
Again, this is over a century ago. The team finished fourth, 12.5 games out of first, but had some memorable wins.
On July 26, they trailed the Giants 10-6 going to the bottom of the eighth. A run in that inning made it 10-7, then in the ninth the Cubs had five straight hits – single, single, double, single, single – and the last single scored the fourth run of the inning for an 11-10 win.
1927: 11 walk-offs
Ninety-nine years ago, the Cubs finally returned to contention, nine years after their last pennant. They held first place for much of July and August before fading in September.
The Cubs led that game 4-0 going to the eighth but the Phillies scored five to take the lead. A home run by Earl Webb in that inning tied the game 5-5 and three ninth-inning singles, the last by Webb, won the game.
1931: 11 walk-offs
The Cubs were never really in contention in 1931, finishing third, 17 games out of first place.
In the first game of a doubleheader Sept. 13 against the Braves, the Cubs led 7-5 going to the ninth, when Charlie Root gave up two runs to tie the game. No one scored in the 10th. In the bottom of the 11th, a one-out double was followed by an intentional walk, then a ground out moved the runners up a base. Another intentional pass loaded the bases, and Rogers Hornsby hit a pinch-hit walk-off grand slam for an 11-7 win. It was one of 11 slams Hornsby hit in his career, but the only one as a pinch-hitter.
1936: 11 walk-offs
The Cubs again held first place in ‘36 for much of July and early August, but went 29-31 in August and September to finish second at 87-67, five games behind the pennant-winning Giants.
On May 6, the Cubs trailed the Braves 8-6 going to the bottom of the ninth. RBI hits by Chuck Klein and Frank Demaree tied the game at 8. In the bottom of the 10th a walk and sac bunt was followed by another intentional walk. Augie Galan struck out, but Billy Herman singled in the game-winner and the Cubs won 9-8.
1946: 11 walk-offs
The year after the ‘45 pennant, the Cubs finished third at 82-71, but still gave 1.3 million fans – the largest total since 1930 – some thrills with a lot of walk-off wins.
On June 6, the Cubs led the Giants 6-0 going to the top of the eighth, but allowed a pair of three-run innings in the eighth and ninth and the game was tied. It wound up in extras. No one scored in the 10th or 11th. In the bottom of the 12th with one out, the Cubs loaded the bases on a single, forceout that allowed the runner at first to advance, intentional walk and another single.
Frank Secory, who played three years for the Cubs from 1944-46 and who later served as a National League umpire from 1952-70, pinch-hit for pitcher Hank Wyse. He hit a walk-off grand slam, one of just seven home runs he hit in his MLB career. The Cubs won 10-6.
1967: 11 walk-offs
Now we’re getting into more “modern” times. The Cubs had only one winning season between 1947 and 1966, but suddenly were in contention by mid-1967.
On July 22, the Cubs trailed the Giants 5-3 going to the bottom of the eighth. Randy Hundley’s RBI double in that inning made it 5-4. In the ninth, Billy Williams homered with one out to tie the game and Ron Santo followed with a triple. The Giants intentionally walked the next two hitters to load the bases with one out, and Hundley singled in the game-winner for a 6-5 win.
The Cubs had been tied for first briefly earlier that month, but fell behind the Cardinals. This walk-off win tied them for first again, the first time they’d been in first place that late in the season since 1945. They faded and finished third, but it was still their best season in 22 years.
1969: 11 walk-offs
Much has been written about this star-crossed season, so I’ll just say that the best walk-off win of this year was a game that’s one of the most famous in Cubs history, the Opening Day walk-off home run by Willie Smith that gave the Cubs a 7-6 win and kind of turbocharged that whole summer.
Here it is:
1984: 11 walk-offs
This time, the Cubs did make the postseason (and we won’t talk about that) with a 96-win season, their most wins since 1945.
No question, we have another top walk-off in Cubs history, perhaps the single most famous game in Cubs history, the Sandberg Game.
This season did not end well. With the Cubs five games out of first with 16 left, they went 2-14 (and started 1997 0-14, so… a pretty bad run).
But ‘96 was fun up to mid-September, anyway.
On Opening Day at Wrigley Field, April 1, the Cubs had a 4-3 lead in the eighth but the Padres tied the game off Doug Jones, yet another former Astros reliever who had a bad year with the Cubs.
In the 10th, the Cubs loaded the bases off future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman on two singles and a walk.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 26: Hurston Waldrep #64 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning at Oracle Park on June 26, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are in position to win their first series since June twentieth as they take on the Cardinals in the finale this evening.
Hurston Waldrep is set to make his second appearance this season and his first start since late September last year. Waldrep was touching speeds upwards of ninety-nine MPH before he got injured in February where loose bodies were discovered in his elbow. Although Waldrep walked four hitters in two innings in his return, the front office has decided to give him the nod today.
If Waldrep can show what he did last season and Reynaldo López can pitch anywhere close to the way he did last night, the Braves are in much better position than they were just a few weeks ago.
Waldrep has never faced the Cardinals, and none of the players on their roster have faced him before either. With no history of matchups this is going to be fun to see the outcome.
Dustin May will be taking the mound tonight, and he is having as much of an up and down season as one could imagine. He currently holds an ERA of 4.30 over fifteen starts and 83.2 innings pitched. On the fifteenth of June, which was two starts ago he pitched a complete game shutout where he allowed one hit, zero walks, and struck out nine against the Padres. However, in his last start where he faced the Royals, he only lasted 2.0 innings where he gave up six hits to include two HRs, six earned runs, and a walk with two strikeouts. May has three starts where he gave up at least six runs and did not last more than four innings but also has seven starts where he gave up two or fewer runs.
May spent six seasons with the Dodgers so it makes sense that Mike Yastrzemski has faced him the most on the Braves. Yastrzemski has fourteen at-bats against him and has a .500 average and 1.206 OPS. It will be shocking if he does not get the start tonight. Kim has seen him eleven times, but let’s be honest, none of that matters with the way Kim is hitting. Outside of that, no one has faced May in more than eight at-bats and most of the Braves have struggled. Riley has a 2.000 OPS with 2 HRs in his five at-bats against May, and Smith has a HR in his three at-bats, but no other starter than the ones mentioned have an OPS above .400 in their small sample sizes.
This game will likely come down to what version we will see of Dustin May and if Hurston Waldrep can limit walks. A win this evening and a strong showing from Waldrep could go a long way to helping the Braves get back on the right track.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - APRIL 24: Kyle Nicolas #62 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park on April 24, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nationals and Orioles linked up for a pretty minor trade last night. Paul Toboni acquired the recently DFA’d Kyle Nicolas in exchange for minor league infielder Randal Diaz. However, this trade has deeper significance because it is the first time that the Nats and O’s have ever made a trade together.
For the very first time in their histories, the Nationals and Orioles have made a trade: The Nats have acquired RHP Kyle Nicolas in exchange for INF Randal Diaz.
This is further proof that tensions are thawing between the two beltway rivals. For most of the Nats’ time in DC, the two teams have not had a great relationship, largely due to the contentious MASN deal. Let’s just say that Ted Lerner and Peter Angelos were not exactly best buds.
However, it is a new day now. Both Lerner and Angelos have passed away. Ted’s son Mark now runs the Nats and the O’s were sold to David Rubenstein. There has also finally been a resolution to the MASN debacle. As we know, the Nats are now on MLB TV.
Now that those factors have been ironed out, it makes sense that these teams would trade together, even if this is just a small deal. The O’s and Nats are just two teams making a deal now. While there will always be a rivalry, it is not like these teams are division rivals. Despite being in the same region, they are not city rivals like the Mets or Yankees either.
As the years go by, we should see more trades between these two teams, especially under these two GM’s. Both Paul Toboni and Mike Elias are transaction happy executives. Both love hunting the waiver wire and searching for value, and that is exactly what is happening here.
As we get into the trade itself, the Nats picked up a hard throwing, but erratic reliever in Kyle Nicolas. The 27 year old had a nice year back in 2024, pitching to a sub-4 ERA in 51 outings. Last season, he regressed a bit, posting a 4.74 ERA in 31 outings. However, his control was taking steps in the right direction, with his walk rate at a not great but manageable 10.8%.
After an offseason trade from the Pirates to the Reds, all of Nicolas’ control gains just vanished. He walked a preposterous 31% of hitters, and his control in the minors for both the Reds and O’s was not much better. Now, the Nats are taking a shot on him, hoping to get him back at least near the zone. There is a good thread about some potential solutions to his command crisis.
Kyle Nicolas has several traits I'd bet on: FB velocity, high spin rates, 92nd percentile extension—great ingredients held back by control.
Cincy (and later Baltimore) tried a couple of changes to help him find the zone that are worth exploring.
The control will never be good, but if it can get back to where it was in 2024 and 2025, he can be a solid piece of a bullpen. Nicolas’ stuff is very loud. He has a fastball that averages 97 and can touch triple digits. The righty also has two deadly breaking balls with his curve and slider. Last year, both got whiffs over 45% of the time, with his curve getting a 50% whiff rate.
At just 27 years old, this is a decent dart throw for the Nats. After picking him up, they immediately sent him to AAA. It is clear that Nicolas needs to make some serious tweaks to improve his control, but if he can do that, the righty has proven he can have success in this league.
This is also a solid deal for the O’s. Any time you can get minor league depth for an arm that was DFA’d, you take it. Randal Diaz is also not having a bad season. The 2024 5th rounder had a dreadful pro debut in Low-A, posting an OPS below .600. However, the 23 year old has a .766 OPS with High-A Wilmington this year. He has 5 homers and 13 steals to go with a .253 average.
The Orioles have traded Kyle Nicolas to the Nationals for High-A infielder Randal Diaz.
Diaz, 23, is a career .235 hitter in the minors with a .652 OPS.
The Nats have so many young infielders that Diaz never really had a shot of flourishing here. This move also allows Eli Willits, Ronny Cruz and Angel Feliz to man the infield just about every day in Wilmington. The Nats also needed to find playing time for youngster Jorgelys Mota, who just got activated from the IL.
There really was just not a spot for Diaz, so he was a good candidate to be moved in a minor trade like this. In the first trade between these two teams, Mike Elias and Paul Toboni combined to make a small, but sensible move. The O’s bolstered their minor league infield depth, while the Nats got a high velocity righty they will try to fix.
Tonight, my MLB strikeout props are looking to back steady, consistent arms while fading a few of the game’s more vulnerable starters.
Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi looks to get our weekend started, so here are my favorite MLB player props for Thursday, July 2.
Best MLB strikeout props and starting pitcher picks today
Player
Pick
Odds
Nathan Eovaldi
Over 6.5 strikeouts
-121
Bryce Miller
Over 7.5 strikeouts
+121
Randy Vasquez
Over 3.5 earned runs
+115
Strikeout prop: Nathan Eovaldi Over 6.5 strikeouts (-121)
As I mentioned in my moneyline predictions piece today, I think this is a letdown spot for the Detroit Tigers after coming off a solid series against the walking corpse we refer to as the New York Yankees. They now draw a red-hot Texas Rangers team led by Nathan Eovaldi, who has been striking out hitters at a very high rate.
On the other side, the Tigers have not been striking out a ton, but this is still one of the most inconsistent offenses in baseball. Over their last 60 plate appearances against right handed pitching, six bats own at least a 23.3% strikeout rate. Three of those six bats are 30% or worse.
With Eovaldi owning a strikeout rate above 30% over his last three outings, I expect that success to continue tonight. Take this down to -130 if you must.
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: RSN, DSN
Strikeout prop: Bryce Miller Over 7.5 strikeouts (+121)
Seattle Mariners right hander Bryce Miller has been on a tear lately, posting a near 40% strikeout rate over his last five outings. Tonight, he draws one of the most swing-happy, lowest contact teams in baseball in the Los Angeles Angels.
The Halos have been one of the worst strikeout teams in the league this season, sitting second-worst in strikeout rate and swinging strike rate, while also ranking third-worst in contact rate.
Those numbers have held steady on the road. Over their last 60 plate appearances against right handed pitching, six hitters carry at least a 23.3% strikeout rate, with three north of 25.4%.
Snagging this prop above +120 feels like a strong price.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SEAM, ABTV
Earned runs prop: Randy Vasquez Over 3.5 earned runs (+115)
Sure, asking any team to go off for four runs in the first five is a lot, but most teams are not the Los Angeles Dodgers. Plus, most teams are not facing a right hander who owns a 10.03 ERA, 7.80 xERA, and 2.40 WHIP over Randy Vasquez's last three starts.
Even going back to his last five outings, the Padres starter has a 7.59 xERA and 2.13 WHIP, while allowing a 50% hard-hit rate and nearly a 15% barrel rate.
The Dodgers are scorching-hot at the moment, despite falling to the Athletics last night. Over their last 12 games, they have posted a 131 wRC+, .382 wOBA, .807 OPS, and .167 ISO.
I am already a massive fan of Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy this evening, so why not give me the rest of that lineup?
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MLBN
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 251-481, -20.2 units
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.
KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 30: Kansas City Royals general manager J.J. Picollo before the Royals home opener against the Minnesota Twins on March 30, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Pick a negative adjective and you can apply it to the 2026 Kansas City Royals. They’re awful. Terrible. Boring. Gutless. Embarrassing. They fail to do the big things, like scoring runs and preventing the other team from doing the same. They also fail to do the small things, like running the bases without making outs and avoiding crucial defensive errors when it matters most.
If that sounds too harsh, well, I promise you that it’s just what the statistics and the eye test bear out. At 35-52, the Royals are on pace for just 65 wins. They have the worst record in the American League and the worst run differential in the American League; only the shambling corpse of the Colorado Rockies saves Kansas City from being the worst team with the worst run differential in the entirety of Major League Baseball.
Compounding these problems is the weight of expectations, as the Royals entered the season as contenders. The club itself had its sights set on making the playoffs one year after winning 82 games, two years after winning 86 and squeaking into the postseason. Pundits and fans expected good things, and so did the emotionless computers: PECOTA thought the Royals were an 84-win team, and ZiPS thought that the Royals would run it back as an 82-win team.
Kansas City’s response at each of the low points in the year has been to do nothing. A little over a month ago, I wrote that Royals leadership was asleep at the wheel. Despite a wide variety of potential moves available to them, they had chosen to do nothing–only eventually making the most cursory of changes to the lineup out of necessity. Since that point, the Royals have gone 13-18, further sliding down the slippery slope towards oblivion.
Except for the Royals, oblivion has not come. There has been no reckoning even as teams in similarly dire straights made changes. Most recently, the New York Mets fired their manager, Carlos Mendoza, after a 34-48 start. On the same day, the Los Angeles Angels fired their general manager, Perry Minasian, after a 34-49 start. They’re not the only ones, of course; others have paid a price for failing to meet expectations this year.
But not for the Royals. And on the first game of the homestand, we got another look into the reason why: they just don’t hold themselves to the standard that other teams hold themselves to. These few sentences of JJ Picollo’s interview provide some clear insight into that fact (emphasis mine):
“I know what this group is about,” Picollo said. “I know how they work. They’re very curious. They want answers. They want to try to find solutions to the questions we have. I know they’re prepared every day. And that’s all we can ask. At the end of the year, you take a look and say, ‘Is this really moving in the direction we want to go?’
“But right now, just keep having conversations with them, share what we’re seeing as a front office. Let them share concerns they have with us, so together we can be part of the answers with each other.”
A few caveats before digging in: Picollo here is talking about the coaching staff specifically, not the front office or the players. Additionally, there is a grain of salt you have to apply to these interviews: this is a PR play, and Picollo is not going to throw anybody under the bus publicly.
But with that out of the way…yikes!
Sports is simple: it’s entertainment. More winning, more entertainment. Less winning, less entertainment. And at the core is a social contract where if teams try hard to win games, fans will show up. If teams don’t try hard to win games, or if they’re really bad at it, fans stop showing up. Losing, therefore, is a very important part of the feedback loop because it ought to prompt teams to change things so they don’t lose fans.
For whatever reason, though, that part of the feedback loop is gone and is nowhere to be found. Losing just doesn’t stick. It isn’t a strong enough signal. It’s not even a signal that matters–to Picollo, what matters is effort. Are the Royals decision makers trying really hard? Are they curious? Are they prepared? He says it verbatim: “that’s all we can ask.”
That’s all we can ask? Really? I don’t know about any of you, but I don’t decide what to do with my evenings based on how hard any group of people tries or not. I decide based on how much joy any given activity gives me. Right now, the Royals give me, a person who spends who knows how many hours every year writing and thinking about them, no joy.
I don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors. But it doesn’t really matter what’s going on behind closed doors. Right now, it’s about the product on the field–which, objectively, sucks. Right now, it’s about what the Royals are doing about it–which, objectively, is nothing. Kansas City is trying to sell togetherness and solidarity when fans want competent baseball. The Royals should be asking more of themselves than trying really hard. They can ask more. They should ask more. The fans certainly are.
Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees host the Twins at Yankee Stadium for a three-game series starting Friday...
5 things to watch
Snapping the losing streak
New York enters Friday's series on a seven-game losing streak and 3.5 games behind Tampa Bay for first place in the AL East.
Luckily for them, they own the Twins.
Over their last 10 meetings, the Yankees are 8-2 and have outscored the Twins, 63-39. If there was a time to snap the streak, this would be the weekend to do it.
Will Gerrit Cole get back on track?
Cole is still trying to round into form since returning from Tommy John surgery, but he has had some tough times recently.
In his last two starts, he's allowed nine earned runs across 9.2 innings pitched. His ERA has ballooned to 4.06 and perhaps a little home cooking will do Cole good. Those previous two starts were on the road and in his last home start -- against the White Sox on June 16 -- he allowed two runs in 6.0 innings pitched.
As the Yankees wait for Max Fried to return, and with the starters scuffling a bit, New York needs Cole.
Is Ben Rice back?
Rice was in an 0-for-18 slump when he hit a home run off Tarik Skubal on Tuesday night. Although that was the only hit for him, he followed it up with a 1-for-3 day in the series finale against the Tigers on Wednesday. He also walked twice.
Jun 21, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) hits a solo home run in the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Yankee Stadium. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Rice is still one of the best Yankees hitters this season, batting .269 with a .921 OPS to go with his 23 home runs. With Aaron Judge still on the mend, he'll need to carry the bulk of the offensive load.
But he shouldn't do it alone...
Cody Bellinger, on the other hand....
Bellinger is in the midst of a 5-for-46 slump.
The former MVP is still having a great season and is a big reason -- along with Rice -- that the Yankees got off to a hot start in June with Judge on the IL. Luckily for Bellinger, the Twins will trot out three right-handers (Mike Paredes, Zebby Matthews, Joe Ryan) this weekend, so it could be the get-right series the struggling lefty Yankees are looking for.
Reinforcements on the way
Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon are expected to be activated from the IL on Friday. While Grisham's bat could help during this stretch, what both provide defensively is key. During this losing streak, the Yanks have committed nine errors and allowed 16 unearned runs. A big part of that is having players play out of position -- mostly at third base -- and McMahon's Gold Glove-caliber defense will help. The same goes with Grisham in center field, allowing Bellinger and Jasson Dominguez/Spencer Jones to man the corners.
That allows Jose Caballero and Amed Rosario to play in position and -- in the case of Rosario -- be used off the bench. We'll see if Grisham and McMahon fix those defensive lapses.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Ben Rice
The young slugger is starting to look like himself. That continues.
Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?
Gerrit Cole
Cole will be rested and pitching at home will do him good.
Which Twins player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?
Royce Lewis
I would say Byron Buxton, but the All-Star outfielder is dealing with a hip injury so his status for this series is uncertain. Since Lewis was recalled on June 6, he's batting .279 with five home runs.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 08: Cristian Javier #53 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The latest news and updates on the Houston Astros:
Cristian Javier will return to the Astros in the bullpen:
More on Cristian Javier's move to the bullpen, where Joe Espada said he will be a "typical" reliever – https://t.co/SwGhFvt0Oz
Javier’s inability to maintain effective velocity has plagued him since he returned from Tommy John surgery. It continues to be an issue for him on his rehab assignment. The Astros appear to be banking that shorter outings can allow Javier to maximize his best velocity in shorter bursts. How well his arm holds up to pen life is yet to be uncovered. Whether he can go back to back days, 3 out of 4, etc, whether he is comfortable coming in mid-inning with men on base (or can be trusted in such a situation as he does walk his share of batters) are all things the Astros must find out between now and the deadline.
Also noted in Rome’s piece:
Kai-Wei Teng will return to the team in the bullpen.
The Teng as a start experiment is over for 2026 (pending further notice). Teng developed arm fatigue starting, as he has pitched more innings in a short period of time than he was previously accustomed to. He was originally optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land to get some down time, but the Astros then discovered the knee injury. As a result, they cancelled his minor league assignment and placed him on the major league 15-day IL.
Teams are interested in P A.J. Blubaugh:
The Astros are getting interest in a few of their bullpen arms, according to sources, but AJ Blubaugh's combination of performance, starting background and team control has to make him the most valuable. Blubaugh has a 2.06 ERA in 48 innings since April 8 –https://t.co/dddg7hxjcy
Blubaugh leads all MLB relievers in innings pitched. He has often been called upon to bail the Astros pen out when a starter fails to get any depth into a game (something that once again happened yesterday). Blubaugh make s the minimum, throws up to 98 MPH, and has pitched as a starter in the minors, making him highly attractive to suitors.
Could the Javier experiment in the pen be a precursor to Blubaugh being dealt to acquire a bigger need elsewhere? His stuff, early success, minimum contract and team control should make his value very high.
The maddening Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde act of Tatsuya Imai continues:
A debut season for Tatsuya Imai that has swung between extremes continued Wednesday with another abrupt exit: https://t.co/QysXRWW570
That Imai has such terrific stuff yet somehow loses all command so completely and so quickly is one of the biggest mysteries of the sport this season. That the Astros famous ‘pitching lab’ hasn’t been able to get him figured out may be the 2nd biggest mystery.
After being the first Astros starter to post double digit strikeouts in back to back games, Imai laid another colossal egg yesterday being unable to get out of the 2nd inning, allowing 2 HR and 5 BB.
Houston’s ability to get Imai straightened out will be a top 3 factor in whether the team makes the postseason or not. The swings from ‘Good Imai” to “Bad Imai” are simply too drastic to survive the dog days of August, as his bad days put far too much pressure on a bullpen that has already been overtaxed this season.
Ray Delgado: He’s here, he’s gone, he’s back, now he’s gone again:
A bad hop on a ground ball left Raynel Delgado with a pinky injury, the second injury to an Astros infielder this week. https://t.co/ULUzXrqJR2
It has been a whirlwind for the rookie infielder, who got his first taste of the bigs 2 days after the Astros acquired him for cash considerations. He has held his own at the plate, and been a versatile defender.
He then got caught in the numbers game when Nick Allen was ready to be activated, only to be recalled a day later when Jeremy Pena landed back on the IL. Unfortunately for Delgado, a bad hop just stole some of his opportunity.
Delgado has gotten the start at SS yesterday, his second game since being recalled following Pena’s injury. A bad hop ball that struck second base right in front of him led him to try to adjust to the new higher trajectory of the ball with his bare hand. The ball banged off his right pinky, dislocating it.
Delgado said an X-ray on his finger showed no fracture. He said he gripped a bat but wasn't able to squeeze it all the way and is unsure how long he might miss. Joe Espada said the Astros will "see how he feels on Friday." https://t.co/OkudK59nLM
While the Astros have not made any official move as yet, it seems likely an IL stint is coming up.
Perhaps Braden Shewmake, who equated himself well previously this season before he landed on the IL, could be a candidate to replace him when the team will need to make a decision before Friday’s game.
Christian Walker left yesterday’s game with lower back soreness:
Christian Walker said he felt "some soreness" but that his exit was "precautionary" and he is optimistic about playing Friday. https://t.co/Qo6dCnKNFh
Walker has struggled in the month of June but has also been the team’s second best power bat behind Yordan Alvarez. Walker is tied for the team lead in doubles (16), second in HR (19), RBI (56), Hits (77) and Runs (45). His defense at 1B and ability to pick throws cannot be understated.
While Walker played down the significance of the injury, it is certainly something to monitor as the team is very much feeling the loss of Jeremy Pena right now. With Carlos Correa already lost for the season and the OF providing little offense, losing Walker for an extended period would be a big blow to the lineup.
The Astros top 2 prospects are going to the Futures Game:
Alvarez (18) and Neyens (19) are the jewels of the system. They will also be highly sought after at the deadline. In a season where top prospects should carry extra value with a looming long work stoppage expected, if the Astros decide to trade either of them, they must get absolute max value for them. They cannot be traded for marginal improvements, only for true impact players (should they be dealt at all).
Toronto Blue Jay's Raul Mondesi (R) is greeted in the dugout by teammates after scoring on teammate Tom Wilson two-run RBI single against the Oakland Athletics' pitcher Mark Mulder in the second inning 10 May 2002 in Oakland, California. AFP PHOTO/John G. MABANGLO (Photo by JOHN G. MABANGLO / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOHN G. MABANGLO/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Twenty-four years ago today, the Blue Jays traded Raul Mondesi, along with cash, to the Yankees for Scott Wiggins. The return wasn’t significant—Wiggins only pitched three games for Toronto—but the true benefit was shedding Mondesi’s salary and removing an unhappy presence from the clubhouse.
Toronto had acquired Mondesi from the Dodgers in November 1999 by trading away Shawn Green. The Jays hadn’t wanted to part with Green, but he demanded a trade after the team hired Cito Gaston as hitting coach. Green and Gaston had a rocky relationship dating back to Green’s early days with the team, when Gaston was manager. Gaston encouraged hitters to pull the ball, while Green favored hitting to all fields—leading to some disagreements, as detailed in Green’s autobiography.
The Jays hoped Mondesi’s statistics would improve with a move from the spacious Dodger Stadium to the more hitter-friendly SkyDome. That improvement never materialized, and Mondesi was openly unhappy in Toronto. Complicating matters, he had a hefty contract and Toronto boasted three superior outfielders in Shannon Stewart, Vernon Wells, and Jose Cruz.
Why did the Yankees want him?
It wasn’t the Yankees’ front office that wanted Mondesi, but team owner George Steinbrenner. He instructed team president Randy Levine to call Jays president Paul Godfrey to get the deal done, as reported by the Guelph Mercury Tribune:
As Godfrey tells it, the Yankees were struggling with injuries to their outfield at the time, and a play one day led a TV announcer to wonder why Steinbrenner was doing nothing with Mondesi on the market.
“Within minutes, Yankees president Randy Levine called me and said he wanted to make a deal for an outfielder,” Godfrey recalled. “I didn’t think he meant Mondesi, since we’d already tried shopping him around. So I asked, ‘Why isn’t GM Brian Cashman dealing with our GM, J.P. Ricciardi?’”
”And Randy yells, ‘George doesn’t want those two guys involved, they’ll never get a God damn deal done, I’m on instructions from George to get this God damn deal done now.’”
So Godfrey asked for five minutes, called Ricciardi and explained that he had to do the deal with Levine (to which Ricciardi replied, “I don’t care, get rid of Mondesi immediately”), got a list of prospects to ask for, and eventually settled with Levine on pitcher Scott Wiggins in return.
Toronto included $6 million with Mondesi in the trade. They’d been trying to move him for some time, but found no takers. Fortunately for the Jays, Steinbrenner was undeterred by his own front office’s reluctance. With Paul O’Neill retiring after the 2001 season, the Yankees were searching for a big bat in the lineup.
Mondesi played a season and a half for the Yankees, hitting .250/.323/.453 with 27 home runs over 169 games. At the 2004 trade deadline, he was sent to the Diamondbacks. Mondesi played for three more teams before retiring from baseball after the 2005 season.
While it might be considered one of J.P. Ricciardi’s better trades, he actually played a minimal role in making it happen.
After his baseball career, Mondesi became mayor of San Cristóbal, but was later sentenced to 8 years in prison for corruption and mismanagement of public funds during his term in office. That term ‘mismanagement is wrong. Embezzlement would be a better word.
Jun 23, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies left fielder Caden Sorrell (13) talks with Tennessee Volunteers second baseman Ariel Antigua (2) after colliding during the ninth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Just as I was trying to figure out who to write up next, Baseball America popped out their 5th mock draft, this time with a new name as the Phillies pick. It doesn’t sound like there’s sourcing for this or actual rumors of Phillies interest so much as there is “It’s the 36th pick. Who the hell knows? But this seems to be the type of player the Phillies might roll the dice on.” So, what the heck. It’s pick 36, who the hell knows what’ll happen.
Caden is a 21 year old 6’3″ 200 lbs Center Fielder from Texas A&M. He’s a left handed hitter with a pretty enticing mix of tools. In a common theme of recent profiles none of those tools is hitting (spoiler, I guess). In High School Sorrell was a Shortstop and his first 2 years in College he split time between the corner OF positions. He has a cannon for an arm, so RF is a solid fall back option if the can’t stick in Center in the pros. He’s a plus runner and should work fine in Center early in his career, but he has that Mike Trout Linebacker-ish frame that will probably eventually grow him out of Center and off into a corner with more average speed, but for now, at least, Sorrell can really get on his horse.
As a hitter Sorrell has a swing geared to hit home runs. He probably has 70 grade raw power and is eventually going to be fun to watch in home run derbies (albeit perhaps minor league ones). Same as I wrote about for Lebron earlier this week, his game power is just grade 55 or 60 because of his contact issues. He’s recorded exit velocities of 114 mph and better, which would be elite among MLB hitters. The first video below is Sorrell just committing extreme violence on baseballs. It’s a surprisingly quiet, lightning fast swing. Almost entirely rotational with no real stride and a small toe tap for timing. He has a 24% K rate and known struggles against non-Fastballs, I think there may be an Adolis Garcia/Jo Adell type ceiling here. He may not have quite the arm of Garcia and not quite the range of Adell, but the hitting issues look similar and I could see a .230/.295/.435 line regularly getting put out here. It’s probably a 2-3 WAR player, who may occasionally be worth 4 or 5 WAR, but is also probably going to have sub 1 WAR seasons when fans will be frustrated with him.
Look at pick 36, I’ll be thrilled with any player that makes the show and puts up a positive WAR. Even if it’s barely positive, and at least massive homers are fun. While I’m not sure there’s a star ceiling, Sorrell has dealt with some injuries in College and 2026 was his first fully healthy season, so if you’re looking for a silver lining, maybe there’s still a little ceiling to come with health letting him play and see more breaking balls.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 20: Atlanta second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) and the entire Braves team celebrate after Albies hit a walk-off two-run home run to win the MLB game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves on June 20th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Every day, Pinstripe Alley offers updates on what the Yankees’ top American League opponents are up to through the Rivalry Roundup. The AL East is well-trodden ground there, but with the season at it’s mathematical halfway point, we’re going to take a peek around MLB as a whole and check in with each of the other five divisions. Who’s surprising? Who’s underwhelming? Who’s simply mediocre at the moment? Read on and find out.
(Note: Records and standings are up to date through games played on Tuesday, June 30th.)
First Place: Atlanta Braves (49-34)
Top Position Player: Matt Olson (2.7 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Chris Sale (2.8 fWAR)
The first-place Braves were sitting pretty for the first two and a half months, but things took a turn for the worse in June. Sitting at 45-21 entering a series with the White Sox on the 9th, they blew a 4-0 lead that night and lost via walk-off in the 10th, sparking a miserable 4-13 slump to end the month that has shrunk their once gigantic 10.5-game lead to just 2.5 games over the surging Phillies.
The team’s most likely All-Stars on the hitting side are perennial stud Matt Olson at first base and the resurgent Michael Harris II. The latter has been a completely different player since facing the Yankees last July, entering that series as one of the worst regulars in the sport, but has now posted a 127 wRC+ across a full season’s worth of plate appearances since.
We’re not getting an MVP-caliber season from Ronald Acuña Jr., but he’s remained a force at the top of the lineup. You look at all the names on this offense and wonder how they’re statistically below average on the year, but the simple answer for that is just how putrid they were in June. The bottom has completely fallen out on Austin Riley’s bat at third base and even the regulars were going into huge slumps.
On the pitching end, it’s all about Chris Sale. The reigning NL Cy Young winner won’t go back-to-back, but it won’t be for lack of trying. His 2.10 ERA across 90 innings with a 23.6 K-BB% would be good enough to potentially start the All-Star Game in the American League, but goes under the radar with the sheer volume of talented arms in the Senior Circuit. Behind him, Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes have given them average production, Martin Perez has been steady as ever, and Spencer Strider continues to struggle with both health and productivity.
The one saving grace of the team in June was that they continued to have the best back-end relief trio in the sport. Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee, and Raisel Iglesias have combined for a 1.05 ERA across 96 innings. When these guys lead after six, the game is all but over. Having Didier Fuentes, Tyler Kinley, and Reynaldo Lopez as middle relief guys is an unreal strength for the best bullpen in baseball (2.76 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 3.8 fWAR)
Second Place: Philadelphia Phillies (48-38)
Top Position Player: Kyle Schwarber (2.6 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Cristopher Sanchez (4.2 fWAR)
If I had a nickel for every time the Phillies woke up from an early-season stupor with a midseason managerial change, in which they fired one former Yankee for another former Yankee, to be one of the best teams in baseball, I’d have two nickels.
Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened twice.
Four years after canning former Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi for his bench coach, who also had that role in New York, they did it again. Rob Thomson faced the same fate that Girardi faced, losing his job to his bench coach, Yankees legend Don Mattingly. Since then, they’ve gone 38-19 and have gained eight games in the standings in five weeks with an 18-9 month.
It’s awfully rare for a team to be successful with its most valuable player via WAR being a primary DH, but when that player is on pace to hit 60 home runs, it sounds a lot more reasonable. Kyle Schwarber is worth every penny of his new contract, and he’s finally been joined by some of his teammates with Bryce Harper (143 OPS+) and Brandon Marsh (131 OPS+). Did you know Marsh has one of the highest BABIP in MLB history? If it works, it works.
They’re still not without major flaws offensively, though. Age might finally be catching up to Trea Turner’s bat (for real this time), while Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, and JT Realmuto have been black holes offensively. Adolis García is done for the year, Justin Crawford can’t hit a beach ball, and they’re gonna need some reinforcements at the deadline to have a chance to compete in October.
Their pitching, on the other hand, can compete with anyone. Cristopher Sánchez’s unreal scoreless innings streak has defined a potential Cy Young campaign, while usual ace Zack Wheeler has looked great since a scary thoracic outlet syndrome injury. The concern is that, beyond Sanchez, Wheeler, and Jesús Luzardo, who else can step up? Aaron Nola’s now in Year 2 of being one of the worst starters in the majors, and Andrew Painter’s rookie year has been a nightmare.
Jhoan Duran leads the National League with 21 saves, and you’ll never guess who’s setting him up. It’s not the struggling José Alvarado; it’s former Yankee Tim Mayza! Orion Kerkering is having a great year after his miscue in the NLDS last year, but the rest of the bullpen is lagging behind. They’ll be looking for upgrades at the deadline.
Third Place: Miami Marlins (46-40)
Top Position Player: Otto Lopez (3.6 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Max Meyer (2.3 fWAR)
Whoa, where did this come from? For the second straight year, the Marlins have awoken from an early-season slump to go ballistic in the summer. Once sitting 26-34 at the end of May, they’ve secured just their second 20-win month in franchise history (May 2012, 21) and suddenly find themselves in the thick of the wild card race. However you feel about Peter Bendix and his analytical approach, he’s put a destitute franchise on the path to success with no financial backing.
They’ve done it without 2025 breakout star Kyle Stowers as the focal point, as he’s been limited to decent production across 62 games. Xavier Edwards has been over .300 all season and is emerging as a top shortstop in the game, while Otto Lopez has been a WAR machine, leading MLB in hits with stupendous defense and baserunning. Recent call-up Joe Mack is starting to find his stroke behind the plate, while Liam Hicks has been an All-Star caliber DH for them.
It’s been a real breakout campaign for Max Meyer, who’s having an extremely quiet All-Star campaign with a 9-0 record and a 2.60 ERA. The 27-year-old has taken the mantle of ace from Sandy Alcantara, who’s been better than last year but remains a traditional workhorse with average numbers. Eury Perez has been up and down to complete their Big 3, but they’re looking for someone else to step up with an injury to Janson Junk and the failed Chris Paddack experiment.
The one thing holding them back, though, might be the fact that their closer’s ERA is nearly seven. Pete Fairbanks has been a disaster since coming over from Tampa, and even with four extremely productive set-up options in Michael Petersen, John King, Calvin Faucher, and Lake Bachar, they’ve refused to take him out of the closer’s role. You have to think the leash is being shortened with the team’s sudden playoff aspirations.
Fourth Place: Washington Nationals (44-43)
Top Position Player: James Wood (3.0 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Cade Cavalli (2.1 fWAR)
Another pleasant surprise, the Nationals are above .500 entering July for the first time in almost a decade. We’ve heard about the baby steps for the last few years of developing a core that can figure things out, but the new regime really seems to be making strides in player development to put this franchise on the right path.
James Wood’s strikeouts continue to be a major issue, but he’s shaken off an early rut to once again be among the NL’s best outfielders. Keibert Ruiz has suddenly found the ability to hit after entering the year with a career 87 OPS+, Curtis Mead is finally living up to his prospect billing in his third stop, and Luis García Jr. had a surprising amount of pop in June. But no player has been more impressive than CJ Abrams, who despite defensive limitations, has been one of the best hitting middle infielders in the game this year.
The rotation starts strong, but drops off fast. Foster Griffin has come out of nowhere to lead the Nats, and Cade Cavalli is undergoing a major breakout of his own, but they’re followed up by the badly struggling Zack Littell, Jake Irvin, and Miles Mikolas. Cavalli, a former first-round pick in 2020, made news for the wrong reasons to close the month due to a spat with Boston’s Willson Contreras.
If anything can hold this Nationals team back from making a return to the postseason, it’s their depressing bullpen. They’re 26th in bullpen ERA at 4.99 and can’t seem to find anyone to effectively pitch in high-leverage situations. They had some impossible chokes this month against San Francisco and Philadelphia, as it seems like everyone but PJ Poulin and Brad Lord just can’t seem to get three outs.
Fifth Place: New York Mets (36-50)
Top Position Player: Juan Soto (2.6 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Nolan McLean (1.8 fWAR)
What a mess. Injuries have certainly taken a toll on how awful this Mets season has been, but when you’re finding a way to bum out a city that enjoyed an NBA championship this month, that’s bleak. Carlos Mendoza paid for their sloppy, uninspired play with his job late in the month after Dansby Swanson and the Cubs swept them into the Stone Age.
The offense has been horrendous. Francisco Lindor just now returned from his second major injury of 2026, and his supporting cast has been abysmal. The progress Brett Baty showed in 2025 has been erased. Mark Vientos looks so lost compared to his 2024 form. The regressing bat of Marcus Semien didn’t improve at all. Luis Robert Jr. and Jorge Polanco are still on the shelf. Rookies AJ Ewing and Carson Benge can only do so much, as can Bo Bichette’s improved June after his disastrous first two months. The one guy who’s not slumping? The inevitable Juan Soto.
The rotation was never going to be the team’s strength, but they certainly expected a lot more from Nolan McLean (3.78 ERA, 3.58 FIP) and Freddy Peralta (4.53 ERA, 4.17 FIP), who were both expected to be ace-caliber arms this year. Clay Holmes will be out for a while with his broken leg, so while Christian Scott has done admirably since his promotion, Kodai Senga and David Peterson’s struggles are further accentuated. Well, I guess just Senga now, as Peterson got sent off to the Cubbies.
In the bullpen, a lot of Yankees fans have kept one eye on Devin Williams and Luke Weaver after they jumped ship in the offseason. While Williams has experienced the same ups and downs on a much less competitive team, Weaver has fully shaken off the struggles he had last year with 24 consecutive scoreless innings. He’ll be a high-leverage arm sold off at the deadline. Huascar Brazoban and Brooks Raley will also be enticing pieces for contenders who need bullpen help.
TORONTO, ON- SEPTEMBER 26 - Toronto fans might have figured out the equation for a Blue Jay world series as the play-off bound Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 10-8 at Rogers Centre in Toronto. September 26, 2015. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
The Red Sox have player 85 games. They have 77 games remaining until the end of the season. But the real end of the season might just be the trade deadline.
In that respect, they have just 33 days remaining. That’s only 26 games. Sitting at 37-48, the Red Sox have some work to do to decide how they want to handle things. Is Sonny Gray available? Or Aroldis Chapman? Both? Are they in the market for a right-handed bat? Probably yes regardless of their playoff hopes.
In their favor for the season, the Yankees are in the midst of a 7-game losing streak. The Blue Jays just lost 5 straight – tied with the Sox’ (and Orioles’) longest losing streak of the year. The Rays longest losing streak is 4.
There are 8 series between now and the last day to make a move. There’s a short west coast trip to see the Angels and the White Sox and Mets on the way back east. Each of those is a 3-game series.
After the All-Star Break the Sox host the Rays (4 games), Orioles (3 games), and Blue Jays (3 games).
Then it’s back to the West Coast for 7 more games: 4 against the Athletics and 3 against the Dodgers.
Right now the Rays are leading the AL East with the Yankees 3.0 games back, the Jays 10.5, Orioles 12.0, and Red Sox 13.5 behind.
Caleb Durbin has 7 home runs while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has just 4. Durbin’s 6 June homers is the highest 1-month total for any month in his 2-year career. Vlad’s total is, of course, more of an aberration and as he will not reach free agency until 2040, the Jays have to hope he can uncover some Durbin-esque pop. He averages 29 home runs per 162 games. That’s 25 home runs in the remaining 3 months of the season. He’s currently on pace for just 8. With 75 games to go, Vlad needs a home run every 3 games instead of every 5.5. That’s a big power surge even for him, just to hit his average. To hit last year’s total of 23 that’s still a home run every 4 games. To reach his high of 11 home runs form 2025, Caleb Durbin needs 4 home runs in 3 months.
Jarren Duran has had a miserable season. But power-wise he has 12 homers and needs 4 to match his 2025 total. And just 9 – 3 per month – to reach his career high of 21 again. There was some worry about 20-homer power on the team and Willson Contreras is already at 18 dingers at around the halfway point. If only he had a little more help…
Remember the Jays being on a losing streak? Well, they took 2-out-3 against the Mets.
Even as the Red Sox look bad, the Mets are a notch worse. And they invested almost a billion dollars in their team with Juan Soto alone. The Mets have lost 51 games forming a club with the Angels, Giants, and Rockies as first to 50 losses this year. Of note, the Mets and Angels are 2 teams on the upcoming road trip. If there are any games to win, these 6 are top among them. And the Rockies won 2 games only through bullpen collapses that aren’t guaranteed. There was also a personal change at shortstop after some misplays by Marcelo Mayer.
Because the Red Sox are off on Monday, August 3 – along with many but not all teams, for example the Rays and Rockies will be playing – there won’t be any dramatics mid-game. If Aroldis Chapman is still on the team, the hugwatch will not be literally at the deadline. It might happen on August 2 if he’s still in the ‘pen at that point, assuming there was not a tremendous winning streak by the Sox to be solidly holding a playoff spot at the time. After all, he might as well get in the goodbye hugs.
Scott showed flashes with the Mets in 2024 during his rookie season, but his big league ascendance was short-lived due to an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery and kept him out for the entire 2025 season.
Now back at full strength, the 27-year-old has impressed since returning to the rotation.
In 45.0 innings over 10 starts, Scott has a 3.20 ERA (3.93 FIP) and 1.33 WHIP with 53 strikeouts in 45.0 innings -- a rate of 10.6 K's per nine.
Using mainly a four-seamer, sweeper, and cutter, Scott's arsenal has been remade a bit from his rookie season, when he was not yet using the cutter.
Scott's four-seamer has ticked up (averaging 95.5 mph this season after it averaged 94.2 mph in 2024), and his cutter has been especially effective -- with hitters slugging just .194 against it.
Following a somewhat alarming two-start blip in May where he allowed 16 runs (13 earned) in 9.0 innings, McLean has snapped back in.
In 34.0 innings over his last six starts, the young right-hander has a 2.65 ERA.
He's still battling his command at times -- as evidenced by the 17 walks he's issued during that span -- but he looks a lot more like he did during his rookie season and earlier this year.
McLean was especially impressive during his last start, firing six shutout innings against the Blue Jays while allowing five hits, walking two, and striking out seven.
Lindor is still searching a bit at the plate since coming off the IL, but it's starting to come.
Over his last five games, Lindor has a two homers, a triple, and a .967 OPS.
Apr 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Lindor has been batting cleanup recently, with Carson Benge still entrenched in the leadoff spot.
The Braves are sinking
Because of a 5-13 record over their last 18 games, the Braves' lead over the Phillies in the NL East is down to just 2.5 games.
Atlanta is dealing with a rash of injuries, which hasn't helped matters.
In addition to being without Ronald Acuña Jr. and Sean Murphy, Atlanta's starting rotation is decimated -- with Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Joey Wentz all on the 60-day IL.
The Braves also recently lost high-leverage reliever Robert Suarez, who landed on the 15-day IL due to a forearm injury.
Matt Olson remains fearsome
With Acuña and Murphy out, and Austin Riley having a down season (he's hitting .207/.285/.332 with an OPS+ of 74), Olson is the most dangerous bat in Atlanta's lineup.
In his fifth season with the Braves, Olson is slashing .272/.342/.523 with 20 homers and 22 doubles in 84 games.
Michael Harris II is also having a standout year, with 14 homers, 13 doubles, and an .817 OPS -- the best mark he's had since his breakout rookie season in 2022.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Juan Soto
Despite a quiet series in Toronto, Soto still leads the NL with a .956 OPS.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Nolan McLean
McLean is locked in again.
Which Braves player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
Ozzie Albies
Albies is having a bounce back year at the plate after struggling in both 2024 and 2025.
Nathan Eovaldi
Bryce Miller
Randy Vasquez
