New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.
The MLB All-Star break got started yesterday when St. Louis’ Jordan Walker won the Home Run Derby with 12 homers in the final round, for a total of 31 over three rounds, putting him ahead of Kyle Schwarber by one.
Tonight, it’s time for the Midsummer Classic.
The 2026 MLB All-Star Game gets started at 8 p.m. ET tonight with some of baseball’s biggest stars on both the field and the bench. Both the National League and the American League’s starting position players were determined by fan vote, and the starting lineups will represent both New York teams.
The Yankees have two starting players for the American League: Ben Rice at first base and Cody Bellinger in the outfield. Mets left-fielder Juan Soto will start for the National League.
MLB All-Star Game 2026: what to know
When: July 14, 8 p.m. ET
Where: Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Channel: FOX
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
The managers of last season’s AL and NL pennant winners will serve as All-Star team managers tonight. Blue Jays boss John Schneider will manage the American League’s team, while the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts will manage the National League for the second year in a row.
The 2026 MLB All-Star Game is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET tonight, July 14.
What channel is the MLB All-Star Game on?
The MLB All-Star Game will air live on FOX.
How to watch and stream MLB All-Star Game 2026 for free
If you don’t have cable or an antenna, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the MLB All-Star Game for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching live sports for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before saving $30 on your first month. We recommend subscribing to the Choice plan, which includes FOX as part of its 125+ channels.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
Detroit Tigers Jahmai Jones (18) looks out at the scoreboard during his game against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park in Detroit on Sunday, June 21, 2026. | David Rodriguez-Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Well, we wondered if anyone would be interested after a disastrous first half, and it turns out the Boston Red Sox came calling. The Detroit Tigers have traded pinch-hitting, lefty mashing specialist Jahmai Jones to the Red Sox in exchange for a player to be named later.
Getting anything at all back for Jones is fine, as the Tigers just could no longer float Jones on the active roster considering his brutal performance in the first half of the season. Jones slashed an abysmal .137/.219/.221 with a 33.3 percent strikeout rate, two home runs, and a 27 wRC+, putting him over 70 percent worse than league average.
That came of the heels of a 2025 season where he slashed. 287/.387/.550 with seven homers in 150 plate appearances and a 159 wRC+. Nearly all of these at-bats came against left-handed pitching, but even in such a specified role, Jones couldn’t repeat his 2025 run. Teams started spinning in more breaking stuff while keeping fourseam fastballs out of his sweet spot and he just could not adjust with any success. After seeing 35.1 percent fourseam fastballs in 2025, he saw just 23.1 percent of them this season, and was unable to lay off the breaking stuff well enough to get into favorable counts where pitchers might have to challenge him.
Jones got plenty of leash to try and figure it out in May and early June after a rough April, but things just got worse and his playing time quickly dried up. His plate appearances went from 37 in April and 41 in May to just 25 in June.
The emergence of Ben Malgeri as at least a decently competent hitter who, unlike Jones, is a pretty solid outfielder, cut into his playing time, and the brief hand injury to Dillon Dingler gave 1B/C Eduardo Valencia a shot as well. It’s too early to get real excited about either option, although Valencia has been a lot of fun over the past week, but Valencia makes for at least as good an option as Jones even in the exceedingly specific role of pitch-hitting against left-handers. He also provides more defensive utility despite being mediocre behind the plate and at first base.
With Gleyber Torres and Javier Báez rehabbing with an eye toward a return around the end of July or early August, Jones was eventually going to be forced out anyway. The Tigers will be in a better spot in terms of left-right balance in their lineup when those two return. In the meantime, Dillon Dingler and Spencer Torkelson have absolutely dominated left-handed pitchers this season, limiting the relevance of the whole issue. Probably the easiest and cheapest way for the Tigers to upgrade their offense right now would be to find a temporary left-handed hitting first baseman, allowing them to keep Torkelson on the bench and ready to hit a lefty reliever more often. Colt Keith simply hasn’t had the playing time at the position to really be comfortable there, and the Tigers should get him more reps to open up more flexibility, as playing Torkelson full-time this year has really hurt them against right-handed pitching, despite the strength of the overall lineup against RHP.
We wish Jahmai Jones well. The Red Sox are in a similar position to the Tigers, trying to run down the American League leaders after a really rough start. The Green Monster in left makes for a pretty good park for Jones to try and turn his season around in. Maybe he’ll figure it out with a fresh start.
The #RedSox today acquired OF/DH Jahmai Jones from the Detroit Tigers, in exchange for a player to be named later.
To make room on the active roster, Boston optioned INF/OF Nate Eaton to Triple-A Worcester.
Major League Baseball has envisioned an extended 11-day All-Star break. The last regular-season games before the break would be on July 9, followed by the All-Star Game on July 11, likely at San Francisco, and the Olympic tournament at Dodger Stadium from July 13-19. The season would resume July 21.
“In general our players want to play in the Olympics. They’re patriotic, and for them it’s a special opportunity, and we want them to have that opportunity,” union head Bruce Meyer said Tuesday ahead of the All-Star Game. “Having said that, we want to make sure that they have things like travel and accommodations, and things that they deserve based on who they are.”
Five entities are involved in the negotiations: Major League Baseball, the players’ association, the International Olympic Committee, the LA28 local organizing committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation.
Meyer characterized discussions as early.
“We’re focused on player quality of life,” Meyer said.
The United States qualified automatically as host, and the Dominican Republic and Venezuela earned berths based on their finish in this year’s World Baseball Classic. Asia and Europe/Oceania will have one spot each and the sixth nation will be determined during a final qualifying tournament.
“We went down the road on LA 2028 because we saw it as a unique opportunity to market the sport with our very, very best players,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “It is a disruptive undertaking for us. Put money to one side, you’re disrupting your entire season, and if we’re going to undertake that effort we want our very best out there so that people see how great our game really is.”
MLB wants player participation to be mandatory for those chosen along with those picked for future All-Star Games.
“The proposals they made in terms of what the discipline would be, the ramifications of a player who doesn’t want to do that, in our view were extreme,” Meyer said.
Meyer said San Francisco would be the 2028 All-Star Game site, but Manfred said MLB hasn’t made a final determination.
We open up the Mets Mailbag at the All-Star Break to discuss the state of the team and what's to come ahead of the MLB trade deadline...
David Stearns has been a complete trainwreck the past two seasons. Even Steve admitted “it’s not going well,” so why would he publicly give him support to finish out this five-year contract? -- @HustleDiva1
Steve Cohen’s rationale for keeping Stearns, at least as he has articulated it publicly, is twofold: one, he hand-picked Stearns years in advance, waited for him, and made a significant financial commitment to him. He believed in him that much, and he believes he will adapt and adjust.
Two, Cohen has said he does not want to be perceived as a flighty billionaire owner in the George Steinbrenner mold because he believes that will deter top talent from coming to work for him. If a highly touted executive is choosing his or her next home, why would that person put his or her career in the hands of someone they know will turn on them at the first sign of trouble. Again, this is Cohen’s rationale. And certainly with Stearns, this year is not the first sign of trouble.
That being said, I did not hear Cohen say he is definitely keeping Stearns for the duration of his contract. In fact, when Joel Sherman pressed him on that during that excellent podcast interview last week, Cohen admitted that if things aren’t going well, he might have to make a move. I thought that was significant, particularly because Cohen did not think firing Carlos Mendoza would be necessary earlier this season, according to people familiar with his thinking. When things got worse, he changed his mind.
Cohen wants stability. He hopes Stearns will learn from failure and be a better long-term fit for it, and I will say that in a sport as fickle as this one, it does sometimes take time for people to get things right. And I also don’t think he will keep Stearns long-term if things get worse. The question I do not know the answer to, however, is what "worse" would have to look like if we have not seen it yet.
Is it unpopular opinion if I say that Torrens should be the everyday catcher and Taylor needs to be in the lineup more often? They are battlers and have a much needed approach in the batter’s box. Pretty good defensively as well. Have been for years but somehow seem undervalued. -- @kevind7195
That opinion is certainly not unpopular with me, and the catching perspective seems to be the prevailing notion with the Mets these days, too. Near the end of Mendoza’s tenure, he started committing to playing Torrens more behind the plate, and he has gotten more consistent playing time there since then as the Mets have used Francisco Alvarez more as a designated hitter. That balance has been complicated somewhat by the return of Jorge Polanco, who can only serve as the DH and therefore limits the Mets’ ability to use Alvarez in that position. But I believe the organization is seeing the importance of Torrens’ steadiness defensively and his ability to get the most out of pitchers, and I would expect him to split time more consistently with Alvarez down the stretch as much as possible.
New York Mets designated hitter Francisco Alvarez (4) hits a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
I also think the organization views Torrens highly enough that they would be willing to trade Alvarez if presented with a return they deem suitable. I do not know whether they would trade Torrens, whom they signed to a team friendly extension earlier this season, though I would expect teams to ask. Obviously, I would not expect them to deal both.
As for Taylor, I think he is both undervalued and playing about as much as this team can afford to play him now. The Mets have committed to giving Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing regular at-bats, so outside of the occasional tough lefty matchup for Ewing, Taylor has no clear path to regular outfield duty. When he has gotten chances, he has been productive. He is a tremendously valuable asset as a fourth outfielder because of his ability to produce in limited duty. And because of that, plus the fact that he is a free agent after this season, he might end up being a valuable trade piece, too.
We were told this was a World Series team with better defense and a more well rounded offense. How could they have been this wrong?
I’m not here to argue with the premise of your question, but I will say the Mets are not the only people who read this group wrong. Oddsmakers, projection analysts, and even just regular baseball writers like me all predicted them to be contenders in the National League East with a chance to run through October if they added enough at the deadline. And of course, none of that materialized.
Injuries are part of the reason. Lindor missing so much time and needing time to recover his form really hurt them. Polanco and Luis Robert Jr. missing most of the first half didn’t help, though that was predictable. Spencer Jones shattering Clay Holmes’ leg made things very difficult. But everyone has injuries, and I think they miscalculated the extent of their depth.
I also think they misread their people. Freddy Peralta was more vulnerable to the pressures of a contract year than they thought. Devin Williams has been more susceptible to the pressures of closing in New York than Stearns clearly expected. Alvarez and Mark Vientos and Brett Baty were not ready to take the next steps forward the Mets needed them to take. All of that added up to a weaker, shallower lineup than they thought they had.
But I also think they were wrong about the state of their clubhouse. Whether or not they needed to clear Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeill will be debated for years, though people in the clubhouse and around the team insist the vibes are better this year. But better vibes are not enough. Whether because of public discussions about a potential captaincy, injuries, or something else, Lindor is not the same person he seemed to be in years’ past – a little less… sure somehow.
Soto might someday exert his influence more forcefully on this clubhouse, but for now he insists he sees himself as one of the guys, not an enforcer. They do not have an emotional anchor, and with a struggling team and brand-new coaching staff, neither Mendoza nor Stearns nor anyone in the clubhouse could provide one. Emotional anchors matter most when things go wrong, and when they went wrong early this year, the void was glaring. It continues to be.
So mostly, I think they missed on the intangibles – the injury risk, the way pressure would impact players new to New York, the type of people they needed in the clubhouse and they type of young players they had. Few teams get those things right, and some that do luck into it. But the Mets will not build long-term success until they figure them out. And the good thing about intangibles is they are impossible to calculate. Maybe, then, they are not as far from figuring them out as it seems. Or something.
SeatGeek is the official MLB Ticketing Partner of the New York Post. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change.
The Savannah Bananas are about to see ivy for the first time.
Come late July, America’s favorite “banana ball” team will take on The Firefighters in a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs’ home Wrigley Field.
If you’d like to be there, last-minute tickets are available for what will surely be a wild yet entertaining series in the Windy City.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on tickets for any one Bananas game was $112 including fees against SeatGeek.
Prices for the other two games start at $127 and $141 including fees.
Make sure to use promo code NYPOST10 for $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout (Editor’s Note: this discount is only valid for users’ first purchase on SeatGeek).
Over the course of the young ’26 season, the Bananas have already pulled off a number of memorable stunts at games all over the country.
“To go bananas for Banana Ball, you must embrace childlike whimsy,” The Daily Tar Heel wrote about an April game in North Carolina.
What will they take to the field when they visit Wrigley?
Although we can’t say for certain, we do know the absolute best way to find out is live and in person at the Cubbies’ home.
We’ll see ya at the ballpark.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Savannah Bananas three games against The Firefighters at Wrigley Field below.
How much do tickets cost to see the Savannah Bananas at Wrigley Field?
A complete breakdown of all the best prices on tickets to see the Savannah Bananas’ three games at Wrigley Field are listed here:
Savannah Bananas Wrigley Field game dates
Ticket prices start at
Friday, July 24 7 p.m.
$112(including fees)
Saturday, July 25 4 p.m.
$128(including fees)
Sunday, July 26 3 p.m.
$141(including fees)
What giveaways do the Cubs have planned at Wrigley Field?
Hoping to snag some freebies while watching Craig Counsell’s club finish their 2026 campaign?
Below, you’ll find a list of all the giveaways the Cubs have planned at Wrigley Field over the rest of the season (including some sweet retro jerseys).
Chicago Cubs 2026 giveaway dates
Cubs 1940s-50s replica jerseyTwins vs. Cubs Friday, July 17
National Hot Dog Day capTwins vs. Cubs Saturday, July 18
Greek heritage jerseyTigers vs. Cubs Monday, July 20 *special ticket purchase required
University of Missouri capTigers vs. Cubs Monday, July 20 *special ticket purchase required
Cubs x PCA basketball jerseyTigers vs. Cubs Tuesday, July 21 *special ticket purchase required
2016 World Series anniversary surprise pinTigers vs. Cubs Wednesday, July 22
Cubs 1960s replica jerseyYankees vs. Cubs Friday, July 31
Wrigley Field marquee night lightYankees vs. Cubs Sunday, Aug. 2
Cubs 1960s replica jerseyCardinals vs. Cubs Friday, Aug. 14
Cubs 1990s replica jerseyReds vs. Cubs Friday, Aug. 28
Harry Caray bobbleheadReds vs. Cubs Sunday, Aug. 30
Illinois State University capBrewers vs. Cubs Monday, Aug. 31 *special ticket purchase required
Girls Night Out makeup bagBrewers vs. Cubs Monday, Aug. 31 *special ticket purchase required
Armed Forces hoodie and challenge coinBrewers vs. Cubs Tuesday, Sept. 1 *special ticket purchase required
First Responder’s quilted fleece and challenge coinBrewers vs. Cubs Wednesday, Sept. 2 *special ticket purchase required
Northern Illinois University capBraves vs. Cubs Wednesday, Sept. 16 *special ticket purchase required
University of Illinois capBraves vs. Cubs Wednesday, Sept. 16 *special ticket purchase required
Northeastern Illinois University crewneckBraves vs. Cubs Wednesday, Sept. 16 *special ticket purchase required
Note: Most freebies will be given to the first 5,000 fans. There are exceptions so make sure to arrive at the ballpark early.
For more information about special ticket purchases, click here.
When do the Cubs play at Wrigley Field this summer?
Fans that plan on seeing Nico Hoerner, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, Dansby Swanson and the squad can catch Counsell’s club at home all summer long including a three-game series against their crosstown rival White Sox from Aug. 17-19.
Want to be there (or follow the team on the road)?
Tickets for all Chicago Cubs regular season games from June through September can be grabbed here.
Where else are the Savannah Bananas playing in 2026?
Once the short stint in Cincy wraps, the Bananas will hit other ballparks all over North America from June through October.
Some of their most notable stops include Denver’s Coors Field (Aug. 14-15), St. Louis’ Busch Stadium (Aug. 21-22) and New England’s Gillette Stadium (Aug. 28-29).
To find the game that makes the most sense for your wallet and schedule, check out the Savannah Bananas’ complete 2026 calendar here.
About the Savannah Bananas
After forming in 2016, the “exhibition barnstorming baseball team” made a name for itself by embracing “exhibition” and “barnstorming” while halfway ditching “baseball.”
The team now plays Banana Ball, which has quirky rules like fan-caught foul balls counting as outs, games not being allowed to exceed two hours in length and batters stealing first base.
Yet, still, that’s barely scratching the surface of the innovative game’s showmanship.
Simply put, we recommend following Savannah’s Instagram to see what craziness the entertaining team is up to. Be warned, though — their clips are so fun you just might end up scrolling for hours.
The Bananas aren’t the only attraction at Banana Ball games.
Their opponents, The Firefighters aka “the hottest team in sports,” also bring fun, skill and loads of personality to the diamond.
Made up of legitimate players and goofballs, The Firefighters have been taking on The Bananas since 2024 when they became the third Banana Ball Team in the Banana Ball Championship League.
And, as a cherry on top, they’re led by former firefighter Valerie Perez, who coaches the club.
Fun events for the family in 2026
Get yer wholesome entertainment here!
We’ve got five shows that are guaranteed fun for the whole family below.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 01: Relief pitcher Ryan Walker #74 of the San Francisco Giants walks off the field after a pitching change in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on July 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 6-4. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yesterday, I cobbled together five of what a San Francisco Giants fan might consider to be some of the team’s best moments from the first part of their 2026 season, so let’s look at five of the worst moments.
5. Swept by the Yankees (March 25th-28th)
It’s less the sweep and more the way that it happened. Outscored 13-1 in one of the rare times the team has opened a season at Oracle Park and simply outmatched in every facet of the game. It was the worst case scenario imagined by all the skeptics and considered by all the reasonable people out there after Buster Posey installed an inexperienced coaching staff to run a veteran roster with expectations.
The Giants had a nice spring and that plus their offseason had certainly built up this Opening Night on Netflix as something that would be worthwhile. Instead, the Giants revealed to their fans and the world that they’re a big steaming pile of losers who stink. Bad start to a season, worst start to a managerial career. Given the way the rest of this season has gone, the Giants might never live it down.
4. Doubleheader sweep via walk-off in Philadelphia (April 30th)
This is what a lot of the Giants media points to as the low point of the season. After clawing back to a not-terrible 13-15 record, the Giants proceeded to pee, poop, and vomit all over themselves before stumbling headfirst into an overflowing garbage can, then going vertical with their clown shoes swishing frantically as they struggled to free themselves, only to cause the garbage can to roll down a hill and onto a manure scow which would soon run aground on Diarrhea Island.
Walker’s nine-pitch battle against Bryson Stott, which ended in Stott hitting a game-tying triple, was especially jarring from a pitch-calling perspective. The cross-firing right-hander exclusively threw sinkers to Stott, and while the first eight were outside, his ninth and final one ended up right over the middle of the plate.
“I don’t really have an answer for you on that one,” Walker said when asked he only threw one slider. “It’s just something that we need to figure out. Obviously, that would’ve been beneficial. The two-seam’s been working a lot. I think we overused them definitely today. But yeah, it’s in the back of my mind. If we utilize the slider in that situation, it’s a different story.”
Did Walker consider shaking?
“I have a tough time shaking,” Walker said. “I’m not a big shaker. I put a lot of trust in my catchers. I still have a ton of trust in Bailey, whatever he calls, especially as a two-pitch guy. I have the confidence to get outs with both pitches in any situation. Obviously, nine two-seams to Stott is not ideal, and we’ll be making some changes in terms of situational pitching.”
Catcher Patrick Bailey didn’t offer much when asked about Walker’s sinker usage in Game 1 or Keaton Winn’s splitter usage in Game 2 (Winn threw 10 straight at one point).
“Good pitches,” Bailey said. “Trying to get them out. … I trust my guys and their pitches.”
Patrick Bailey would be traded 10 days later. It was at this point that everyone suspected that the stink lines coming off the team weren’t the result of some bad luck or small sample size or all the new people getting their sea legs. There was a rot on the surface. We now know that the Giants are rotten to the core, of course, but here’s the moment in the season when it kicked into gear — what a way to end the first month of the season!
3. Third base coach Hector Borg is reassigned (May 29th)
This is a bit of a heartbreaker in that, by all accounts, Hector Borg is well regarded within the San Francisco Giants organization and even by Tony Vitello. As Alex Pavlovic wrote back in February:
Vitello and members of the front office hopped on a Zoom call with Hector Borg in November as the longtime team employee was coaching in the Dominican Republic. Borg tried to convey what he has done in coaching and how passionate he is about helping young players. But mostly, he tried his best to be authentic with Vitello.
“I can remember getting off the Zoom and I don’t even know if it was five seconds and Tony was like, ‘Can we hire that guy?'” general manager Zack Minasian said recently, laughing.
If you spend about five seconds talking to or observing Borg, it’s not hard to see what intrigued Vitello. Borg, 40, is overflowing with energy and passion and is known within the organization as a tireless worker. He has been tied to Ron Washington all spring, and the two very much appear to be built the same way.
As for the job of third base coach itself? Well…
“I’m an aggressive third base coach,” he said. “I’ve always been that way.”
Prophetic.
Anyway, was Borg a scapegoat? Possibly. But he also seemed to be the outcome of a flawed process run by relative neophytes. The common person is convinced that Buster Posey’s time as a Hall of Fame-bound catcher means it’s no problem for him to transition into a management position, as though President of Baseball Operations is the same type of manager as the kind the common person loathes or simply distrusts.
But the Giants once again solved their problem by oversteering, replacing the 40-year old Borg with 68-year old Garry Pettis. Has the move worked out? Sure. The Giants were tied with the Angels for the worst Baserunning value (-4.2 runs) while Borg was with the team, according to FanGraphs. Since Pettis has been with the team, the Giants are just -1.5 runs in 32 games… 25th in MLB.
It’s just another example of the team feeling like amateur hour or watching Baby’s First Team.
2. Tony Vitello knifes Keaton Winn & Matt Gage, asks Logan Webb to pitch the 9th then rescinds the request, gets shouted at by Rafael Devers when he sends a pinch runner (four-way tie)
Speaking of amateur hour, here’s a list of on-field incidents that can be chalked up to a dude feeling his way through his first year as a manager at a whole new level of play and without any sort of meaningful guidance, as his overseers are just as inexperienced.
It’s probably not embarrassing that Tony Vitello threw the injury-riddled Keaton Winn three days in a row, but the outcome was predictable. It’s probably not embarrassing that Tony Vitello pushed Matt Gage to throw a career-high 51 pitches because it was an early blowout in Colorado and they needed the innings. But the outcome was predictable. It’s probably not embarrassing for the manager that one of the team’s star players refuses to be pinch ran for and makes an obvious stink about it, but the manager’s stature in the clubhouse can be reasonably called into question no matter the public sentiment towards the player.
Did Tony Vitello want to pinch run for Rafael Devers in that situation because he wanted a faster runner at third base or was Tony Vitello concerned that Devers’ previous comment about soreness would impact his ability to run the bases late in the game? Or is Rafael Devers just a jerk? For some reason, when the smoke cleared, it was Devers speaking to Bay Area media and, effectively, accepting responsibility, but let’s be clear: this isn’t the first time that there’s been murky intent when it comes to the manager’s decisions.
Webb would go eight innings and throw 99 pitches, striking out seven batters, allowing one run and five hits, as manager Tony Vitello got criticized for taking the pitcher out in the ninth inning. However, Webb revealed the conversation of Vitello asking him if he’s able to go back in the ninth, with the 29-year-old saying “it’s up to you,” leading to the change and the blown win in the ninth inning.
“Tony asked if you’re good, and I said ‘It’s up to you,'” Webb said, according to KNBR. “‘It’s your decision.’ He came back to me (bottom of the 8th), and he was like ‘we’re gonna make a change.'”
“I don’t regret that decision at all,” Webb continued.
That blown save just so happened to be the third consecutive game Keaton Winn pitched and would be his last one until July 10th. So… it’s all connected? But also, did Tony Vitello want to send Logan Webb back out there or did he defer to “It’s up to you” as a sign that he wasn’t good to go?
But then again, if it sounds like I’m pinning all of this on the rookie manager who usually sounds confused and often manages in a way that often reinforces how it sounds, I’ll admit that veterans taking advantage of a new guy with no experience or track record and few relationships is just as plausible. What could Tony Vitello do to them, ultimately? He hasn’t earned their respect or trust. As professionals, they should probably just be professionals on the field. But that doesn’t appear to be what’s happening here… for whatever reason, whether it’s Tony & his staff’s approach or the players’ POV.
And so this season-long discord has to be one of the team’s worst moments from part one.
Though, it’s worth adding: Rafael Devers is hitting .299/.392/.687 in 19 G (79 PA) since the pinch running incident; and, Logan Webb was the Pitcher of the Month in June. And, some of this was also a downstream consequence of Zack & Buster’s questionable bullpen planning during the offseason. That has certainly contributed to many memorably bad moments this season.
1. The Giants come out as bigots (June 12th)
The obvious pick and it’s one of these episodes where it spilled from the filled into off-field matters, where a lot of fans like to live to avoid reality. It’s almost certainly true that there are more bigoted baseball fans than there are non-bigots (or, at least, open-hearted and open-minded fans) and so the Giants have calculated that they can win in the long run despite this affront to the surrounding community. After all, they’re on pace to draw 3 million fans this season. The Giants got what they needed from the City of San Francisco and now that Mission Rock is up and running, they can commune with the people they prefer.
For those fans, the Giants would seem like a revelation. A new ally in the culture war. A firm that has finally seen the light! For the rest of us, it’s heartbreak. And for some of us, a sad final chapterof a relationship.
The notion that the Giants aren’t bigots is disproved by the definition of bigot: “a narrow-minded person who obstinately adheres to their own opinions and prejudices.” People invoke the Holy Bible to justify all sorts of beliefs and practices and at the end of the day, if the only idea that people want to pull from it is hatred, then it it’s definitionally bigotry. You don’t scribble on your hat or proclaim “Read the Bible!” without some emotion behind it. Spite? Hatred? It’s certainly not coming from a place of love. Wanting to be a bigot in everything but name only is on the level of losers. Own it!
The public protest on top of the awful pitching was the real clincher in all this. Some real Boaters for Trump vibes.
But the theme of this season has been the Giants either revealing or realizing that they are not who any of us thought they were or had hoped to be. The preseason projections saw them as an average team. The fans saw an average team with maybe some magic afoot if Bryce Eldridge panned out. Instead, the Giants are losers.
It’s loser level to hate LGBTQ+ people. It’s loser level to deface one’s work uniform as a protest of LGBTQ+ people. It’s loser level to sign with a team as a free agent so you can fire & brimstone their fans after a game. It’s loser level to hold a press conference like the one Buster Posey did, or do what Larry Baer did on KNBR the day after — but, admittedly, those were “off the field,” and shouldn’t be a part of this article. So, I’ll conclude instead with the ultimate loser level: being Ryan Walker. He has a 9.90 ERA in just 10 innings since the protest.
Now, does this mean you can draw a straight line from Pride Night to their 41-55 record? No. The anti-Pride Night protest and the ensuing farts from the front office are symptoms of a larger, perhaps diseased body operating as the San Francisco Giants. This is a team that has kept Larry Baer in a public-facing role despite a very public episode that caused him to lose a position within the organization. A team that dumped their public address announcer because of her political beliefs (hypocrites!</s>) after ownership’s political beliefs and political contributions came out and clearly conflicted with the region, the team’s purported values, and some general human decency, but hired Glen Kuiper… because everyone deserves a third or fourth chance to drop the n-word on a broadcast, I suppose?
To be absolutely fair, though, the team has been consistent in one way: they oppose dudes humping no matter the circumstances.
In the past, it’s been nonsensical to link personal character with win-loss results because there are hundreds — maybe even thousands — of examples of bad people being great athletes and champions; but, then you get a team like the 2026 Giants a team so bad that, beyond the obvious talent gap, makes you wonder just how much character counts… because it surely can’t be zero.
Anyway, don’t let me be the final word on this. What are some other worst moments from the first part of the 2026 season?
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 12: Curtis Mead #45 of the Washington Nationals celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees during the sixth inning at Nationals Park on July 12, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In a season full of great stories on the offensive side of the ball, the emergence of Curtis Mead has been one of the best ones. The Nats traded a 6th round senior sign for Mead, who had just been DFA’d by the White Sox. It has proven to be a great deal, as Mead has 17 homers and has been arguably the most clutch hitter on the team.
Curtis Mead just smashed his 11th HR. Gave the Nats a 7th-inning lead. Been a revelation.
Former top prospect in TB; played for Blake Butera in Rays system. Knew Butera and Michael Johns well. Toboni traded for him a day into season. He's been huge. pic.twitter.com/1aPGqwJYS3
The Curtis Mead story is a good example of how a second chance and a change of scenery can benefit a player’s career. A few years ago Mead was a top 50 prospect and one of the best hitters in the minor leagues. At the time, people thought the Rays had won the one for one swap that sent Mead to Tampa and Cristopher Sanchez to Philly.
Obviously that did not turn out to be the case, with Sanchez starting the All-Star game and his home park while Mead is having success, just not in Tampa. Mead just hit and hit in the minor leagues, but the transition to the majors was tough. The Rays had a tough time finding a consistent role for him with Junior Caminero on the rise, Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda at DH and first base, as well as Brandon Lowe playing second at the time.
Mead got looks here and there, but with no true home, the Aussie struggled. Eventually the Rays decided to trade him to the White Sox. Mead got a solid run of playing time there but did not make the most of his chance. With Miguel Vargas at third base and the addition of Munetaka Murakami at first, the writing was on the wall again for Mead.
When Mead reunited with his old minor league manager Blake Butera, he had to know this could be his last shot. To begin the season, Mead was on the short side of a first base platoon with Luis Garcia Jr., but played so well that the Nats had to find more playing time for him. He would get some reps at third base, DH or second base as well.
However, he found a permanent home at third after Brady House got sent down. Since then, Mead plays almost every day, though he will occasionally get an off day against a tough right handed pitcher. For the year, the 25 year old has 17 homers and an .843 OPS. He is on pace to hit over 30 home runs, which is not bad for a guy with 5 career bombs entering the season.
Curtis Mead's breakout season has been awaesome to watch
Mead is a very well rounded bat who does a great job combining contact ability, power and swing decisions. His chase rate, barrel rate and whiff rate are all in the 75th percentile or better. He does not hit the ball incredibly hard, but he hits the ball at good angles and pulls the ball in the air a lot. That allows him to have 30 home run power despite average raw power.
Based on his pedigree and minor league track record, it was clear that there was a good hitter in Curtis Mead that just needed to be unlocked. Guys do not hit .298 with an .878 OPS in the minors while almost always being younger than the competition by accident. That is what Mead did, and now after finally getting some stability, he is producing at the big league level.
Sure, Mead has some warts in his profile, most notably his lack of a true defensive home. Mead is sure handed at third base, but his arm is light for the position. He has played some first, but does not look super comfortable over there. I am interested to see what he would look like at second base, but I wonder about the range. It could be fun to experiment with him in the corner outfield spots and make him into a true super utility guy.
Mead came into the season as a post-hype flier who could hopefully be a solid platoon bat. However, he has become so much more than that. Mead is one of the big four pieces of the best offense in baseball. He is one of four players with at least 15 homers on the Nats. Mead, Abrams, Garcia and Wood have provided such immense value at the plate this season.
Curtis Mead hit his 15th home run of the season in the fifth inning, giving the Nationals four players with 15 or more home runs, tied for the most in Major League Baseball with the Dodgers.
Dodgers: Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages
— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) July 7, 2026
For Curtis Mead, this is no fluke either. His wOBA and xwOBA are identical at .365, meaning there is no luck right now. This is just who he is as a hitter. His BABIP of .251 is also unusually low. With his fly ball heavy profile, a low BABIP is not unexpected, but I would expect that to go up at least a little bit, which would raise his .247 average.
That .247 average is mediocre, but he makes up for that with his ability to draw walks. One of Mead’s defining attributes is that he consistently grinds out at bats. He does not whiff or chase very much. That makes it no surprise that Mead is walking over 11% of the time this year while striking out at a sub-20% clip.
Based on how teams drafted the other day, it is clear that Mead’s offensive profile is very desirable. Teams love high contact hitters with power and plate discipline. Curtis Mead has become the very good, well rounded hitter the Rays expected him to be all those years ago. All it took was a fresh start and some time in Matt Borgschulte’s hitting lab.
PHILADELPHIA — Getting an All-Star Game selection is often considered a big-time moment for Major League Baseball players, as it is something often factored into their Hall of Fame conversation.
To get a start in the All-Star Game, especially on the mound, that's an even bigger deal.
Both Sánchez and Cease are the first two pitchers for their respective clubs to start the Midsummer Classic since Roy Halladay started the game for both the Phillies and Blue Jays in 2011 and 2009, respectively.
The 2026 MLB All-Star Game is set for 8 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. The National League is looking for back-to-back wins against the American League after Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber helped the NL win in Atlanta last season in the tiebreaker swing-off.
Here's what to know on the starting pitchers for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game:
Who are the starting pitchers for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game?
It'll be Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies and Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays who will start Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game.
Both were officially announced as the starting pitchers for their respective leagues on Monday by managers Dave Roberts and John Schneider in a press conference format, though it was announced on Sunday that they would be starting.
Who is Cristopher Sanchez?
Sánchez has been one of the top pitchers in baseball over the course of the last three seasons, which includes finishing as the runner-up to Paul Skenes in the National League Cy Young Award race.
"Pretty special, really exciting, even more so than being here at home," Sánchez said on Monday at All-Star Media Day on what it means to get the start. "I'm just super excited so I can come here tomorrow and just take it all in and enjoy it overall. … It's a result of a lot of discipline and a lot of hard work that we put throughout the season."
He has a three-pitch arsenal, with his sinker and his changeup being his two primary pitches. He is 11-4 with a 2.62 ERA and 144 strikeouts – third-most in the majors – in 127 ⅓ innings pitched this season.
"He’s not trying to get too complicated," former Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels said of Sánchez’s minimum-arsenal approach in an interview with USA TODAY Sports last week. "Because of that, it allows him to stay more fluid and be able to repeat his delivery because he’s not having to add different arm angles or different sorts of breaking pitches. He really does keep it simple."
Cease is off to a great start in his first season in Toronto, as he is second in the majors with 148 strikeouts, only behind Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misorowski.
"It's a massive honor. I'm really excited and I'm very grateful for it," Cease said on Monday at All-Star Media Day on what it means to get the start.
Cease, the former Chicago Cubs sixth-round pick in 2014, is making his first All-Star Game appearance after missing out on making the American League squad in 2022 with the Chicago White Sox. Hitters are hitting .190 against Cease this season, who is coming off a near no-hitter in his last start before the All-Star break against the San Francisco Giants.
"You’re talking about leading the league in strikeouts, up there in innings pitched, quality starts, WAR," Schneider said on Monday about his decision to go with Cease. "There was a lot of categories that he was either at the top or second in. I think that's what tipped it. It was performance. Part of it was me seeing it up close every day, but we get to see a lot of guys up close, and I think Dylan's performance made him very deserving of this honor."
What time is MLB All-Star Game tonight?
The 96th edition of the Midsummer Classic is set for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Fox will handle the broadcasting rights.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts as Bryce Harper #3 bats during the 2026 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phillies fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The first half of the season is always when the 81st game is played, but many use the All-Star Game as a line of demarcation to divide the season into halves. Since we are there now and the “first half” / complete, now seems a good time to ask this question.
These are just some of the candidates to choose from, so maybe you have someone different. Maybe it’s the manager!
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred answers questions during a news conference at the MLB winter meetings, Dec. 8, 2025. (John Raoux / Associated Press)
For years, as stars such as Shohei Ohtani and Bryce Harper pleaded for the chance to play in the Los Angeles Olympics, and for Major League Baseball to back up its talk of growing the game internationally by participating in the world’s greatest sporting festival, the league was reluctant: Would the owners truly benefit from shutting down the season for a week and lending their best players to an event beyond their control?
Now that MLB is on board, the league wants the players to make an extraordinary commitment to back up their talk: If you’re selected to play in the Olympics, you must play. Or else.
The “or else” is not rhetorical. If a player is not on the injured list and is selected for the Olympics but declines to participate, the player would be subject to fine and/or suspension. In addition, the players would be ineligible to play for the first 14 days when the season resumes after the Olympics, according to a proposal from the commissioner’s office to the players’ union and obtained by The Times.
Under a tentative MLB plan, the first half of the 2028 season would end on July 9, with the All-Star Game on July 11. The Olympic baseball competition would start on July 13, with the second half of the season starting on July 21.
So as to discourage placement on the injured list as a way to avoid playing in the Games, a player selected for the Olympics but on the injured list as of July 9 would be excused, but he could not be reinstated to his team’s major league roster until Aug. 4, even if he had recovered from the injury before then.
“We went down the road on LA 2028 because we saw it as a unique opportunity to market the sport with our very, very best players,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday in a meeting with the Baseball Writers Assn. of America.
“It is a disruptive undertaking for us … If we’re disrupting an entire season and we’re going to undertake that effort, we want our very best out there, so that people see how great our game really is.”
The league also does not want to undermine its All-Star Game, and it is reasonably foreseeable that some players might wish to skip the All-Star Game for a two-day summer break if they are going to play the next week at the Olympics.
In that scenario, under its proposal, the league would have the right to declare the player ineligible for the Olympics, and the player would be subject to fine and/or suspension as well as ineligibility for the first 14 days of the second half.
Bruce Meyer, the executive director of the players’ union, said the MLBPA plans a counterproposal.
“They want to make it mandatory for players who are selected to appear at the All-Star Game and the Olympics,” Meyer said Tuesday. “The proposals that they made in terms of what the discipline would be, the ramifications if a player doesn’t want to do that, in our view, are extreme.”
To use a Dodgers example, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was selected for this year’s All-Star Game, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said last week that he would not pitch.
Given that situation in 2028, if Yamamoto wished to pitch for Japan, he would have to be available for the All-Star Game. If not, Japan could lose him for the Olympics, and the Dodgers could lose him for his first two starts of the second half.
Meyer said the union is in “a very early stage of discussions” with the league. It is unclear how much time might be needed to resolve the issue, as well as what Meyer called “travel and accommodation” issues, which involve LA28.
It also is uncertain how long MLB would be willing to wait before committing to an All-Star site and date, although the league moved the 2021 game from Atlanta to Denver three months before the game date. San Francisco is expected to host the 2028 game, in large part because Los Angeles is a short flight away for an Olympic competition that would start two days later.
It is clear, however, that the league is getting tired of not always securing participation from marquee players in marquee events. The “you can’t pitch in the All-Star Game if you pitched on the previous Sunday” rule was intended to protect pitchers.
“It’s clear to me that teams are managing their pitching in a way to take advantage of the Sunday pitcher rule,” Manfred said. “I do think it’s really important that we always re-evaluate our approach to the All-Star Game in order to get the very, very best players that can participate in that game.”
The World Baseball Classic was a smashing success this year, even as the United States started a rookie pitcher in the championship game. Do we really need to mandate player participation in the Olympics, especially since so many great players already have said they want to be there?
“The WBC takes place at a point in time that the players are just beginning to ramp up for the season,” Manfred said. “There’s a whole host of reasons why, at that point in the calendar, players might not be ready to play.
“In contrast, the schedule for the Olympics is going to cover days that players otherwise would be playing in major league games — if they’re not on an injured list, they’d be out there playing. That is a huge difference.”
In another column, we could argue the merits of moving the final round of the WBC — the semifinals and championship game — to July, when players “otherwise would be playing in major league games.” That would grow the game, too.
But that is for another day. It would be absurd for MLB to miss out on the global marketing platform that is the Olympics. The issues MLB raises are legitimate; the solutions need not be so draconian.
The opening ceremonies in Los Angeles take place two years from Tuesday. The Olympics have taught us this about boycotts: No matter how worthy the cause, no one pays attention once the Games start. The Soviet Union boycotted the L.A. Games in 1984, and we had a grand time without the Russians.
No one cares if you’re not there. In MLB, a star-studded core wants to be there. Seize the moment.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 20: Sal Stewart #43 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates with teammate Chase Burns #26 during a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on September 20, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds, on the whole, are having a pretty miserable season. They sit nine games under .500 and in last place in their division, with even an outside shot at one of the myriad Wild Card spots painfully out of reach.
They’ve dealt with injuries galore. Hunter Greene and Elly De La Cruz, the team’s two stalwarts and usual All Stars, each was shelved. The team’s entire back-end up of the bullpen hit the infirmary, while blisters have dogged starters Brady Singer and Nick Lodolo (2x) repeatedly. Even the indomitable Eugenio Suarez missed a month with an oblique strain, while CF has been a revolving door of hard-luck injury and underperformance, too.
Just about the only two spots on the roster where we’ve been able to know exactly what to expect everyday have been those of Chase Burns and Sal Stewart, a pair of former 1st round picks by the Reds who’ve been forced to immediately graduate from ‘youth movement’ to ‘literally carrying the team’ this season.
Burns and Stewart will rep the Cincinnati Reds in tonight’s MLB All Star Game, which will begin at some point after coverage starts at 8 PM ET in Philadelphia on FOX. They’ll do so as incredibly deserving participants, too.
Burns rolls into the break having posted 4.2 bWAR across 18 brilliant starts. He’s 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 10.3 K/9 across 102.2 IP, his ERA+ a sterling 173. The 4.2 bWAR has him tied for the 4th most valuable pitcher in the sport so far this season with Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, while FanGraphs (2.9 fWAR) ranks him as the 8th most valuable. Not bad!
Sal, meanwhile, leads all rookies with 65 ribbies, a mark that’s tied with Pete Alonso for 9th most in the sport – and that’s with the Reds having spent most of the season with a blind bat holding a wet noodle in the leadoff spot in front of him. He has socked 19 homers, making him one of just six players in the sport to have hit that many and stolen at least 10 bases – he’s got 11 – alongside Zach Neto, CJ Abrams, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Miguel Vargas, James Wood, and Home Run Derby champ Jordan Walker. Overall, he’s hitting .256/.338/.474 with a 120 OPS+.
Neither will start the game, and Burns – who’s dealing with a minor groin problem he picked up playing defense in his final start of the first half – won’t participate at all. Sal, though, will hopefully get some run at some point late in this one.
Here’s how both the AL and NL will line up to start:
Villa Park, California native Andrew James Krodel attended the eponymously named high school in the district, lettering three years with the Spartans. In total, he hit .288/.356/.352 in 80 games and posted a 3.70 ERA in 98.1 innings, allowing 91 hits, walking 29, and striking out 90. The numbers, nor the fastball that hovered around 90 MPH, got him very little buzz in the baseball hot bed that is California and as such, the right-hander went uncalled in the 2023 MLB Draft, attending the University of California Santa Barbara that fall.
Krodel appeared in 3 games for the Gauchos in his freshman season, allowing 4 earned runs in 3.2 innings- a 9.82 ERA- giving up 2 hits, walking 3, and striking out 4. He pitched for the Cowlitz Black Bears of the West Coast League that summer and had a more impressive showing for himself, posting a 2.25 ERA in 24.0 innings over 7 games, allowing 17 hits, walking 13, and striking out 16. When he returned to Santa Barbara, head coach Checketts gave the sophomore a little more leeway, but his performance was still subpar. Appearing in 11 games, the right-hander posted a 6.18 ERA in 27.2 innings, allowing 23 hits, walking 17, and striking out 37.
That summer, Krodel supplemented his workload by pitching for a summer collegiate league, this time staying local and playing for the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League, playing with fellow 2026 draftee Aidan Keenan and 2025 Mets draft 13th rounder Frank Camarillo. Once again, against the competition there, the right-hander thrived, posting a 1.74 ERA in 31.0 innings over 7 starts, allowing 22 hits, walking 9, and striking out 44. Despite his success as a starter, pitching limited innings against an entire lineup, coach Checketts had the right-hander remain in the Gauchos bullpen for the 2026 season. The right-hander ended up appearing in 25 games and posting a 5.66 ERA in 35.0 innings, allowing 42 hits, walking 17, and striking out 42.
The 6’4”, 200-pound right-hander throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot with a long arm action through the back and above-average extension off the mound. The right-hander throws a four-pitch mix despite primarily pitching out of the bullpen, utilizing a two-seam fastball, slider, curveball, and circle changeup.
His two-seam fastball has below-average velocity, sitting in the low-90s and very rarely topping out much higher. Despite that, the pitch has been an effective offering thanks to its rare combination of below-average spin rates but above-average induced vertical break readings. Thanks to the active spin the baseball does get, the pitch produces seam shifted wake effects that causes it to appear to resist gravity while breaking arm-side, diving late.
Of the pitches he complements his unique fastball with, his circle changeup is likely the best of the bunch. Sitting in the low-to-mid-80s, the pitch has racked up strikeouts against left-handed hitters and right-handed hitters alike thanks to its extreme arm-side fade. His mid-to-high-70s curveball and high-70s-to-low-80s sweeping slider both show some promise, especially his slider, but are both are still very raw as pitches, relying more on overall movement than the sharpness of the break.
Just as batters have had a hard time dealing with the movement on his pitch mix, striking out at a 27.1% over his three years combined with the Gauchos, Krodel generally has trouble commanding his repertoire. The right-hander often misses his spots, leading to a high 12.1% walk rate over the course of his collegiate career, almost 5% higher than the MLB average. Being unable to command his pitches has often caused the right-hander to try to finesse them into the strike zone, often leading to pitches in hittable parts of the strike zone and disastrous results. Batters hit .263/.366/.435 against him with a .351 BABIP, with a poor 36.7% groundball rate, 15.3% line drive rate, 48.0% flyball rate, and 14.9% HR/FB rate.
Corbin Carroll. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Inspiration.
On Saturday, I was optimistic about who the Diamondbacks drafted in the first round: Ryder Helfrick and Blake Bryant.
“Helfrick is the best defensive catcher in the class… If they stick, the [batting] improvements [better swing decisions and moved away from the plate] this year give him a chance to be an All-Star.” — Keith Law
“Bryant really looks the part of a future No. 2 starter,…” — Keith Law
I wondered about two questions.
What are the chances they will reach the Majors?
What are the chances they will make a positive impact?
Let’s look at all the first-round picks by the Diamondbacks after Mike Hazen was the GM.
How often do first-round picks reach the Majors?
In recent years, for all the teams, in general about 81% of first-round draftees reached the Majors (for at least one game) per JJ Cooper’s Baseball America article.
Looking at the players drafted in the first round after Mike Hazen became GM, 7 of 10 draftees (70%) made it to the Majors within 3 seasons of being drafted (ignoring the unsigned Matt McLain). Also, an eighth draftee (Blake Walston) made it in 5 seasons. 70% is a little below average, but seemed like an acceptable result.
The position player chances were higher than pitcher chances (83% vs 50%). Given the known problem with pitcher development, which is being addressed, that difference seems to make sense.
In each of the next three seasons, two first-round picks by the Diamondbacks will reach their third season, and they will likely significantly impact the percentages that reached the Majors.
How often do first-round picks make a positive impact?
My view is that accumulating at least one Baseball-Reference Win-Above-Replacement (bWAR) will accomplish a positive impact. Although that view is possibly a low bar, and although a replacement level player can make a small impact, that is where I drew a demarcation line.
Looking at the players drafted in the first round after Mike Hazen became GM, 3 of 10 draftees made a positive impact. They were Corbin Carroll, Drey Jameson, and Bryce Jarvis. I was surprised that 2 of the 3 were pitchers! Perhaps the story is more complex than it appeared!
Drafting Corbin Carroll was like winning a jackpot. So far, he has earned 18.9 bWAR, making his impact far above all the other Diamondbacks first-round draftees. In addition, his performance earned the Diamondbacks an extra draft pick, which was used to draft Ryan Waldschmidt.
Could other first-round draftees make an impact in the future?
In a 3-step process, I estimated the future impact of each draftee. Opinions on future impact differ widely.
Estimated each player’s future bWAR for the Diamondbacks.
Subtracted bWAR equivalent to their salary divided by $9 million per bWAR.
Rounded the result to acknowledge the huge uncertainty in the estimate.
Three of the seven first-round draftees who did not make an impact, could make an impact in the future. They were Ryan Waldschmidt, Jordan Lawlar, and Tommy Troy. IF that optimistic impact happens, the percentage of first-round draftees who made an impact could possibly increase from 30% to 60%.
Two tables show the first-round draftees.
Looking at the players drafted in the first round after Mike Hazen became GM, the following table shows the first-round draftees who made it to the Majors.
Looking at the players drafted in the first round after Mike Hazen became GM, the following table shows the first-round draftees who have not yet made it to the Majors.
Data from Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, and MLBcom.
Summary.
Looking at the 10 players drafted in the first round after Mike Hazen became GM:
7 draftees reached the Majors within 3 seasons.
3 draftees made an impact of at least 1 bWAR. I was surprised that 2 of the 3 were pitchers.
My optimistic estimate is that an additional 3 draftees could possibly make an impact of at least 1 bWAR.
Corbin Carroll made the largest impact, with 18.9 bWAR and his performance earned the Diamondbacks an additional draft pick.
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies hands the baseball to Manager Warren Schaeffer as he exits the game while catcher Brett Sullivan #26 stands near by in the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Coors Field on May 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies are a team in the midst of a rebuild. With this in mind, the staff at Purple Row thought it would be useful to revisit the “State of the Position” series that we ran in March to see where things stand. We’ve asked authors of the spring articles to re-evaluate their earlier remarks with an eye toward the August 3 trade deadline.
The state of the Rockies’ starting rotation is, well, less than ideal as we reach the midpoint of the 2026 season.
To put it in perspective, Colorado’s starters rank 30th in ERA, 30th in WHIP, 29th in K/9, 30th in H/9, and 16th in BB/9. Some of that is to be expected. Pitching at Coors Field is an inherently difficult challenge, thanks to the combination of altitude and the vast outfield dimensions.
Even with those caveats, however, the rotation has fallen well short of expectations. Too often, it has struggled to keep the Rockies in games, putting the club at an early disadvantage.
It wasn’t supposed to go this way.
The offseason plan, the first under Paul DePodesta’s front office, was built on a specific bet: durability. Tomoyuki Sugano, José Quintana, and Michael Lorenzen were signed to one-year deals precisely because they take the ball — the trio averaged 26 ⅓ starts a season over the previous two years. Paired with Kyle Freeland, they were supposed to guarantee that the Rockies never had to start someone who couldn’t hold a major league job. Instead, availability — the one thing this group was supposed to provide — is exactly what has fallen apart.
The injuries came for everyone
Quintana hasn’t pitched since late May, when a left elbow sprain sent him to the 60-day injured list. Sugano was scratched from his scheduled July 4 start and placed on the 15-day IL with back spams. Chase Dollander, one of the two real upside plays this rotation has, underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow on June 22 and won’t pitch again until 2027.
The veterans who stayed healthy haven’t held up their end
Freeland’s season has been the most difficult to watch. The franchise leader in career innings pitched carries an ERA above seven through 17 starts, and he hasn’t resembled himself since returning from a shoulder issue of his own. The 170 innings he needs to vest his 2027 option is, at this pace, out of reach. The lone bright spot came in June, when he became the second pitcher to reach 1,000 strikeouts in a Rockies uniform.
Lorenzen’s first half was, for stretches, the roughest of any starter in baseball. He leads the majors in hits allowed, and his home/road splits have undercut the theory that his eight-pitch mix would translate to altitude. There is a real trend worth nothing though: Over his last seven starts, he’s posted a 3.22 ERA. It’s not dominance, but it’s the first sustained stretch that looks like the pitcher Colorado thought it signed.
Then there’s Sugano, who has been the staff’s most reliable arm — and has done it backwards. The 36-year-old is 8-4 with a 4.80 ERA, built on a 4.14 ERA in seven starts at Coors Field, with most of the damage coming on the road. In a season where the organization is starving for any pitching lesson that travels, its most interesting data point is a command-and-mix veteran thriving at altitude. His back injury is reportedly minor, but every start he misses goes to someone who probably shouldn’t be making it.
Feltner has been the plan that actually worked
Feltner won a rotation spot out of camp, validating the offseason strength work that was supposed to put his lost 2025 behind him. Right ulnar nerve inflammation cost him five weeks in the middle of the first half — poorly timed for a pitcher re-establishing himself.
But he’s made the layoff look like a footnote. Since returning in late May, he has been arguably the Rockies’ most dependable starter, posting a 3.74 ERA across eight starts. He is also the only member of the Opening Day rotation under club control beyond this season — which makes him less a nice story than the lone bridge.
Dollander, the other camp arm with long-term upside, saw his season end before he could truly make his own case — leaving Feltner as the last man standing from what was supposed to be the rotation’s future-facing competition. Gordon has filled his familiar swingman role when healthy, while Antonio Senzatela and Jimmy Herget — the two spring wildcards — both settled into the bullpen, the outcome that always seems likeliest.
The future arrived early, ready or not
The injuries dragged the prospect timeline forward by months. Sean Sullivan (No. 8 PuRP) got the first call and struggled, surrendering 22 earned runs across 22.1 innings before being optioned back to Albuquerque — a reminder that the gap between the Pacific Coast League and Coors Field is wider than a plane ride.
Gabriel Hughes (No. 12 PuRP) is the more encouraging test case. Selected on July 1, the former first-round pick made the first start of his career Wednesday at Dodger Stadium — opposite Roki Sasaki — and turned in the kind of outing the final score undersells in a 4-3 loss. He velocity is up from a year ago, the strikeouts followed in Albuquerque, and he now has a three-month audition to prove he belongs in the 2027 rotation.
Here is the uncomfortable math underneath all of it: Freeland, Sugano, Lorenzen, and Quintana are all headed to free agency this winter. Felnter is the only starter who projects to open 2027 in the rotation. The most expensive free-agent pitching class since Jorge De La Rosa was never a foundation — it was scaffolding, and it comes down in October, no matter what happens between now and then.
That makes the trade deadline, not the standings, the story of the second half. Any healthy veteran becomes the front office’s clearest chance to turn this season into something with a longer shelf life. And the auditions — Hughes, Sullivan, maybe eventually Brown — become the competition that actually matters: the one for jobs that won’t exist until next spring.
The question in March was whether this rotation was better. The midseason answer is: barely, briefly, and not where it counts. The better question now is whether anything from the first half — Sugano’s Coors formula, Feltner’s return, Hughes’ arrival — is something the Rockies can keep.
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - JULY 11, 2026: Ryan McMahon #19 of the New York Yankees hits a solo home run during the eighth inning of an interleague game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 11, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. The Yankees beat the Nationals, 4-2. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Yankees are riding high into the All-Star break on the back of a three-game sweep of the Nationals, overcoming a deficit in the eighth inning or later in all three games for the first time since they were the Highlanders sweeping the Cleveland Naps in 1910. However, we have to go back a game further for the unequivocal selection for AB of the Week. In the final game of the pivotal four-game series against the Rays, Ryan McMahon won a 12-pitch AB against typical Yankee Killer Drew Rasmussen to spark their eventual six-run outburst and win to split the series.
We join McMahon with no outs in the top of the third, Max Schuemann standing on second after leading off with a double. The Rays lead, 1-0, courtesy of a Junior Caminero solo shot in the first. McMahon has returned to the starting lineup after starting on the bench the previous two games with the Rays throwing out a pair of lefty starters, and just his glove alone at the hot corner is a welcome sight.
Rasmussen entered this contest with a career 0.89 ERA against the Yankees in nine starts. Stylistically he is similar to Cam Schlittler in that he throws his three fastballs a combined 80-percent of the time, relying on the divergent movement profiles of the four-seamer, sinker, and cutter to create deception for the batter. He starts this AB looking to front-door a sinker for a called strike.
He achieves just that, starting this pitch as a ball in off the plate and allowing its 16 inches of arm-side run to tail it back across the inside edge of the zone. McMahon gives up on the pitch early assuming it will be a ball inside only to watch the movement carry it into the strike zone for called strike one.
Now that he has shown McMahon an inside fastball that moves back toward the plate, it’s time for the fastball that breaks in the opposite direction. He attempts to start a cutter down the same tunnel as the first pitch, which should get McMahon to chase in off the plate after watching the previous sinker land for a strike.
This is a pretty good take by McMahon. The cutter looks like a strike down and in out of Rasmussen’s hand, but McMahon must have picked up the movement pretty soon out of Rasmussen’s hand because he reads it all the way as it cuts away from the plate for ball one inside.
Follow two straight inside fastballs to open the AB, Rasmussen has the situation for a changeup down and away — it should look like a heater right down the middle before diving down arm-side.
Oh man, McMahon missed a cookie here. They say you might only get one good pitch to hit per AB and it looks like this was the one. Rasmussen misses his spot badly with the changeup and leaves this one belt high down Broadway. However, McMahon cannot take advantage of what is effectively a batting practice fastball and slashes it foul straight back — right on time with the swing but not precise enough with the barrel.
After failing to punish that mistake, McMahon is in trouble, 1-2. His focus now should center solely on hitting something to the right side to advance the runner to third and pass the baton to the next batter.
Rasmussen changes speeds back up to the four-seamer after seeing that McMahon’s swing timing is synced to the changeup. He nails his spot out over the plate but just above the zone, yet McMahon is still able to fire off a strong swing, his barrel again just under this pitch to foul it back to the zone as the four-seamer does not drop the way that the sinker and cutter McMahon has already seen did.
Rasmussen succeeded in getting McMahon to chase a four-seamer just above the zone, so the logical choice here is to climb the ladder a rung higher and see if he can get the chase and whiff this time.
Fortunately for McMahon, Rasmussen overthrows this four-seamer and it sails up out of the zone about head high, making for a pretty straightforward take despite an initial temptation to swing.
That take on a four-seamer above the zone informs Rasmussen’s next pitch selection. If he can throw a sinker that looks like a ball high out of the hand, McMahon should give up on the pitch only watch in drop into the zone for called strike three.
Rasmussen executes that pitch plan to perfection, but McMahon is all over this sinker, fouling it straight back to the screen. It’s impressive diagnosis of the pitch to recognize that he has to foul it off to avoid getting punched out looking.
With McMahon showing a renewed willingness to offer at a fastball that starts as a ball above the zone, Rasmussen reverses his course looking to get the hitter to whiff beneath the elevated four-seamer with the movement profile of the sinker he just fouled off still fresh in his mind.
Once again McMahon is able to fight off this pitcher’s pitch foul to keep the AB alive. You can see by the way he fouls it off the handle of the bat that he is anticipating a sinker’s movement toward the right-handed hitter’s batter’s box, but the four-seamer flies straight and he gets jammed.
The last four fastballs that Rasmussen has thrown all exhibit arm-side movement, so he has created an opportunity to deceive McMahon with the glove-side-breaking cutter.
This is definitely the most impressive swing from McMahon to this point. I do not know how he is able to make the immediate adjustment in eye level to a fastball down and in and breaking toward him after fouling off three heaters at the top of the zone. It’s another near-flawless pitch from Rasmussen on the corner, but McMahon’s confidence is growing with each pitch he spoils.
Now that Rasmussen has reminded McMahon that he can throw an inside fastball that breaks further in, he feels he can freeze him with a four-seamer up and in as McMahon should be anticipating a cutter to handcuff him in off the plate.
That’s two straight pitches command right to the corners but it’s the same result from McMahon. You can see from the way he pulls his hands in that he’s thinking this is another cutter and he therefore needs to make an extra effort to stay inside the pitch.
Rasmussen has now thrown six straight fastballs, so despite having failed to execute the changeup earlier on, he might have a little more margin of error with the off-speed having sped McMahon’s bat up to fastball speed.
Rasmussen again leaves this changeup elevated but somewhat fortuitously gets it to the corner up and away. McMahon is pretty early with his swing after all those fastballs and can count himself lucky that he is just able to tip a piece of the ball foul off the end of the bat to stay alive.
It’s not until the 11th pitch of the AB that Rasmussen finally throws his first breaking ball. His intention is to start it off the plate and break it back across the outside edge for a called strike three, and McMahon should be frozen after seeing so many heaters over the plate.
The fact that McMahon is tempted to chase this pitch tells me he has been secretly hunting a breaking ball this whole time. He finally gets one and almost loses his discipline before reading the pitch just in time and halting his swing.
It’s taken a monumental effort from McMahon to this point to work the count full. He knows Rasmussen does not want to walk him, so he can pretty reliably hunt a fastball in the zone, likely up given the way Rasmussen has attacked the top of the zone with heaters to this point.
McMahon gets the pitch he is looking for and does everything the situation requires of him. He pulls the ball, meaning at the very worst it’s a productive AB to advance the runner to third. However, he’s finally able to fire off a swing with some authority rather than a fight-off swing to stay alive. He gets the barrel directly to this cutter up and out over the plate, managing to keep this ball fair down the right field line to plate Schuemann as the tying run.
Here’s the full AB:
Where do I even begin with this incredible effort from McMahon? For starters, it’s such a professional AB, swinging at all the pitches that are in the zone or are too close to take while laying off the three balls that are intended for him to chase. It’s fabulous pitch recognition to identify five different pitch types, anticipate their movement, and tailor his swing path and timing to make contact, especially when you consider the location of many of the pitches — just look at how many Rasmussen was able to command to the edges of the zone, yet McMahon was able to fight every one of them off foul to stay alive! There was never a moment of panic in McMahon’s approach, allowing him to keep a level head and do damage with a controlled swing when he finally got a pitch he could hit McMahon winning the 12-pitch marathon proved the turning point in the game, the floodgates immediately opening for the Yankees to score six in the frame and hand Rasmussen by far his worst start against them.
McMahon is poised to play an important role for the Yankees down the stretch. As the failed experiments of Amed Rosario and José Caballero at third have shown, they absolutely need a reliable defender at the hot corner capable of making all the routine plays and even a handful of spectacular ones, and there are few third baseman in the league better equipped for those duties than McMahon. What’s more, since returning from a throat infection that landed him on the sidelines for two weeks, McMahon looks way more in control in the batter’s box, posting a 148 wRC+ in eight appearances off the IL. If that can continue, he quietly becomes one of the Yankees’ most valuable all around players.
