CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 07: Manager Stephen Vogt #12 of the Cleveland Guardians hits infield practice prior to the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on August 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians lost another disappointing game and held a team meeting after the game.
After Sunday’s rain delay-impacted 5-3 loss to the division-leading White Sox, dropping Cleveland to 3-6 in the season series, Paul Hoynes reported that Stephen Vogt led a team meeting.
The game lasted one inning before entering a rain delay. No word from White Sox pitcher Anthony Kay on if his own grounds crew is guilty of shenanigans or not.
The White Sox had a grueling 12-inning loss to the Red Sox and then a terrible blunder from their manager on Friday, and still found a way to win this series against the Guardians which is incredibly disappointing. The Guardians do not seem to be able to find a way to hit bullpen-day pitchers.
Cleveland will get a chance to turn it around against the Tigers starting tomorrow. It’s hard to feel optimistic at the moment.
Going deep: Korey Lee hit two homers and posted a 1.175 OPS to lead the Knights to a 4-2 series. | Photo by Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Charlotte Knights Record 4-2 (last week), 20-21 (second half), 62-52 (overall)
Knights Player of the Week Korey Lee .333/.375/.800, 15 at-bats
Mario Camilletti .368/.429/.632, 19 at-bats Dru Baker .429/.429/.571, 14 at-bats Ryan Galanie .286/.375/.524, 21 at-bats Andy Weber .333/.400/.500, 18 at-bats Eric Haase .333/.538/.333, nine at-bats Rikuu Nishida .167/.250/.167, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 18 at-bats
Jonathan Cannon 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 3 K Tyler Schweitzer 4 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K Jaden Woods 4 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K Shane Smith 4 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K Jairo Iriarte 3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K
The Knights put a solid series together against the Bulls (52-61), winning four of six to improve to 10 games over .500 on the season.
Catcher Korey Lee, 28, had an excellent series to pick up his third Knight of the Week award this season. Lee went 5-for-15 with two homers, a double, a walk, and four RBIs to lead the team in OPS (1.175). After this great performance, Lee’s season slash line is .243/.329/.486 in 81 games, all with the Knights. Lee has been a stable presence behind the plate for the Knights, and his bat has been solid while playing a premium position. Given that Joey Bart is expected to miss more than a month after being hit by a pitch, Lee has a decent case to get his first chance of the season in the majors.
2026 Charlotte Knights Players of the Week Korey Lee (March 27-April 5) Oliver Dunn (April 6-12) Shane Smith (April 13-19) Jarred Kelenic (April 20-26) Oliver Dunn (April 27-May 3) LaMonte Wade Jr.(May 4-10) Jacob Gonzalez(May 11-17) LaMonte Wade Jr.(May 18-24) Jacob Gonzalez(May 25-31) Braden Montgomery(June 1-7) Ryan Galanie(June 8-14) Kyle Teel(June 15-21) Korey Lee(June 22-28) Caden Connor(June 29-July 5) Nolan Jones(July 6-12) Andy Weber (July 13-26) Ryan Galanie(July 27-August 2) Korey Lee(August 3-9)
Shane Murphy 6 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K Dylan Cumming 6 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K Jackson Kelley 4 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 6 K Drew Thorpe 4 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K Connor McCullough 3 2/3 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 4 K
The Barons came down to earth after an impressive 5-1 series last week by settling for a 2-4 series in Rocket City against the Trash Pandas (56-51).
This week, it was a tough call in terms of who should be Baron of the Week. Before discussing the winner, let’s get to a couple of players who fell just short. Left-handed pitcher Shane Murphy, 25, had a terrific game pitching, six shutout innings while only allowing four hits. Overall, in two August starts, Murphy has only allowed one run on seven hits in 12 innings. In addition, in his past four starts, Murphy has only allowed four earned runs in 21 1/3 innings (1.69 ERA).
Infielder Caleb Bonemer, 20, also deserves honorable mention. Bonemer, who already has four weekly awards, only went 5-for-23, but those five hits were impactful. Bonemer launched two homers, two doubles, and he drew five walks to finish the week with a .922 OPS. That .922 OPS led the way among Barons with more than 10 plate appearances.
However, in a tight race, outfielder Samuel Zavala, 22, took home his second weekly award of the season and his first since opening week. Although Zavala only played in three games, he made that time count. Zavala went 4-for-9 with a homer, two doubles, and a walk. Remember how Bonemer’s .922 OPS led the team among players with more than 10 plate appearances? Zavala had exactly 10 plate appearances, and his weekly OPS (1.545) made him stand out from the crowd. Overall, Zavala’s season slash line is .219/.353/.363 (100 wRC+), as he has found ways to contribute despite having a subpar batting average and a .276 BABIP.
Justin Sinibaldi 10 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 10 K Jake Curtis 5 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 K Grant Umberger 4 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K Dylan Carmouche 4 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K Caedmon Parker 3 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Weather was an issue in Winston-Salem, as the Dash were unable to complete one of their scheduled games against Asheville (36-70). Overall, it was a disappointing week for the Dash, who only won two out of five against the Tourists.
Outfielder Derek Cerda, 23, was unstoppable across 14 plate appearances. Cerda went 5-for-9 with two doubles, five walks, and a stolen base in his only attempt. Cerda has played 47 games (six with the Complex Sox, 32 with Kannapolis, and nine with Winston-Salem). Overall, Cerda is slashing .302/.397/.451 (126 wRC+), and he is off to a fast start with the Dash. Cerda made an especially large impact on Wednesday, when he drove in the go-ahead run with a single and reached base four times.
2026 Winston-Salem Dash Players of the Week Caleb Bonemer (April 6-12) Colby Shelton (April 13-19) Colby Shelton (April 20-26) Caleb Bonemer(April 27-May 3) Colby Shelton(May 4-10) Boston Smith(May 11-17) George Wolkow (May 18-24) Morris Austin(May 25-31) Caleb Bonemer(June 1-7) James Taussig(June 8-14) Kyle Lodise(June 15-21) George Wolkow(June 22-28) Kaleb Freeman(June 29-July 5) Ryan Burrowes (July 6-12) Ely Brown (July 13-26) Calvin Harris(July 27-August 2) Derek Cerda(August 3-9)
Gabe Tanner 5 IP, 1 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 1 K Fabian Ysalla 5 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 K Alexander Martinez 4 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K Anthony Patterson III 4 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K
The Cannon Ballers had a terrific weekend in Charleston to wrap up an impressive series victory against the RiverDogs (60-48). After this 4-2 week, the Cannon Ballers are four games above .500 in the second half and overall this season.
Left-handed pitcher Grant Cleavinger, 22, has been impossible for hitters to solve during his extremely young professional career. Cleavinger, who attended the University of Nebraska, entered the 2026 draft but did not get drafted. However, it appears that some teams should have taken a closer look at him. This week, Cleavinger faced 13 hitters and retired all of them, striking out 10 of them. Cleavinger made his professional debut with the Cannon Ballers on July 25, and since then, he has pitched 6 2/3 innings, and incredibly, he has not allowed any hits.
2026 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Players of the Week Stiven Flores (April 6-12) Abraham Núñez (April 13-19) Javier Mogollón(April 20-26) Arxy Hernández(April 27-May 3) Javier Mogollón(May 4-10) Max Banks(May 11-17) Riley Eikhoff(May 18-24) James Taussig(May 25-31) James Taussig(June 1-7) Derek Cerda(June 8-14) Matthew Boughton(June 15-21) Ryan Schiefer(June 22-28) Christian Gonzalez(June 29-July 5) Jaden Fauske (July 6-12) Steven Lancia (July 13-26) Anthony Patterson III(July 27-August 2) Grant Cleavinger(August 3-9)
DSL White Sox Record 1-4 (last week), 17-30 (overall)
DSL White Sox Player of the Week Félix Lebron .400/.538/.800, 2-for-2 stolen bases, 10 at-bats
Ronald Cardozo .462/.500/.846, 13 at-bats Orlando Patiño .417/.500/.667, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 12 at-bats Fernando Graterol .250/.400/.833, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 12 at-bats Samuel Luis .250/.308/.250, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 12 at-bats
Yordany Marte 4 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K José Taveras 4 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 1 K Ronald Kelly 3 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 K Roderic Ramírez 3 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K Erlyn Lauriano 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Although the DSL White Sox went 10-8 in July, they cooled off again this week, dropping four out of five games.
Shortstop Félix Lebron, 17, was on fire, going 4-for-10 with a homer, a double, three walks, four RBIs, and two stolen bases without getting caught. Lebron, who is still very young, got off to a cold start to his career in affiliated baseball, but he has turned that around in a big way. In June, Lebron slashed .121/.327/.121; in July, he slashed .235/.400/.294; this month, he is slashing .429/.529/.929.
2026 DSL White Sox Players of the Week Carlos Vielma(June 1-7) Sebastian Romero(June 8-14) Sebastian Romero(June 15-21) Ronald Kelly(June 22-28) Orlando Patiño(June 29-July 5) Ronald Cardozo (July 6-12) Nestor Pérez(July 13-26) David Colmenares(July 27-August 2) Félix Lebron(August 3-9)
DENVER, CO - MAY 15: Merrill Kelly #29 of the Arizona Diamondbacks talks with media after pitching his first career complete game bydefeating the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Friday, May 15, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Diamondbacks did the World a favour.
For every Series Preview, there is good news and bad news.
The good news is that the Diamondbacks just owned the Dodgers.
Dodgers fans shrug about the loss, they say. They still have a huge lead in the NL West, they say. Making the post-season is as easy as pie, they say. The string of losses is no reason for concern, they say.
But they won’t say that it hurt that the Diamondbacks planted their shoe in the Dodgers faces. They won’t say the Diamondbacks silenced Dodger stadium this past weekend. They won’t say that they were planning the past weekend on making fun of Arizona after beating the shit out of the them.
Beating the Dodgers is the best news you can have. And we not only did ourselves a favour and give ourselves moments of joy. The Dodgers have become the “Argentina” of baseball. They are the Patriots and the Cowboys combined. Everyone hates their guts. And everyone wants them to lose. In the name of the entire world, I thank you, Arizona Diamondbacks, for serving the entire world.
The bad news is, this is all part of the past now.
Sweep needed.
Arizona is 6 games behind the Cubs, who hold the first Wild Card. The Cubs will be the team to beat in the Wild Card, because they are 5.5 games behind their league leader, Milwaukee Brewers. That leaves Arizona batting for two of the remaining wild cards. Enter the conversation the Phillies and Padres, who, just like Diamondbacks, have a positive balance over their final 10 games. Marlins and Cardinals should not be forgotten either, Nationals and Pirates are some games below .500 and remain on the outskirts, hoping for a huge winning streak.
The remaining schedule is lots of fun for Arizona, with so many important series against direct opponents or other strong opponents. Only few series are against teams that have nothing left to play for. Like the Giants, who we will meet at the end of the month, or the Royals, who we will fight against at the beginning of September. With so much left to play for and many good opponents waiting to take the venom out of the Snakes, a series against the Colorado Rockies becomes a must-win and a need for sweep. It feels like too often we have failed to reach the play-offs because of some games in which we utterly failed to capitalize on weak opponents. Let’s hope we don’t make that mistake again in the upcoming series.
We met the Rockies mid May. The doctor told us to heal in Colorado. The team was 20-22 at that moment, so you can imagine how our state of mind. We got some good doctor’s advice, helped by the MLB, who set us up for 13 consecutive games in 4 series against the Rockies and Giants. The Diamondbacks went 11-2, the two losses against the Rockies, and boosted themselves back into the Wild Card battle.
Colorado dropped 4 against Arizona and since that second series, on May 22, the Rockies have gone 26-38. That leaves them with a 46-72 record, just one game better than MLB’s worst team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. You would say, this team, we need to sweep em.
The past trade deadline the Rockies were quiet. Despite the terrible record, they see some good stuff in their position players, where most of them are to be on the roster for the years to come. They even extended designated hitter Mickey Moniak to buy out his first free agency year (2028).
They traded away Antonio Senzatela, who was playing in the final year of a previous extension. Senzatela, now exclusively deployed as a reliever, has joined the almighty Brewers. The other three moves did not get much media attention. Seth Halvorsen, a 26-year old reliever with 71 major league innings this and the past two seasons, was acquired by the Dodgers in a below-the-radar-trade. Another reliever, Victor Vodnik, joined the Marlins. The White Sox trading for 2023 and 2024 Golden Glover Brenton Doyle, who is no longer blessed with an average hitting tool, was more surprising and will not hurt the Rockies. In all trades the Rockies added to their farm and depth, with Nick Frasso, acquired from the Dodgers, the only one added to the major league roster.
The Rockies head to Phoenix after losing 2-1 against the Cardinals in St. Louis. They took 5 from the Diamondbacks last season and 4 the year before, so let us improve on that. Currently Arizona wins the season series 5-2.
Matchups.
Game #1 Mon 08/10 6:40 PM MST, Michael Soroka (ARI) vs Gabriel Hughes (COL).
Though he still needs to be added to the active roster at the time of writing, Soroka is scheduled to return to the major leagues after almost two months, getting injured against the Twins on June 19, tearing a muscle. Soroka made just one rehab appearance, in Reno, throwing 57 pitches in 4 innings, allowing a run on 3 hits and 2 walks, against just one strikeout. I suppose he will be on a pitch limit.
By the time Soroka leaves the game, the Diamondbacks will surely hope that the Rockies are far behind, though early results indicate that Gabriel Hughes might be a tough nut to crack. Hughes made his first major league start in July, against the Dodgers, allowing 3 runs over 6 innings and striking out 7. He then continued to excel against the Reds and Nationals, before running into a bit more trouble against the Padres. However, it wasn’t until his latest appearance, against Tampa Bay, before he had more problems, allowing 5 runs (1 homerun) over 5.1 innings. Hughes was taken by the Colorado Rockies with the 10th pick in the 2022 draft and, according to FanGraphs, projects as a back-end starter. He wasn’t dominating the PCL for Albuquerque nor has he dominated the minors until now, so his early success might be smoke and mirrors. The righty relies heavily on a 93-mph fastball and complements it with a sweeper and a slider. Left-handed batters also are served a changeup and curve.
Game #2 Tue 08/11 6:40 PM MST, Mitch Bratt (ARI) vs Tomoyuki Sugano (COL).
Most sites write him out of the rotation, but truth is that in his last two performances, Bratt has been excellent for the Diamondbacks, allowing just 1 run in 12 innings against Cleveland and San Diego. Against the Rockies Bratt will have another opportunity to add some major league experience, hoping to provide enough to cement his name in the rotation for yet another week.
Like I wrote in a previous series preview, Sugano was an unfamiliar face for the Snakes, because 2026 is only the second season for the 36-year old Japanese pitcher in the MLB. Last season he was a back-end starter for the Baltimore Orioles.
Sugano can make use of a huge amount of 7 different pitches: 4-seamer, split finger, cutter, sinker, slider, sweeper and curveball. All that off-speed and breaking ball arsenal is to hide a weak fastball collection (his 4-FB averages below 93 mph). Sugano has good command and hardly walks a batter.
It has been a recipe for success for Sugano against the Diamondbacks this season. He already faced Arizona twice and although he gave up 2 runs in each of his performances against the Snakes, it was good for a win and no-decision, despite giving up 13 hits in 11.2 innings. Third time’s a charm, they say.
Game #3 Wed 08/12 12:40 PM MST, Merrill Kelly (ARI) vs Ryan Feltner (COL).
Last time Merrill pitched against the Rockies, he was able to pitch a complete game, allowing just one (home)run. Needless to say more.
A 4th round pick in the 2018 draft, Feltner has been pretty much part of the major league team since 2022, though not much more than a fringe back-end starter, except for a fine 2024 season, taking into account Rockies and Coors Field standards. This year Feltner is struggling heavily, especially away from Coors Field, with a .295 BA against, with BABIP at an average .300. Especially July was a tough month, allowing a 1.100 OPS and 20 runs in just 4 games.
His changeup and sweeper are his best pitches, the first one for left-handed batters, the other for right-handed batters. The rest of the arsenal (four-seamer, slider, sinker, curve) is graded poorly by statcast.
Last time Feltner pitched against the Diamondbacks was in 2024. In total he has give up 16 runs against Arizona, in 4 games (18.2 innings). The last time, though, he got his first win, at Chase Field.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 28: Gerald Williams #29 of the New York Yankees looks on during batting practice of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers on June 28, 1995 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While he might be a name that you associate with the good years of the 1990s Yankees, Gerald Williams never played on a Yankees’ championship team. (He was on the 1996 Yankees, but was traded away during the season, although he was awarded a ring.) He had some good seasons, but he was never an outstanding player, putting up 6.5 career rWAR with an 82 OPS+. However, between his friendship with several beloved Yankees and by all account him generally being a really good guy and teammate, he’s a name that resonates with a lot of fans.
Were it not for his sad passing, Williams would be celebrating his 60th birthday today, so let’s give some love to “Ice.”
Gerald Floyd Williams Born: August 10, 1966 (New Orleans, LA) Died: February 8, 2022 (Sarasota, FL) Yankees Tenure: 1992-96, 2001
Williams was born in Louisiana as one of 13 kids. After his time at East St. John High School in Reserve, Louisiana, he earned a spot on the baseball team at Grambling State University. Williams was a star at Grambling, hitting .409 in 1987. That got him on the pro radar, as he was then selected by the Yankees in the 14th round of the ensuing MLB Draft.
Slowly but surely, Williams worked his way through the minors, and was even considered a top 100 prospect by Baseball America before the 1993 season. Along the way, he also developed a close friendship with several future Yankee teammates. The most notable among them were Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter.
No relation to Bernie, but the two often roomed together in their minor league days. He also became a dear friend and something of a mentor figure to Jeter. Their relationship began in spring training 1993, when Williams helped put a stop to some hazing of the young shortstop. Williams then took Jeter out to dinner, cementing their friendship. In his book, Jeter said “I felt like I had been the last kid on the playground waiting to be picked for a game, and finally someone had selected me.”
Williams eventually made the majors as a September call-up in 1992. He hit well enough in that cameo, but he spent the next couple years going up and down to the minors and being a bench player. He started to get more playing time in 1995, appearing in 100 games and posting a 105 OPS+.
As mentioned earlier, Williams would end up traded during the 1996 season was over, but he did produce a couple memorable moments before then. On May 1st, in a 15-inning win against the Orioles, Williams recorded six hits. That’s tied for the most in franchise history in one game, even with Myril Hoag on June 6, 1934 and Johnny Damon on June 7, 2008. Then on May 14th, he made a running, over the shoulder catch to rob Alex Rodriguez and preserve Dwight Gooden’s no-hitter.
However, the Yankees did include him in a trade with the Brewers that August, that sent a couple players to New York, most notable of which was Graeme Lloyd. Williams spent that year and the next in Milwaukee before being traded to the Braves ahead of the 1998 season. He produced arguably his best career year there in 1998 and helped Atlanta to the 1999 World Series, where they fell to his former Yankee teammates.
Williams became a free agent after ‘99 and signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In 2000, he partly kicked off a brawl against the Red Sox, when he charged the mound after being hit with a Pedro Martínez pitch.
Williams struggled at the plate in 2001, leading to his release by Tampa Bay. He then returned to the Yankees, serving as a backup on the 2001 and ‘02 teams. He again left after that season, and was on the 2003 Marlins. While Williams again didn’t appear when the team won the World Series, he did win a second World Series ring with Florida. Williams spent two last seasons with the Mets before retiring.
Following his baseball career, Williams remained close friends with several Yankees teammates. He was notably among those invited to the 2014 game where the Yankees retired Jeter’s number as part of his retirement tour, and was also in attendance alongside Bernie, Tino Martinez, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Joe Torre when Jeter hit a walk-off during his final game in the Bronx. Williams had settled in Florida, where he resided with his wife, Liliana. He lived there until 2022, when he passed away from cancer at the far-too-young age of 55. His death brought forward a lot of tributes, as Williams was clearly loved by those who played with him.
Remarking on his friend, Jeter said “If I had to make a model out of the type of person to have as a friend, a person you can lean on or joke with, it would be Gerald.”
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Kade Anderson #32 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Tacoma Rainiers
Tacoma unfortunately dropped this one to Las Vegas by a score of four to two, unable to take down a very solid Aviators squad that’s been excellent all year. Despite their losing record on the week, there were tons of great individual performances from some of the brightest stars on this roster; the typical performers continued to show up, but guys who’ve scuffled at times this season have really started to pick it up as of late. The Rainiers aren’t likely to be making much noise in the playoff race this season, but hopefully these performances are indicative of a stronger end to the season to build on as we head into an offseason filled with uncertainty.
It was a fantastic week for utility man Brock Rodden, a great sign for the 26 year old who’s had an up-and-down year in the PCL. Gathering nine hits across five games this series, Rodden’s two-homer game on Wednesday night headlined his monstrous week that saw him collect a double, a triple, and five homers. Rodden’s monthly slash currently sits at .313/.333/.906, good for a gaudy 1.239 OPS. Rodden’s versatility in the field and sneaky good bat make him a strong candidate for utility man of the future; if he can keep this level of production up, he’s sure to figure into the competition for a bench role come next spring.
Both Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo continue to impress in the PCL. Having adjusted almost immediately to the increased level of competition, the tandem has been lighting up the PCL offensively and are helping buoy this lineup to a more competitive level. Arroyo (.327/.395/.582) is finding a ton of success at the plate by attacking aggressively in the zone, and Laz (.284/.368/.560), who’s prodigious power plays incredibly well in the offense-happy PCL, has mashed his way to some incredibly impressive numbers. The pair are still just 21 years old and figure to major pieces of this club moving forward.
Arkansas Travelers
The Travs continue to falter ever so slightly and dropped the series to an Amarillo team that’s admittedly been very solid in the second half. Despite the oodles of talent up and down this roster, much of it is new to the level and still going through an adjustment period against the far superior stuff. Guys like Jonny Farmelo, Felnin Celesten, and Josh Caron are all premiere prospects, but until they’ve settled in against Texas League competition, the Travs may struggle to produce enough umph at the plate to consistently remain in the win column.
The newest member of this Travs team, Boston Smith, decided he’d show his teammates just how good of a player he’s been all season and absolutely torched Sod Poodles pitching all week. Acquired in the Luis Castillo trade, Smith launched five homers in his first week in the organization and raised his OPS to 1.553, an obviously otherworldly mark for the 23 year old. The young backstop employs a pull-happy approach that elevates the ball consistently and allows him to reliably get to his power in game settings, and this has led to some gaudy production all year. Smith has run an OPS just south of 1.100 across three different levels this year and looks like yet another fantastic pickup by this front office. Given his meteoric rise this past season, he’s a strong candidate for a big league look next season.
Kade Anderson was awesome again. Final line: 5.1IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 9K, 19 whiffs, 78 pitches, 58 strikes.
12th start without allowing a run.
Anderson in his first professional season: 17G, 1.13ERA, 87.2IP, 45H, 12BB, 128K. pic.twitter.com/YshHD76jle
The weekly Kade Anderson report is exactly what you’d expect: extremely good. Working 5.1 scoreless innings, Anderson punched out nine and allowed just three hits and no walks on the afternoon. There’s not much to say that hasn’t already been said; he’s entirely too good for the minor leagues, but given the wealth of pitching the M’s have at the big league level and unwillingness to move him to the bullpen (a smart move, in my opinion), he’s likely to remain in Double-A for the remainder of the season. Perhaps he’s called up for a cup of coffee once his rookie eligibility for next season would remain in tact, but it seems closer to a toss up than a surefire bet at this point in time.
Everett AquaSox
The Frogs dropped four of six this week against Vancouver this week, unable to best an opponent that’s really struggled to get things going this year. The AquaSox have a bunch of new faces on this roster, and despite some very strong performance out of the newcomers, they’ve been unable to get too far off the .500 line. Hopefully a strong end to the season can push them to the top spot of the second half standings and give them a shot at the title series.
Aiden Taurek continues to mash in his new home and has been the best AquaSox batter for the past several weeks. Taurek, a corner outfielder with a line-drive approach at the plate, is presently slashing .340/.429/.566 in High-A and has been a doubles machine all season. Though it’d be aggressive, if he’s able to keep this level of production up through the end of the season, there’s a world where he earns his way to a debut in Double-A out of the gates in 2027.
Inland Empire 66ers
The 66ers had a fantastic week against Rancho Cucamonga, taking five of the six contests in the series. Though they’ve struggled all year, there’s a lot of fresh talent on this roster, and some new faces may be just what this team needs for a positive end of the season. Now just three games out of first place, IE has positioned themselves well to make a run for a spot in the postseason, a truly remarkable feat that seemed implausible just a week ago.
Now making up a healthy chunk of this team, the recent draftees coming out of the SEC have worked wonders for this IE lineup and have them operating as a well-oiled machine. Fourth rounder Hayden Yost (1.046 OPS) and sixth rounder Henry Ford (1.345 OPS) have been outstanding atop this lineup, and Ace Reese, who’s logged just five AB’s, has taken quickly to the level and already has three base hits. Jake Brown and Ryan Wynn have each contributed admirably as well; its frankly been tough to nitpick any one of the bats in this 2026 class of draftees, and several of, if not all of these guys figure to make up a strong core in Everett come next season.
DSL Mariners
Though the offense has slowed just a hair for this DSL squad, they’ve still performed incredibly well on the year and remain the most interesting version of this team in the last handful of years. In particular, the lesser-heralded Jarvis Gomez has been fantastic this season; the young outfielder has more walks than strikeouts, 13 stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.015 through 42 games on the year. He’s been a great get for this organization and looks like a riser heading into his inevitable stateside debut next spring.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 07: Kaelen Culpepper #12 of the Minnesota Twins reacts while rounding third base after hitting a solo home run in his first major league hit in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on August 07, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last week was a mixed bag for the Twins. After wrapping up the trade deadline by picking up a couple of additions to the pitching staff, they promptly dropped two straight series. Then they got the bad news that Joe Ryan was heading to the injured list due to a glute strain, but the youth movement has arrived, with the promotion of Kaelen Culpepper to the major league roster. Culpepper showed off in his first game, hitting a homer and showing some of the power potential that he has developed in the past year in the minors.
Surprisingly, despite the poor week in terms of wins and losses, the team is still only 1.5 games out of the final wild card spot.
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Game threads and recaps are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we experience the season together.
The Rays continue to top the AL, extending their lead to 5.5 games over the Yankees. The Red Sox, who have had a pretty unprecedented turnaround in the past month, now find themselves third in the league and in the second wild card spot. The White Sox and Astros are the current division leaders in the Central and West, respectively, and the Rangers hold the third wild card spot right now, although they are only 0.5 games behind the Astros, so that spot will likely flip-flop for the rest of the season. The Tigers, Twins, Guardians, and Orioles are all within 2 games of the final wild card spot.
The NL is a bit clearer-cut, with Milwaukee, Atlanta, and Los Angeles all clearly ahead of the next-best team in their division. The Cubs, Diamondbacks, and Phillies are currently in the wild card spots.
The Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins will turn back the clocks to a simpler time when they get together on Thursday, Aug. 13, at the site made famous in the classic 1989 movie, "Field of Dreams." The site has undergone major renovations since hosting its last MLB game and those upgrades should be on full display during the broadcast.
The Phils will be wearing road gray uniforms inspired by the ones the club wore from 1939-41. Meanwhile, the Twins will don home whites that harken back to 1961, the franchise's first season in Minneapolis.
More than 25 Baseball Hall of Famers are set to walk through the outfield as part of a stunning pregame ceremony.
How to watch MLB Field of Dreams game
This week, Philadelphia and Minnesota will be playing a regular-season MLB game at the "Field of Dreams" ballpark. Here's everything you need to know to watch it.
Date: Thursday, Aug. 13
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (pregame coverage begins at 6:30)
BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 9: Masataka Yoshida #7 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout during the seventh inning against the Athletics at Fenway Park on August 9, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Can we get some hand sanitizer in the Red Sox clubhouse please? Just as Willson Contreras came back from a bout with illness (one that he was still feeling the effects of even as he played over the weekend), another hitter went down. This time it was Masataka Yoshida. Contreras only missed two days so Masa will likely be back soon, but we better hope this thing doesn’t sweep through the lineup. (Miracle Dimwesh, Yahoo)
Let’s definitely keep Masa away from Adley Rutschman, who hopes to make his debut this week against the Blue Jays. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how the Rutschman trade went down, featuring the Zac Brown Band, Theo Epstein, and some welcome self-awareness from Craig Breslow: “How many good trades do you pass up in search of the perfect trade, only to find out that the perfect trade was never actually available?” Breslow said of the deal and the possibility that he may have “overpaid” in the eyes of many around the league. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
When Rutschman does return, the immediate focus will be on his health. But we’ll also need to keep an eye on how he’s integrating with the pitching staff. It’s very rare for a new number one catcher to join a playoff-bound team this late in the season. When it comes to learning how to handle Sonny Gray, though, Rutschman luckily will have at his disposal an entire library worth of notebooks that Gray maintains throughout the season to chart his performance. “He’s definitely cerebral,” Andrew Bailey said of Gray. “He’s well-prepared. He knows what he wants to do, what he does really well and his identity as a pitcher.” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
Of course Rutschman is not here because of how well he handles a pitching staff. He’s here because he’s one of the best hitting catchers in baseball. The Sox lineup could use a spark, like the one Kyle Schwarber provided when he came over at the 2021 trade deadline. (Rob Bradford, WEEI)
There is an obvious parallel between 2026 and 2021 given that both seasons saw the Sox trade for injured stars at the deadline, but it’s the Morgan Magic season of 1988 that 2026 echoes the loudest. Morgan, now 95 years old, still watches from his home in Walpole, specifically, he watches from the room he was able to build in his house because of that magic run. (Steve Buckley, The Athletic)
But not every Boston baseball manager is having success right now. Keith Foulke just left his position as manager of the Boston Hunters of the brand new Women’s Professional Baseball League, which is hosting its inaugural season in Springfield, Illinois. While it’s unclear whether Foulke was fired or left on his own terms, the move came after just 3 games and only 30 minutes prior to the Hunters’ most recent matchup. Needless to say, there’s probably some kind of story here… (Lauren Campbell, MassLive)
Behind the dominant Logan Henderson, the Milwaukee Brewers are a -108 moneyline road favorite tonight at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres.
With Casey Mize coming off a shaky San Diego debut, my Brewers vs. Padres predictions are eyeing the visitors to give him trouble while providing Henderson with enough run support.
Find out more in my MLB picks for Monday, August 10.
Who will win Brewers vs Padres tonight: Brewers (-116)
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson has been in great form, posting a 1.85 xERA across his last two starts while limiting opponents to a 34.6% hard-hit rate.
The road profile stands out even more. Henderson owns a 1.95 FIP away from American Family Field, compared to a 4.13 mark at home.
Casey Mize is tougher to handicap after changing teams, but his San Diego Padres debut was ugly, as he allowed eight earned runs. Before that blowup, he did own a 3.33 xERA over his previous three outings.
Still, Mize now faces one of baseball’s best lineups, and Milwaukee owns a 102 wRC+ over the last week. The Brewers have the edge offensively and on the hill.
I’ll play this pick up to -130.
COVERS INTEL: Milwaukee has been far more effective against right-handed pitching, posting a 109 wRC+ compared to a 93 mark vs. lefties. That strengthens the matchup against Mize and gives the Brewers another offensive edge.
Brewers vs Padres Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 runs (-126)
This total sits at 7.5, and I'm leaning to the Under despite both offenses entering in respectable form. The splits are less intimidating, with San Diego posting a 94 wRC+ at home and Milwaukee carrying a 98 wRC+ on the road.
Henderson is dealing, while both bullpens have been reliable lately. The Brewers' relief corps owns a 2.56 FIP over the last week while limiting homers, and the Padres pen has a 2.71 xERA.
Mize’s volatility is the main concern, but the lineup splits and bullpen form point toward a tighter game.
I’ll play this pick up to -140.
Brewers vs Padres home run prediction: Jackson Chourio (+474)
Jackson Chourio has four homers in his last seven games with a mind-boggling 35.3% barrel rate.
Nearly half of his contact during that span has been in the air, and he also owns a 50% HR/FB rate over the last week. Mize was hit hard in his Padres debut, and San Diego’s bullpen has a 41.7% fly-ball rate over its last 26.2 innings.
The matchup may not be perfect, but Chourio’s current barrel form gives him a clear path at this price. He is squaring up almost everything lately.
I’ll play this pick down to +400.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 46-56, -16.38 units
Over/Under bets: 56-43, +6.55 units
Brewers vs Padres weather
Weather at Petco Park looks mild and clean tonight, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures falling from 74 degrees to around 71 by midnight ET. Winds are light around 5–6 mph, and rain chances are basically nonexistent. The cooler late-night air should keep conditions fairly neutral, with no major weather boost for offense.
Brewers vs Padres odds
Moneyline: Brewers -108 | Padres +104
Run line: Brewers -1.5 (+163) | Padres +1.5 (-170)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+117) | Under 7.5 (-122)
Brewers vs Padres trend
The Milwaukee Brewers have hit the Game Total Under in 14 of their last 22 games (+6.55 Units / 27% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Padres.
How to watch Brewers vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Monday, August 10, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
Brewers.TV, Padres.TV
Brewers starting pitcher
Logan Henderson (6-1, 2.70 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
Casey Mize (4-7, 3.40 ERA)
Brewers vs Padres latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Houston Astros and San Francisco Giants went in opposite directions ahead of last week’s MLB trade deadline, and the two teams are also at opposite ends of the standings ahead of their three-game set at Oracle Park beginning Monday, Aug. 10.
My top Astros vs. Giants predictions and MLB picks are calling for Houston to cash in at the plate with a convincing win as road favorites tonight.
Who will win Astros vs Giants tonight: Astros moneyline (-148)
The recent results from the Houston Astros and San Francisco Giants align with their activity ahead of the MLB trade deadline Monday, Aug. 3, and reinforce why the Astros are a sizable road favorite.
Houston is on a 13-5 run while ranking second in wOBA and averaging 5.3 runs per game and bolstered the roster ahead of the deadline, while San Fran has gone 7-12 with a 23rd-ranked wOBA and 4.1 runs per game during the same stretch.
The Giants dealing away established veterans is a massive blow, and in particular, Luis Arraez because he still paces the team in WAR by a large margin.
As a result, I’m confident Houston righty Hayden Wesneski can hold the San Fran lineup in check enough for the Astros to pull away offensively tonight, and I'd back the Astros down to -160.
COVERS INTEL: The Houston Astros rank third in wOBA and sixth in xwOBA across the past two weeks, while the San Francisco Giants respectively check in 27th and 26th, which positions the Astros to pull away for the road victory tonight.
Astros vs Giants Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+101)
Even with the weather forecast calling for unfavorable hitting conditions, the Houston offense is set up to put runs on the board tonight with San Fran righty Blade Tidwell making just his fourth career start. He’s allowed opposing hitters to tee off to the tune of a .386 wOBA and .869 OPS across the first three, after all.
Plus, in addition to the highlighted heaters the Houston offense has strung together, the Astros rank ninth in wOBA and fifth in ISO against righties for the year. It’s also all added up to Houston playing to the Over in 20 of their last 35 games (+6.85 Units / 18% ROI).
This Over is in play down to -110.
Astros vs Giants home run prediction: Yordan Alvarez (+320)
Tidwell has surrendered a massive .396 wOBA and 1.98 HR/9 to left-handed batters during his career, and Houston superstar Yordan Alvarez sports the highest ISO and slugging percentage in the majors against righties among batters with at least 300 plate appearances.
The unfavorable hitting conditions forecasted at Oracle Park tonight are inflating the price for this prop, too, and I like it at +280 and above.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 43-18, +27.58 units
Over/Under bets: 17-16, -0.15 units
Astros vs Giants weather
The forecast calls for chilly and damp mid-50s temperatures that will create dense air and suppress ball carry at Oracle Park tonight. Consistent seven to eight mph winds blowing in from left field should also provide a pitching edge Monday.
Astros vs Giants odds
Moneyline: Astros -155 | Giants +135
Run line: Astros -1.5 (+105) | Giants +1.5 (-125)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)
Astros vs Giants trend
The Astros have hit the Over in 20 of their last 35 games (+6.85 Units / 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Giants.
How to watch Astros vs Giants and game info
Location
Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Date
Monday, August 10, 2026
First pitch
9:45 p.m. ET
TV
Space City Home Network, NBC Sports Bay Area
Astros starting pitcher
Hayden Wesneski (2-0, 3.86 ERA)
Giants starting pitcher
Blade Tidwell (0-0. 3.18 ERA)
Astros vs Giants latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Here are my MLB moneyline predictions for tonight's slate.
Before we dive in, be sure to check out all of our MLB picks on Monday, Aug. 10!
MLB moneyline picks for August 10
Matchup
Pick
Red Sox vs Blue Jays
-147
Mets vs Braves
+133
Orioles vs Twins
-108
Phillies vs Cardinals
+108
Rangers vs Angels
-106
Rockies vs Diamondbacks
+182
Brewers vs Padres
-111
Rays vs Athletics
+150
Astros vs Giants
+141
Royals vs Dodgers
+245
Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of August 10.
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Expert MLB moneyline picks for August 10
Red Sox vs Blue Jays: Red Sox (-147)
Red Sox win probability: 60%
Death. Taxes. I will always fade Jameson Taillon.
The newly acquired Blue Jays hurler has posted a 7.78 ERA, 6.65 xERA, and 1.73 WHIP over his last five starts. In that span, opposing bats have generated a 45% hard-hit rate and 16.13% barrel rate.
This does not feel like a spot where the Red Sox cool off. If anything, it feels more like adding fuel to an already burning flame. Plus, Sonny Gray draws the least exciting offense in baseball.
Red Sox or nothing.
Mets vs Braves: Mets (+133)
Mets win probability: 43%
The Mets feel a little dangerous here, with Christian Scott holding a 2.18 xERA and 1.10 WHIP over his last five starts. Meanwhile, Bryce Elder has allowed opposing hitters to generate a 45% hard-hit rate and 11.25% barrel rate over his last five starts.
The New York offense has been stellar as of late, posting a 149 wRC+, .379 wOBA, and .875 OPS over its last six games. The Braves, on the other hand, have managed just a 102 wRC+ during that stretch, along with a 4.6% walk rate and 26% strikeout rate.
Orioles vs Twins: Orioles (-108)
Orioles win probability: 52%
There is no way I am fading Trevor Rogers in this spot. He has been lights out over his last five starts, while Dean Kremer owns a 9.00 ERA over his last three.
The Twins offense has gone cold, while the Orioles are starting to heat up. At -108, I think we are getting a great price to back an offense that is on a complete tear, especially with a lefty on the mound who has been owning opposing hitters.
Phillies vs Cardinals: Cardinals (+108)
Cardinals win probability: 48%
Phillies right-hander Andrew Painter's recent numbers have scared me off backing Philadelphia on the road here. The starter owns a 5.21 xERA and 1.50 WHIP over his last three starts. Cardinals starter Hunter Dobbins, meanwhile, carries a 2.23 xERA over his last three.
With both offenses heating up, I want to back the arm who's shown better form.
Go Cardinals.
Rangers vs Angels: Rangers (-106)
Rangers win probability: 52%
Angels left-hander Reid Detmers has been struggling in his recent starts, posting a 5.11 xERA over his last three outings. During that stretch, opposing hitters are making 53% hard contact and an 18.75% barrel rate. Rangers lefty MacKenzie Gore, meanwhile, has been shoving over his last five starts, owning a 3.01 xERA while limiting hard contact and barrels.
The Angels are notorious for struggling against southpaws, especially when it comes to striking out. I want no part of backing that frozen offense.
Give me the Rangers.
Rockies vs Diamondbacks: Rockies (+182)
Rockies win probability: 36%
I am not paying juice for the Diamondbacks to secure the win here against a Rockies team that plays better on the road. Plus, the Colorado offense has been on a tear over the last week, posting a 113 wRC+, .351 wOBA, and .813 OPS.
Gabriel Hughes has the tools to hold down the Diamondbacks' bats, and at +182, the Rockies are a fun play.
Brewers vs Padres: Brewers (-111)
Brewers win probability: 52%
First of all, when was the last time we got such a great price on the Brewers to win? It has been a minute.
Sure, the Padres offense has been on a tear, but Casey Mize has been brutal. Over his last five starts, he owns a 5.40 ERA and 1.40 WHIP while allowing a 44% hard-hit rate. On the other side, Logan Henderson has posted a 2.67 ERA, 2.25 xERA and 0.78 WHIP.
I like the overall better team here, especially at this price.
Give me the Brewers.
Rays vs Athletics: Athletics (+150)
Athletics win probability: 40%
Jacob Lopez has been lights-out over his last five starts, while Freddy Peralta still owns a 7.77 ERA over that same span. The Rays starter also carries a 7.11 ERA on the road this season.
Despite the Athletics' cold bats and the Rays' sustained dominance, this is a spot for the A's to come out on top.
Astros vs Giants: Giants (+141)
Giants win probability: 42%
Minimal thoughts here, aside from Hayden Wesneski not performing well on the road this season, while Blade Tidwell has some very solid underlying metrics.
The Giants are a steal at +141, especially with both offenses being a bit cold over the last week.
Royals vs Dodgers: Royals (+245)
Royals win probability: 29%
Strictly from a moneyline standpoint, I am not laying $2.51 on the ice-cold Dodgers.
Despite snapping their losing streak, the Dodgers followed that up with a loss on Sunday afternoon. Tarik Skubal takes the mound this evening against Noah Cameron, who has been strong for the Royals, sporting a .285 xERA over his last five outings.
With how poorly both offenses have been and Cameron's success on the rubber lately, this could be a fun sweat at +245.
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.
It's Tarik Skubal day in Southern California as the Los Angeles Dodgers (-285) host the Kansas City Royals to start a three-game series.
L.A. is in the midst of its toughest stretch of the season, dropping eight of its last nine, but Skubal provides a great opportunity to right the ship.
See why I'm backing the home squad with my Royals vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks for Monday, August 10.
Who will win Royals vs Dodgers tonight: Dodgers -1.5 (-131)
A quick way to lose your hard-earned money is to back the Kansas City Royals when Noah Cameron takes the hill. Kansas City has dropped 16 of his 22 outings, and a faulty bullpen (league-worst 5.70 FIP in the last 14 days) can hardly save the day.
Tarik Skubal (26.6% K-BB%) is a massive advantage on the mound, and he's held the Royals to a .619 OPS in 118 prior plate appearances.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have the advantage everywhere, so I'd lay the run line up to -140 in a squash match.
COVERS INTEL: With the wind blowing out to dead center at 5-8 mph, Noah Cameron's 35th-percentile ground ball rate (39.7%) could prove problematic.
Royals vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-112)
Skubal's dominance means we should see a low-scoring game, especially from the visitors. Kansas City is 3-10 O/U in its last 13 road games, and the offense is unlikely to surpass expectations here.
Although Cameron's profile has plenty of holes, it's worth pointing out that he's in his finest form of the season. The southpaw has allowed a single earned run on six hits in his last 23 IP, which could help him avoid a total blow-up spot in this difficult matchup.
A Dodgers win tends to correlate with the Under as they are 2-8 O/U in their last 10 victories.
Royals vs Dodgers home run prediction: Shohei Ohtani (+216)
Shohei Ohtani's numbers see a boost across the board at home, where his 168 wRC+ and .297 ISO stand out on a day where the wind will be blowing out to center field.
He's knocked 11 home runs against left-handed pitchers, and Cameron pitches to contact, which is quite dangerous against a hitter of Ohtani's caliber.
When things get to the bullpen, Kansas City's relievers have allowed more home runs (71) than all but two other teams.
JD Yonke's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 29-31, -6.3 units
Over/Under bets: 37-24, +11.4 units
Royals vs Dodgers weather
The wind blowing out to center field is notable. Otherwise, temperatures will be warm without being too humid.
Royals vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Royals +270 | Dodgers -285
Run line: Royals +1.5 (+122) | Dodgers -1.5 (-127)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (EVEN) | Under 7.5 (-104)
Royals vs Dodgers trend
The Royals are 3-12 in their last 15 away games. Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Royals vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Monday, August 10, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
Royals.TV, SportsNet LA
Royals starting pitcher
Noah Cameron (6-8, 4.37 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal (7-6, 2.81 ERA)
Royals vs Dodgers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 05: New York Mets pitcher Jefry Yan (84) reacts after striking out Cleveland Guardians left fielder Angel Martinez (1) (not pictured) for his first career strikeout during the sixth inning of the Major League Baseball interleague game between the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians on August 5, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Welcome back to Monday Stat Party, a weekly series showcasing some of the most curious and nostalgia-inducing statistical developments from the past week of Mets baseball. What unites each entry is the sense of intrigue which they aim to spark, and the unbridled love of the game’s anomalies from which they arise. Without further ado, let the stat party begin.
TUESDAY
With a single and a homer, Bo Bichette notched his 300th career multi-hit game. Since his debut in 2019, he is one of only nine players in baseball with 300+ multi-hit games, joining Freddie Freeman (373), Trea Turner (354), Luis Arraez (334), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (327), Rafael Devers (319), Paul Goldschmidt (305), Manny Machado (303), and Jose Altuve (302).
Bichette’s homer was hit a projected 422 feet with an exit velocity of 107.5 mph, marking his farthest-hit and hardest-hit homer as a Met.
Carson Benge’s 451-foot home run was the longest of his career, and tied two other Mets homers (Brett Baty’s in Washington on May 18 and Luis Robert Jr.’s in Milwaukee on July 21) for the team’s longest of the season.
Benge became the fifth player in the Statcast era (since 2015) to hit a 450+ foot home run and record a 96+ mph outfield assist in the same game, joining Starling Marte (May 26, 2018), George Springer (August 13, 2019), Nolan Jones (July 16, 2023), and Oneil Cruz (August 1, 2025). He is the first one since Springer to do it outside of Colorado. (source: Sarah Langs on X)
The Mets racked up 13+ strikeouts on both sides of the ball for the first time since August 11, 2024, a 12-1 loss in Seattle in which they struck out 13 times and struck out 15 Mariners.
WEDNESDAY
Jefry Yan’s first pitch as a Met was 101.1 mph, marking the fastest pitch thrown by a Mets left-handed pitcher in the Statcast era (since 2015). It also marked the fastest pitch thrown by any Met this season. Yan threw just 22 pitches in his first Mets outing, but he earned nine of the top ten spots and 13 of the top 18 on their season leaderboard.
Tanner Bibee struck out 10 Mets, becoming the third player to record double-digit strikeouts against the Mets this season after Shohei Ohtani (10 on April 15) and Cade Cavalli (10 on April 29). He also became the first interleague opponent to record double-digit strikeouts against the Mets since Pablo López racked up 14 in Minnesota on September 10, 2023, and the second Cleveland pitcher ever to do it after Scott Kazmir struck out 12 Mets at Progressive Field on September 6, 2013.
The Mets played their 16th extra-inning game of the season, tied with the Cubs for the most in the majors. They are currently on pace to finish the season with 21 extra-inning games played, which would tie for fifth-most in franchise history behind 1978 (25), 1986 (23), 1971 (22), and 1985 (22).
THURSDAY
Kodai Senga’s two-out, two-strike fastball to Angel Martínez was clocked at 100.3 mph, marking the fastest pitch he’s thrown in the big leagues.
Nolan McLean has struck out five or more batters in 11 consecutive outings, the most by a Met since Jacob deGrom set the franchise record by finishing his Mets career with 28 such outings. Only 11 Mets have put together a streak of five-or-more-strikeout games that long: Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Dwight Gooden, Sid Fernandez, Ron Darling, David Cone, Johan Santana, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, deGrom, and McLean.
McLean had his streak of six consecutive quality starts ended — the most by a Met since Kodai Senga (8) from August 7-September 20, 2023 — as well as his streak of eight consecutive starts in which he completed six innings, the most by a Met since Sean Manaea (8) from August 16-September 21, 2024.
Francisco Lindor’s three-run homer was his 68th homer at Progressive Field, tying him with Grady Sizemore for seventh all-time at the ballpark. Jim Thome ranks first with 190 homers, while current Guardian José Ramírez is second with 139 homers.
Luis Torrens put up five hits, two homers, and seven RBIs in atwo-game span, becoming just the third Mets catcher to post a two-game span with those totals after Gary Carter and Todd Hundley. (credit: PIX broadcast)
During the three-game series in Cleveland, Torrens recorded seven RBI against the Guardians. That alone was enough to move him into second place on the Mets’ all-time RBI leaderboard against the Guardians, trailing only Pete Alonso (12).
FRIDAY
For the 32nd time in franchise history, four different Mets stole a base (Carson Benge, Francisco Lindor, A.J. Ewing, and Luis Torrens). The last time that happened was on September 2, 2025, in Detroit — a game which included Torrens’ only other career stolen base to date. The Mets had pulled off the feat once before at PNC Park, when José Reyes, Luis Castillo, Moisés Alou, and Lastings Milledge did it on August 15, 2007.
Ewing collected his 15th stolen base in his 76th career game, becoming the second-fastest Met to 15 steals behind Mookie Wilson (63 games).
Ewing and Benge are the first Mets rookie teammates to steal 15 bases in the same season. The only others to have reached double-digits together are José Reyes (13) and Ty Wigginton (12) in 2003.
Zac Thornton’s 2.52 ERA through seven career games is the eighth-best among Mets pitchers with an average of five or more innings per outing, behind: Nolan McLean (1.27), Tylor Megill (2.04), Rick Aguilera (2.06), Nolan Ryan (2.11), Dillon Gee (2.22), Ron Darling (2.47), and Masato Yoshii (2.51).
Marcus Semien became the third Met to hit athree-run homer at PNC Park from the right side. The others were Todd Zeile on September 19, 2001, and David Wright on August 21, 2010. All three came against Pittsburgh pitchers whose last name begins with “M” (Tony McKnight, James McDonald, and Carmen Mlodzinski), and all three came in games which the Mets won with a left-handed starter between the ages of 23 and 26 on the mound (Glendon Rusch, Jon Niese, and Thornton). The first two also came with a future Met Hall of Famer on base (Mike Piazza and Carlos Beltrán)…but no pressure, Carson Benge and Jared Young.
SATURDAY
The Mets suffered their twelfth shutout loss of the season, tied with the Giants for the most of any team in the majors. The 9-0 defeat also marked their largest shutout loss in Pittsburgh since September 20, 1965, when right-hander Tommie Sisk blanked them to secure the first of his four career shutouts in a a 10-0 loss at Forbes Field.
Robert Stock allowed 14 baserunners without recording more than nine outs, becoming just the fifth Mets pitcher ever to do that in a game after Joe Sambito (June 11, 1985), Pedro Astacio (August 17, 2002), Óliver Pérez (August 31, 2006) and Liván Hernández (July 3, 2009). He also became just the third Mets pitcher to allow eight runs, nine hits, and five walks in a game, along with Sambito and Jason Isringhausen (June 30, 1996).
SUNDAY
Bo Bichette recorded the fifth five-hit game of his career, tying him with George Springer and Christian Yelich for the most five-hit games of any active player.
Bichette became the second player in MLB to reach base six times in a game this season after Sam Antonacci did so for the White Sox on June 3. Bichette also became the second Met since 2020 to accomplish the feat, after Juan Soto did so on June 8, 2025, in Colorado. Bichette is now one of 10 active players with two such games in his career, joining: Andrew McCutchen, Paul Goldschmidt, Bryce Harper, George Springer, Giancarlo Stanton, Mookie Betts, Christian Yelich, Pete Alonso, and José Ramírez.
The Mets are now the only team in the majors to have multiple players record five-hit games this season, as Carson Benge also did it on June 7 in San Diego.
Sean Manaea became the first Mets pitcher to record 11 strikeouts in a game this season. It was the first time Manaea had reached double-digits since he struck out 11 in Arizona on August 27, 2024. Manaea’s 11 strikeouts were the most by a Mets southpaw against the Pirates since Sid Fernandez fanned 12 at Shea Stadium on July 30, 1988.
Manaea recorded 18 whiffs, his most in a game since he racked up 19 against the Phillies on August 26, 2025, at Citi Field.
Francisco Alvarez hit his 61st career home run, moving him into fourth place for a Met before their 25th birthday behind Darryl Strawberry (108), David Wright (97), and Ed Kranepool (62).
Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week:
Mike Piazza’s 33 RBI in August 1999 are the most by any Met in the month of August. Second place on that list? Also Mike Piazza, with 30 RBI in August 1998.
Coming off a series split versus the San Diego Padres, the Diamondbacks prepared to welcome the NL West leading Los Angeles Dodgers into Chase Field for their 4th and Final series of the 2026 campaign. Due to a mixture of the Dbacks playing very well over the last month and half and the Dodgers having a season long 7 game losing streak and looking far from the World Series favorites that baseball fans are expecting, the Dodgers have seen their lead in the West go from a double digit lead to just 8.5 going into play Friday night.
As we discussed in the last episode, the Snakes could make the most of their opportunity on the horizon and make the Dodgers sweat a little bit more than they had originally planned in regards to their pursuit of yet another NL West title with a series sweep. It would also be an opportunity for the boys in the desert to win the season series over LA for the first time since 2018 (I’m still not over that ‘18 late season collapse…).
Call of Waldy: Walk (Off) Ops 1
Friday night’s opening contest was one that saw the Dbacks in front 2-0 after 5 innings behind Merrill Kelly shutting the Dodgers down and looking like he would be on his way to his first regular season victory against LA, but a run in all 3 of the 6th, 7th and 8th innings had the Dodgers in front and ready to not only end their 6 game losing streak but to break the hearts of all Dbacks fans in attendance.
The Dodgers $69 Million dollar closer Edwin Diaz toed the rubber in the 9th hoping to secure that outcome but after a Max Kepler leadoff walk and a 1-out steal of second base by pinch runner Jorge Barrosa, in stepped Ryan Waldschmidt with the chance to tie things up. Waldy decided he didn’t just want to tie things up but be the hero of the night and smashed a hanging slider from Diaz over the left center wall and right into the lap of a Dodger fan for his 2nd ever career home run and his first MLB walkoff hit. The fellas and I discussed how special of a moment that has to be for any major leaguer to come up clutch in that kind of scenario, but Gabe highlighted specifically his approach at the plate that at-bat along with mentioning that moments like this will be something that not only Ryan Waldschmidt would remember forever, but Dbacks fans as well.
Starting Unit Shoves…Again
Outside of a short week or so stretch back in the end of April through the start of May, the Diamondbacks starting rotation has been nothing other than spectacular for the majority of the 2026 season. Whether it Michael “Maple Maddux” Soroka having a bounce back year, Eduardo Rodriguez having a career best year that lead to his first ever All-Star nod or even the resurgence of Big Game Brandon Pfaadt since being recalled from Reno, there have been some stellar performances (and some not so stellar…were all looking at Zac Gallen I know) from this starting staff and we saw another round of that in this 3 game series yet again.
Gabe, Brandon and I all brought up different aspects of each of Merrill, Brandon and Eduardo’s recent starts that all deserve their own praise. I mentioned that Merrill, while unfortunately missing out on his first regular season W against LA, has been showing shades of the Mainstay we have been so accustomed to the past few years as he has put up a 2.82 ERA over his last 38.1 IP.
Gabe and I gave Brandon Pfaadt his flowers for not only extending his scoreless inning streak to 25 innings along with having a 1.32 ERA since his recall from Triple A Reno, but the fact that he was able to put up 7 shutout against one of the best offenses in baseball that has also seen him over 10 times and could have been used to seeing his arsenal more than other teams.
Brandon on the other hand thought that out of all the Dbacks starters in this series, ERod’s 115 pitches tossed across 7 innings was the most gutsy performance out of all. It was revealed by Torey Lovullo after the game that 4 bullpen arms were unavailable (or redlined), so knowing that the bullpen was more taxed then we might have known at the time adds more reasoning as to why some might agree with Brandon that this outing was the best of the bunch this series.
“Because of the Implication”
As mentioned previously by the crew, a sweep of the Dodgers this series would have been the perfect outcome because not only would have extended the Dodgers losing streak to 9 games, it would have brought the Snakes within 5.5 games of the NL West lead. Even though cutting the deficit from 8.5 top 7.5 doesn’t sound as exciting as a 5.5 deficit, it’s something that I dont think many fans expected as the Dodgers are usually running away with the West crown around this time of the year.
The fellas and I discussed the implications that this series could have for not just the NL WIld Card race, but for the whole NL West race as a whole. Gabe and I agreed that making the Dodgers have to try to still secure the title within the final week and keeping them from resting starters sounds ideal, Brandon brought up the counter point that in 2023 there were multiple reports that the Dodgers may have struggled to stay up to speed after their weeks rest and that resting could take some of their momentum away from them before October baseball gets underway.
Are the odds that the Dbacks or even Padres storm all the way back to take the West crown in their favor? No not really (+3000 odds or higher on most sites for both the Snakes and the Pads), but crazier things have happened, one of the most famous being the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals being 10.5 games out of the NL WIld Card race on August 25th to end up stealing that spot from the Braves on the final day of the regular season en route to one of the most memorable Fall Classics we’ve seen in all of postseason history.
Rocky 3
We ended off the night looking at the 3rd and final NL West matchup of the homestand, as the Dbacks would be welcoming the Last Place Colorado Rockies into the desert for their 3rd series against each other.
The Rockies find themselves nearly 30 games under .500 heading into this series but don’t let that fool you, they have some talent on their roster that can make an impact at any moment, most notable former snake Jake McCarthy who is having a phenomenal 1st season in the Mile High City as Jake is slashing .305/.341/.516 for a .816 OPS and a 122 OPS+.
This will also be the Diamondbacks 3rd time facing RHP Tomoyuki Sugano, who in his 2 previous starts against the snakes has only allowed 2 runs in each outing, mostly because of his nasty splitter.
There aren’t going to be many easy teams left on the Diamondbacks schedule for the rest of August as they still have matchups against the Braves, Red Sox, Cubs and Phillies before the Calendar turns over to the last month of the regular season, so this series is one where the Dbacks need to come away with a series victory and minimum, but a series sweep would set them up for great success heading into a tough 6 game stretch in Atlanta and then Boston.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 17: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves looks on in the fifth inning during the continuation of a game from June 16 against the San Francisco Giants at Truist Park on June 17, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Congratulations to Mauricio Dubón, who has been named as this year’s recipient of the MLBPAA’s Heart & Hustle Award for the Atlanta Braves.
Congratulations to the 2026 winners of the @MLBPAA's Heart and Hustle Award! Voted on by former Players, the honor recognizes those who exemplify a passion for the game and embody its values, spirits and traditions. 👏 ❤️ 💪 pic.twitter.com/sEXSEfYAPk
Now in its 21st year, this prestigious honor is presented annually to active players who exemplify a true passion for the game and who best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game. The Heart and Hustle Award is the only award in Major League Baseball that is voted on by former players. Voting for team winners is conducted prior to the All-Star break.
To determine the winners, the MLBPAA formed 30 committees comprised of alumni players with established relationships to each team. One player from each Major League team is chosen by the committees based on their passion, desire and work ethic demonstrated both on and off the field. At the conclusion of the season, all alumni members and fans will vote to select the final winner from the 30 team winners. The previous overall recipients include: David Eckstein (2005), Craig Biggio (2006, 2007), Grady Sizemore (2008), Albert Pujols (2009), Roy Halladay (2010), Torii Hunter (2011), Mike Trout (2012), Dustin Pedroia (2013), Josh Harrison (2014), Anthony Rizzo (2015), Todd Frazier (2016), Brett Gardner (2017), Mookie Betts (2018), Howie Kendrick (2019), Ozzie Albies (2021), Paul Goldschmidt (2022), Marcus Semien (2023) and Bobby Witt Jr. (2024, 2025).
The 2026 overall Heart and Hustle Award winner will be announced in mid-November on MLB Network.
If heart and hustle doesn’t perfectly describe Dubón’s performance with the Braves this season, I don’t know what else does. Remember when he left eye black on the wall in Colorado? Atlanta traded for him in the offseason with Houston for an infielder swap for Nick Allen, intending for him to be a utilityman and valuable bench piece. Instead, injuries and underperformance paved the way for Dubón to become a nearly-everyday player, covering multiple infield and outfield positions while being a two-strike/two-out RBI machine. Off the field, he’s been hailed as a “glue guy” in the clubhouse and and a tone-setter for the team. Congratulations again, Dubie!
COVERS INTEL: Milwaukee has been far more effective against right-handed pitching, posting a 
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