Category: Baseball

Caleb Durbin was one of the worst hitters in Major League Baseball the first two months of the season – and the Boston Red Sox perhaps the most disappointing team.

Yet as July creeps toward August, Durbin can’t stop hitting – and the Red Sox can’t stop winning.

Durbin’s eighth-inning home run pushed Boston ahead of the Baltimore Orioles for good and Aroldis Chapman survived the ninth inning for a 6-5 victory – the Red Sox’s 14th consecutive win.

CALEB DURBIN!@REDSOX LEAD IN THE 8TH! pic.twitter.com/9yTg0HJ2rU

— MLB (@MLB) July 21, 2026

It is the Red Sox’s second-longest winning streak in their 126-year franchise history. On Tuesday, July 21 they can tie the 1946 Red Sox for the franchise's longest winning streak with another victory over the Orioles.

Durbin was batting .163 with one home run on May 24 and a day later, the Red Sox would lose another game to fall to 22-31.

Since then?

Durbin is batting .304 with nine home runs and an .894 OPS – and the Red Sox are 30-17, have bumped their record to 51-48 and have moved from last place to just four games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East.

It didn’t come without drama. Closer Aroldis Chapman issued a leadoff walk, and a Gunnar Henderson double off the Green Monster pushed the tying run to third. But Chapman struck out former Red Sox player Tyler O’Neill to end it, capping a night at Fenway Park that had a playoff atmosphere from start to finish.

The Red Sox blew an early 3-1 lead and then overcame 4-3 and 5-4 deficits after the Orioles surged ahead, tying the score 5-5 on Ceddane Rafaela's two-out RBI single in the seventh. That set the stage for Durbin's heroics, off Orioles reliever Tyler Wells in the eighth.

"I’m proud of every single player on the roster right now," first baseman Willson Contreras, who had three hits and drove in two runs, said on the Red Sox's radio broadcast. "That one felt like WBC, to be honest. I’m glad Durbin was able to hit a home run.

"We are not looking to lose right now."

The Red Sox have won three games in this streak by one run, and have come from behind in six of the 14 wins, including five of the last six. They're now 22-5 since June 19, equaling their best 27-game stretch achieved in 2018 - when they won the World Series.

The Atlanta Braves started their four game series against the San Diego Padres in much need of revenge after being swept by the Padres just four weeks ago.

The Braves have been red hot on offense leading all MLB teams in runs scored in July. This past week in particular has been great with Drake Baldwin being recognized as the player of the week leading all players with a .714 average, .733 OBP, 1.357 slugging percentage, ten hits, nineteen total bases and tied for the lead in runs with five and RBI with eight. Austin Riley has also heated up as well, which has been a huge boon for the Braves.

The game on paper looked like it was going to be a shootout. Bryce Elder had an 11.00 ERA in his past four starts, and JP Sears for the Padres has only pitched four games this season and had an ERA north of five. Both teams have been red hot in July as well. The Braves are third in MLB in wRC+ in July, and the Padres are tenth. This was not the case in terms of facing the starting pitching.

Bryce Elder looked like he was going to go back to his recent trend in the first inning. He walked the leadoff hitter. He struck out Merrill, but then Machado was able to pull off a spectacular bunt for a single to put two on with one out. Fortunately, Joey Bart came in clutch and threw out Tatis Jr. trying to steal third and then Elder was able to get the red hot Ty France to ground out. The first did not go as planned for the Braves offense. Baldwin led off and hit the ball hard, but second baseman Jake Cronenworth was able to field it. Albies and Olson then flied out.

Elder settled down in the second with a three up, three down inning all on contact. Unfortunately, it was the same story for the Braves. They could not produce a baserunner in the second. In the third inning Elder stayed locked in picking up two strikeouts to the bottom of the order and then got Tatis Jr. to pop out. The Braves still could not get anything going in the third against Sears and all three hitters were sat down in order.

The fourth is where things started to get rolling. Elder got Merrill to ground out, but then Machado took Elder deep for his twentieth HR of the season to give the Padres a one run lead. Ty France then got his first hit of the night with a single. Elder settled back down and was able to get Sheets to fly out and Bogaerts to groundout to prevent anymore damage. Baldwin grounded out to leadoff the fourth, but then the Braves finally got a baserunner when Albies singled. Unfortunately, the momentum was killed a GIDP from Olson to end the inning.

The Braves were short on bullpen arms tonight so it was great that Elder was able to be extremely efficient. He stayed out to pitch the fifth inning. He gave up a single in the fifth but saw the minimum number of batters thanks to a forced double play.

The Braves were able to strike back in the fifth inning. After Riley just missed a HR on a deep fly ball, Harris did not miss for his eighteenth HR of the season to tie the game.

As Chad Bishop said, it looks like Michael Harris will be having a new career high in HRs in a season if he keeps this up. With a little bit of luck, Mauricio Dubón was able to reach on catcher’s interference on the first pitch he saw. Joey Bart then followed that up with a perfectly placed double down the line that allowed Mauricio Dubón to score from first base to give the Braves the lead.

The Braves could not score Bart, but the Braves had taken the lead before the inning was over.

Weiss showed faith in Elder and kept him in to pitch the sixth. Whether it was faith, or necessity is debatable, but it happened nonetheless. Elder showed it was the right decision when he sat down the heart of the order all in a row. JP Sears was then replaced by Wandy Peralta in the sixth and this worked out for the Braves. Baldwin struck out, but Ozzie Albies knocked his fifteen HR of the season over the left field wall to give the Braves a one run cushion, which was needed.

Olson grounded out, but a good sign is that Austin Riley walked. However, it Harris grounded out, so the inning was over.

Bryce Elder was then brought back out to pitch the seventh inning. In a vacuum this seemed like a questionable decision, but it was reported before the game that due to so many short starts by the rotation as of late, the bullpen was short tonight. Elder then pinched a sinker right down the middle and the red hot Ty France made him regret that pitch with a HR to bring the Padres within one run. This ended Elder’s night where he completed 6.0 innings of two run ball on five hits, one walk, and four strikeouts on only seventy-seven pitches. Danny Young then came in and put everyone on the edge of their seats. He gave up a single to his first hitter and then the runner moved over on a groundout twice in a row. Luis Campusano, who has been the Padres’ best hitter in July, came in to pinch hit which prompted Danny Young being replaced by Victor Mederos. Mederos wisely pitched around Campusano and walked him. He then got Song to fly out to end the top of the seventh.

Bradgley Rodriguez came in for the Padres to pitch the bottom of the seventh and was able to strikeout both Dubón, and Bart, followed by a Jarvis groundout to end the inning.

Mederos has been a huge asset to the Braves since joining the MLB squad. He stayed in to pitch the eighth inning and retired the side facing the top of the order. Kyle Hart came in to pitch the eighth for the Padres and looked to strikeout Eli White on a full count, but White challenged the play and got it overturned to a walk. It was wasted though when he was picked off at first, a rising trend for the Braves this season that has really hurt them. Drake Baldwin was then struck out looking on a full count. Ozzie Albies, who was 2-3 at the time of this at-bat, battled hard by fouling off four pitches, but ultimately struck out as well.

This meant Ty France who already had to hits in the game to include a HR was leading off the ninth inning for the Padres. With a short bullpen Weiss opted to leave Mederos in to pitch the ninth inning. This was a bit puzzling considering Mederos does not have much of a track record yet. He was able to strike out Ty France, which had to be a huge confidence booster for both him and the Braves fans tuning in. Almost instantly that confidence got tested when Rengifo singled on the second pitch he saw. Medero stayed the course and got Bogaerts to line out to Harris.

Jake Cronenworth came to the plate as the last hope for the Padres as the last hope with two outs and a runner on first. Mederos then picked up his first save as he got Cronenworth to groundout and lowered his season ERA to 0.96.

The Braves won a game by one run, against a team that swept them less than a month ago, where Bryce Elder looked like his former self while the short staffed bullpen was able to hold down the fort. This could go down as one of those games that the team looks back on as a momentum starter.

The Braves look to win their fourth game out of five tommorow as they take on the Padres again with Reynaldo López scheduled to start against Walker Buehler.

The St. Louis Cardinals continue their westward trip with a stop in Anaheim to compete with the Los Angeles Angels. Kyle Leahy will start for the Cardinals while the Angels will give the ball to José Soriano. First pitch scheduled for 9:10pm central time at Angel Stadium and the TV broadcast will be available through ESPN apparently.

It’s a new week here at BCB After Dark: the coolest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re so glad to start the week with you. It’s always nice to see a friendly face. Come on in out of the heat. There’s no cover charge. We still have a few tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

Last week, I asked you whether you would rather the Cubs acquire Twins right-hander Joe Ryan or Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal. With the caveat that the Cubs are unlikely to acquire either one, 58 percent of you would rather get Ryan and that extra year of control over just two months of Skubal.

Still, if you ask me which one I’d rather have starting a Game 7, it’s Skubal every time. Although Ryan would be good too.

Here’s the part with the music and the movies. You’re free to skip ahead if you want. Or you can just read that stuff and skip the baseball stuff. Your call.

Tonight we’re honored to have trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and his Quartet playing the Miles Davis tune “If I Were a Bell” in Amsterdam on the Fourth of July, just a few weeks ago.

Joining Pelt are Orrin Evans on piano, Buster Williams on double bass and Lenny White on drums.

Saturday Fiction, the 2019 Chinese film directed by Lou Ye, has a great premise for a film. It’s beautifully shot in black-and-white and it stars a first-rate actress in Gong Li. This should have been a great movie. Unfortunately, a confusing plot and weak characterizations turn Saturday Fiction into a disappointing mess.

Saturday Fiction stars Gong Li as Jean Yu, a huge Chinese film star who leaves the relative safety of Hong Kong for the French Concession of Shanghai in the first week of December of 1941. The French Concession was the area of Shanghai where day-to-day control had been handed over to the French Government almost 100 years earlier. When the Japanese invaded China in 1937, they left the French Concession mostly alone, not wanting to cause an international incident with a European power. After the Fall of France in 1940, the French Concession was nominally under the control of the Vichy Government. It had always been a prosperous neighborhood crawling with foreigners, but by 1941 it was also a refuge from the war for those who could get in. It was also, naturally enough, overrun with spies. Jean Yu is one of them. 

So if the setup of Saturday Fiction sounds familiar, it should. It’s basically Casablanca. It’s a Vichy French territory crawling with intrigue. The area’s independence can be stripped away by an Axis power at a moment’s notice. Jean Yu isn’t Rick, but like Bogart’s classic character, where her loyalties will take her are unclear until late in the film. 

Jean Yu goes to Shanghai ostensibly to star in a play entitled “Saturday Fiction” (hence the title), co-starring and directed by her boyfriend Tan Na (Taiwanese-Canadian actor Mark Chao). But everyone suspects that she’s actually there to contact her ex-husband who is being held by the Japanese for reasons that are unclear. He seems to have been collaborating with the Japanese, so did he betray them or something? I don’t know and I’ve seen the film. 

But her real reason for coming to Shanghai wasn’t to star in the play or meet with her ex-husband (although she does both), but as part of an espionage plot. Her spy cell needs to learn a Japanese code and discover what the recent Japanese communications are about and report back to the British and/or American authorities. Or maybe the Free French. We find out who Jean Yu is working for and why, but we never do find out whom he is working for. 

Since this is the first week of December of 1941, the contents of the secret Japanese communications that her spy ring is trying to decode is obvious. It’s also obvious that by the time they decode it, it’s too late. 

One admirable thing Is how Saturday Fiction portrays the international flavor of Shanghai by having the dialogue in Mandarin, English, French and Japanese. 

Saturday Fiction also takes a confusing wartime espionage plot and then tosses in that completely irrelevant play. Several times a scene will start with either Jean Yu and her boyfriend speaking to each other in conspiratorial tones. We think this is important information about her mission but .  . .nope! It’s just a rehearsal scene from the play. The play is giving way too much screen time for something that is completely irrelevant to everything else. It’s not even a good MacGuffin. Director Lou just keeps going back again and again to these pointless scenes from this play. Yes, there is some intrigue surrounding the rehearsals with a young Jean Yu fangirl (Huang Xiangli) who is actually working for the Japanese (but is also really a Jean Yu fangirl), but they didn’t need to act out the scenes again and again for that intrigue to work. It just makes an already confusing plot even more confusing. 

Let’s not even get into how someone who is constantly besieged by adoring fans could be an effective spy. At least it does explain why only she could extract the information.

Gong Li does a great job with what she’s given. Jean Yu’s motivations are kept hidden until the very end. The rest of the cast are mostly fine and Pascal Greggory in particular turns in a strong performance as her mysterious French contact. But none of that overcomes a sloppy plot with weak characterizations. 

There are some things about Saturday Fiction that lift the film from below-average to watchable. For one, in the final half-hour or so of the 126 minute film, Saturday Fiction transforms from a languid espionage film to a pretty solid, fast-paced shoot-em-up. If the rest of the film had the pace and excitement of the final half-hour, we might not care about the confusing plot. 

The other strong part of the film is the terrific black-and-white cinematography. I’m a sucker for black-and-white, as you probably know, but Saturday Fiction is a real break from the shadowy noir look that gets overused. In fact, the sets are mostly well-lit and many shots use hand-held cameras, which gives the film more of a newsreel look than noir. But despite the 1940s costumes, sets and the black-and-white cinematography, the film looks new and fresh. 

If you’re interested in the Sino-Japanese War, great black-and-white cinematography or are just a fan of Gong Li, then Saturday Fiction could be worth a watch. It’s why I watched. The movie is not terrible. It’s not even bad. It’s just that for someone like me who is interested in the War in the Pacific, black-and-white films and is a fan of Gong Li, the whole thing is just disappointing. 

Here’s the trailer for Saturday Fiction. The trailer smartly emphasizes the action of the final half hour. I mean, who wouldn’t want to watch a film with that shot of Gong Li?

Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.

We all know the Trade Deadline is two weeks away and pretty much all the off-the-field discussions are going to be about who is going where. For the Cubs, that obviously means pitching. It’s frankly incredible what this team has done despite a huge rash of injuries to their pitching staff. It’s not crazy to think that with some better pitching, the Cubs could make some noise in the postseason.

The question then becomes who can the Cubs give up to acquire that pitching? The obvious answer is “infielders,” since the Cubs have Alex Bregman, Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch all under team control through at least the 2029 season. Bregman and Hoerner even longer.

So that means that the Cubs’ two young infielders, Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramírez, are luxuries. Yes, it’s important to have backups in case of injuries, but two good young infielders? On top of that, there are solid infield prospects down in the minors like Jefferson Rojas, James Triantos and Ty Southisene who may be able to step into one of those reserve infield positions over the next couple of years.

So if a team is willing to trade pitching the Cubs need and they want a major-league ready infielder back in return, it makes sense to deal either Shaw or Ramírez. Not only does it make sense for the Cubs, it makes sense for those two young players to go to a team where they will get more regular playing time at one position.

I’ve been looking at these two players and I’ve concluded that it’s a personal preference as two which one is better. Shaw certainly has the better pedigree. He was the Cubs’ first-round draft pick in 2023 and was the Cubs’ top prospect coming into last season. He spent all of last season as the Cubs’ starting third baseman and for a 23-year-old rookie, he was fine. Good, even. His batting line was a below-average .226/.295/.394 with 13 home runs and 17 steals, but that’s the kind of line that a lot of everyday veteran starting infielders post in their rookie seasons. He was also playing out-of-position at third base and he was actually good there defensively. He even was a Gold Glove finalist at third base.

This year, Shaw lost his starting third base job to Bregman, but he moved into a utility role without complaint and with ease. He started playing the outfield for the first time and he’s surprisingly not bad out there for someone with so little experience. He’s played every position on the field but shortstop, pitcher and catcher. That kind of versatility is valuable.

On top of that, despite erratic playing time, Shaw has made the kind of improvements at the plate that we all expected he would make after his rookie season. Over 56 games, Shaw is hitting .246/.322/.415 with four home runs and four steals. Most teams would gladly take that out of a young infielder with a sold glove. If the Cubs didn’t have four better options, they would too. It’s also not unrealistic to believe that Shaw is going to continue to improve upon that as he ages.

Yes, Shaw is currently on the Injured List with a hand injury. But I assume that any team that is trading away pitching this year is out of the playoff hunt and would want Shaw for next season and beyond. As far as I know, the injury isn’t expected to have any lasting impact and Shaw is expected to be back on the field before the end of the season. So I don’t think Shaw’s injury will have much or any effect on his trade value.

On the other hand, the Cubs have Pedro Ramírez, who has filled in admirably in Shaw’s absence. Ramírez doesn’t have quite the same pedigree as Shaw does. He was always considered a prospect, but he was only ranked as the eighth-best Cubs prospect coming into this season. Ramírez got off to a strong start this year and started to get some Top 100 prospect considerations, but not Top 40 like Shaw was before he lost his prospect eligibility.

As noted before, Ramírez got off to a great start to the season in Triple-A Iowa this year. In the International League, Ramírez hit .312/.395/.547 with a career-high nine home runs in just 43 games. He also stole 19 bases.

There were reasons to be wary of those numbers from Ramírez in Iowa because offense is way up for everyone for some unknown reason in the minor leagues this year. But since his major-league call-up, Ramírez has hit a very good .281/.329/.438 with five doubles, one triple and one home run in just 71 plate appearances. Obviously that’s a small sample size, but Ramírez looks like a major league hitter out there.

I think which player has a higher trade value has a lot to do with what the team the Cubs are dealing with values the most. Shaw has a better track record and is likely to hit for more power. He’s also more versatile defensively and is probably the better glove all-around. Shaw walks a bit more than Ramírez, but he’s also likely to strike out more.

With Ramírez, you have a switch-hitter that makes more slightly more contact at the price of a little less power. He’s also two years younger than Shaw, so maybe there’s a bit more projection in Ramírez. But whereas Shaw has proven he can play all over the diamond, Ramírez is more limited to second and third base. Their speed is pretty similar. Both will steal double-digit bases in the majors and run the bases well.

I though about asking you which player had a higher trade value, but as I mentioned, the more I think about it, the more I think it’s a matter of individual preference. So instead, I’m going to ask you which one you would rather keep? Meaning, if a team offered the Cubs a pitcher for either one, which one do you keep and which one do you trade?

Thanks for stopping by tonight. We’re off to a good start to the week with your presence. Please get home safely. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow night for more BCB After Dark.

There are winning streak-ass games and winning streak-ass games. This was the latter. The Red Sox, on their greatest streak in nearly a century, fell behind to start, then took the lead, and repeated the process over the course of the game as the Orioles, themselves on a seven-game streak, gave us chances that we exploited quickly and definitively. Even during a so-so start for Peyton Tolle, the vibes were immaculate, and the Sox couldn’t be more than one run from a lead without the universe correcting itself. It was 1-0, O’s. Then 4-1, Sox. Then 4-4. Then 5-4, O’s. Then 5-5. And so on.

Then… Caleb Durbin called game in the 8th:

At no point did I think the Sox would or could lose this game. It didn’t matter what the score was, nor that Colton Cowser walked to leadoff the 9th against Aroldis Chapman. Nor that Aroldis gave up a double to put runners at second and third with 2 outs with Red Sox legend Tyler O’Neill up. Tyler SMOKED it… but the dogg Tsung-Che Cheng just snagged it to push it to 14. Couldn’t find a video that fast after the game ended, but you’ll see it. With one more win, the Sox will tie the franchise streak record. They’re in the playoffs right now. This is it. THIS IS IT.

Are you a Cleveland Guardians player? If so, welcome to Twinkie Town! You probably hit a home run tonight if your name is:

• Brayan Rocchio, whose nickname is “The Professor” according to Baseball-Reference
• Rhys Hoskins, who is batting .177 this season
• Petey Halpin, the first of his career and batting .194 this season
• Travis Bazzana, who was born in Australia
• Rhys Hoskins, again
• Petey Halpin, the second of this game, season, and career

All of these homers came off of Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan, who is the 13th player in Major League Baseball history to allow six homers in a game, and put eight runs up on the board. Patrick Bailey also had a homer in the game.

The Twins, who came hobbling from Wrigley Field after losing a laffer, had egg on their face after this game tonight. Ryan got yanked after four innings, allowing 10 hits, eight earned runs, and notching only three strikeouts on 78 pitches. The defense and bullpen, for their part, did not particularly help their starting pitcher tonight.

The offense wasn’t completely dormant against Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee. After finishing the first inning already down 3-0, Minnesota put two runs on the board. Brooks Lee hit an RBI triple, bringing in Royce Lewis and Alan Roden hit a sacrifice fly to plate Lee. Otherwise, the Twins had baserunners in each of the six innings Bibee pitched except the fifth. Trevor Larnach notched an RBI single in the seventh while Victor Caratini hit an RBI double in the top of the eighth.

The Spiders continued the slaughter throughout the night off of Kody Funderburk, someone named Tommy Nance?, and Woo-Suk Go, combining for eight hits, five earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts. Catcher Alex Jackson came in for the eighth, throwing a scoreless, one-hit inning to lower his campaign ERA to 13.50.

W: Joe Ryan (6-6)
L: Tanner Bibee (4-9)

Here’s a memory of a happier time in Cleveland from years past:

STUDS:

• You, the fine folks of Twinkie Town, for sticking through this awful game
• Trevor Larnach, Byron Buxton, Josh Bell, Brooks Lee: two hits each, plus gotta find the light

duds:

• Joe Ryan: 4 IP, 10 H, 8 ER, 3 K, 6 HR
• Kody Funderburk, Tommy Nance (is this a real person?), and Woo-Suk Go: 3 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, HR

COTG:

Zach with the happiness, wishing Tony O a Happy Birthday!

The Twins drop to three games below .500 and four games behind the Spiders. They can avenge this loss as there’s still three games left in this series. Tomorrow night’s contest is another 540p Central start. Cleveland sends out Parker Messick (8-5, 2.73 ERA) while Minnesota calls upon Too Bad, Darling (TBD, a.k.a. probably a bullpen game). Thank you for joining!

Here we go!

The Cincinnati Reds are fresh off taking two of three on the road in Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies, a feat that (at this stage of the season) still somehow feels like merely treading water. With just two weeks to go before the trade deadline, the Reds are in floor it mode if they’re to claw their way back into a chase for a Wild Card spot, and next up on the docket are the formidable Seattle Mariners.

We’ve got more Late Night Reds for the week!

Monday’s series opener will feature southpaw Andrew Abbott on the mound for the Reds. He hiccuped a bit in his final start before the All Star break (4 ER in 4.0 IP against the Chicago Cubs), but dating back to the final day of April he’s the owner of a 3.18 ERA across 76.1 IP (14 starts). If the Reds can get that kind of outing from him in this one, perhaps they’ll stand a chance against M’s starter George Kirby.

Kirby’s track record is an impressive one, but he’s been attainable of late. Over his last 9 starts dating back to May 17th, he’s pitched to a 4.75 ERA across 53.0 IP, and the 121 hits he’s allowed so far this season were the most in the American League entering play today.

First pitch is set for 9:40 PM ET. Here’s how both clubs will line up to begin!

Eugenio Suárez returns to T-Mobile Park for the first time since the 2025 playoffs; he’s sure to get a warm welcome from Mariners fans. Hopefully not too warm, though, as the Mariners are looking to continue to build momentum after a series win against the Giants to open this homestand.

Lineups:

Cole Young returns to the back half of the lineup after a successful day out of the three-hole yesterday. Dan Wilson explained the move saying the team is confident Cole can hit from any spot, but also noted Dom Canzone’s return to the lineup after a day off to rest his hamstring yesterday. I asked Cole if he liked hitting out of the three-hole and he said it really doesn’t matter to him; the only spot in the lineup that actually feels different to him is leadoff. Otherwise, he doesn’t care where he hits, even if you do. Also if you are interested in the ongoing saga of Dom vs. Cole in BP Bombs, check out today’s latest update.

4:45 PT UPDATE: last minute lineup change: J.P. Crawford is scratched, so Colt Emerson will be playing today despite a scheduled day off. He’ll bat ninth, with everyone else moving up one slot. Today also happens to be his 21st birthday, so happy birthday, Colt! We’ll update with what’s keeping J.P. out when we know more.

News:

Today is an off-day for the minor leagues so Brendan Donovan was here at the park working out and running fielding drills with Perry Hill. Tacoma is off to Reno this week, so Donovan will likely move his rehab assignment to Everett, who are home this week.

Game information:

Game time: 6:40 PT

TV: Mariners.TV with Aaron Goldsmith, Angie Mentink, and Ryan Rowland-Smith

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr., with Shannon Drayer on pre- and post-game

KANSAS CITY — Ever since Tony Vitello’s first days of spring training, there’s been one element of professional baseball that has stood out to him after a lifetime of college ball.

The professionalism.

“It doesn’t mean that it’s not personal or there’s not emotions involved,” Vitello remarked recently. “But it’s literally pro baseball.”

That has been the case whenever the first-year manager has had to deliver hard news, whether it be roster cuts at the end of camp or transactions through the first portion of the season.

It’s never been more relevant than the conversations he will have to have over the next few weeks, when there will almost certainly be a stream of players who have played integral roles to this point who are called into his office and informed that they’ve been traded elsewhere.

Thus is the life of a team so down-and-out that there’s no question about its position at the MLB trade deadline. Inevitably, key players will be subtracted from the roster by the time Aug. 3 comes and passes.

“It’s honestly a sense of relief,” Vitello said of the contrast from his college players. “Whereas when you’re dealing with families and you’re dealing with kids, a smaller amount of coaches, some of those bonds that last for a while, there’s a lot more emotion that’s tied to it. 

“Not that it’s completely nonexistent at this level, but it is pro baseball. There is a business part to it. I think it becomes almost a part of everyone’s routine of understanding everything that comes with it.”

There are a couple players who are all but certain to be dealt, but president of baseball operations Buster Posey and the front office could go in a number of different directions as one of only six teams more than four games out of a playoff spot.

Broken into six tiers, these are the most and least likely Giants to be on the move:

Tier 1: Practically out the door

Luis Arraez, 2B

Robbie Ray, LHP

It’s up for debate what odds are lower: The chances of the Giants making a miraculous run to October, or the chances of either Ray or Arraez sticking around past the trade deadline.

Arraez has revived his career through his defensive work with Ron Washington, and now should be one of the most coveted hitters available for any team seeking an upgrade at second base.

Any contender should be comfortable giving Ray the ball in a playoff game. The 34-year-old left-hander comes with the pedigree of a former Cy Young winner and the recent success of someone with the fifth-best ERA (1.90) of any starter dating back to May 31.

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Both players will be free agents after this season, making it a foregone conclusion that they’ll be dealt.

For what it’s worth: FanGraphs pegged the Giants’ playoff odds at 0.5% entering Monday.

Tier 2: If anyone wants these Giants

Tyler Mahle, RHP

Adrian Houser, RHP

JT Brubaker, RHP

Sam Hentges, LHP

Jason Foley, RHP

There’s always a market for pitching depth and bullpen help, so Posey should have the opportunity to cash in on some of these pieces. It just depends if the price is right.

Mahle is the more likely trade candidate, as he’s only under contract for the rest of this season. The Giants are still on the hook for the $11 million owed to Houser in 2027.

Brubaker is also a pending free agent, while Hentges and Foley will both be in line for raises through arbitration. The two rehabbing relievers were signed to give the Giants’ bullpen a midseason boost. Maybe they can still serve that purpose somewhere else.

Tier 3: Really, does anyone want them?

Willy Adames, SS

Rafael Devers, 1B/DH

Matt Chapman, 3B

Alternate title: The albatrosses.

Multiple reports surfaced last month as the Giants hit rock bottom that they were open to trading any of their three tentpole infielders, and nothing’s changed there.

Likewise, the task of finding a trade partner interested in taking on the money owed to any one of these players is just as much a challenge now as it was then. Devers is owed another $211 million through 2033 and Adames’ backloaded deal will pay him $155 million though 2031. Chapman’s deal is more palatable, but even that has another $100 million and four years left.

A deal remains unlikely enough that Adames and Chapman have said they haven’t been approached about waiving the no-trade clauses each player possesses.

Tier 4: Available for the right offer

Heliot Ramos, OF

Casey Schmitt, 3B/UTIL

Keaton Winn, RHP

Caleb Kilian, RHP

Erik Miller, LHP

In the more-likely-than-not scenario that the Giants are stuck with their terrible trio, it might make sense to consider seeing what they can get for Ramos or Schmitt.

Both players would be forced to play less than ideal positions in San Francisco, with Devers and Bryce Eldridge blocking the DH spot where Ramos belongs and Chapman holding down the hot corner where Schmitt has, to no surprise, looked like a natural in his recent absence.

Both players should also be highly coveted on the trade market, which doesn’t feature many impact bats from the right side, let alone any under team control until 2030.

Likewise, the trio of relievers could also command a higher price given that Miller is the only one of them even set to reach arbitration next year. All three possess the kind of stuff that a team confident in its pitching department could envision in late-inning, high-leverage situations.

Tier 5: Probably not going anywhere

Jung Hoo Lee, OF

Arguably the only player more popular among the Giants fanbase is the only one Posey singled out as a no-go even in the most drastic firesale, Logan Webb. For that reason alone, plus Lee’s global appeal as Korea’s most successful baseball export, it’s hard to see him going anywhere.

Not to mention: Imagine how hard to watch this team would be without Arraez or Lee.

Tier 6: Off the table

Logan Webb, RHP

Bryce Eldridge, 1B/DH

Posey was asked about Webb because, in theory, it could make sense in a total teardown for the Giants to cash in their biggest trade chip. In no uncertain terms, Webb would bring back a haul on the level of the top arms ever to be traded at the deadline.

It would be the kind of trade the Giants would consider if they wanted to reset their timeline around Eldridge and their highly regarded teenage shortstop prospects, Josuar Gonzalez and Luis Hernandez. But they aren’t expected to arrive in the big leagues until at least 2028.

By then, Webb will be 32 and in the final year of his team-friendly extension. Posey made it clear that they want the homegrown ace to play out that deal and, in all likelihood, sign another.

On that note, the Giants would love to lock down Eldridge long-term. There was no point in asking Posey about his availability this deadline. It would have gotten the same answer teams have gotten when they have inquired in the past: a definitive no, maybe a deafening laugh.

Roster moves

The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 40.

• Recalled from Triple-A Reno: RHP Juan Burgos
• Optioned to Triple-A Reno following yesterday’s game: LHP Philip Abner

Unsurprising move, after the D-backs bullpen had to throw 7.1 innings yesterday. Not helping: supposed “long reliever” Drey Jameson not being able to get through more than two frames, largely because he tossed almost as many balls (20) as strikes (22). Inefficiency also affected Abner, who needed even more pitches (46) for his two innings of work, though at least had a better ball:strike ratio (16:30). Still, there are a lot of arms who will either be unavailable or from whom Torey Lovullo will definitely prefer to stay away. Doesn’t help that starter Mitch Bratt hasn’t thrown seventy pitches in a game since May, so I’d not expect more than four innings from him.

There will be another roster move needed tomorrow, with one of the current nine relievers being sent down to make way for a starter. Burgos would seem likely, or whichever minor bullpen arm is burned tonight. Speaking of the starter, Kohl Drake is apparently rattling around the locker-room at Chase Field, so would seem to be the most likely candidate, and would be making his major league debut. He has at least been largely stretched out in Reno, though I’d still not expect too much length there. It’s going to be an interesting exercise as Torey Lovullo makes his way through the shoals for the next couple of games.

Good news on the Corbin Carroll front. Although he is not in the line-up tonight, Corbin is expected to be available off the bench if needed, though wouldn’t worry if he’s not seen. He said, “If there’s a situation late in the game, I’m sure I’ll be in there, but if that situation doesn’t arise, then yeah, just give it a day.” Maybe a reset is what he needs, since it has been a rough July for Carroll: despite appearing in the All-Star Game. He’s hitting a mere .118 (6-for-51) this month. Indeed, tack on the end of June, and he’s below a buck over his last 17 games. Though at least he’s still taking his walks, with 12 in that time.

It has been nearly three months since Giancarlo Stanton suffered a calf strain that the Yankees called “low grade.”

It has been 5 ¹/₂ weeks since the Yankees acknowledged Stanton had suffered a setback while running the bases and seemingly on the precipice of a return, which general manager Brian Cashman later called “a whole new injury” to his calf.

As of Monday, the Yankees still did not have any clarity regarding a timeline for a return or rehab assignment or when Stanton will run the bases again.

“I do know he’s continuing the running progression; it’s going pretty well,” manager Aaron Boone said before opening a series in The Bronx against the Pirates. “But I don’t have a timeline.”

Little is known publicly about the status of Stanton, who Boone said was “moving again with more intensity and hitting against [velocity] again” way back on June 29.

Since then, the Yankees have said Stanton has continued a running progression but offered little detail otherwise.

The loss of Aaron Judge for an indefinite period has shined more light on Stanton because the club has not been able to hit without the pair of sluggers.

Stanton played just 24 games this season before going down.

He had launched three homers while posting a .724 OPS.

The Yankees have signed all 20 of their draft picks.

Their first two selections — Arkansas’ Hunter Dietz and Sean Duncan, out of a high school in Canada — are lefty starters.

The other five pitchers they selected are righties.

They also announced Luke Pettitte as a two-way player, a righty pitcher and first baseman.

Andy’s son had been a righty pitcher and slugger at Dallas Baptist.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS

Otherwise, they selected six infielders, four outfielders, one catcher and one utility player.

The backup catcher for Pittsburgh on Monday was Rafael Flores, whom the Yankees signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022.

He rose through a system that is well regarded for developing catchers and touched Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season.

Flores was dealt to the Pirates in the trade that brought David Bednar to The Bronx.

He debuted briefly in June and was called up again earlier this month, showing promise (1.167 OPS) in his early days.

“I really enjoyed Rafa,” Boone said. “We had him in camp [in 2025], before we ended up trading him, and I really liked him, liked his upside. He had a joy for the game that was fun to be around. You could tell he loved the game.”

Yesterday, former Atlanta Braves starting pitcher top prospect Hurston Waldrep was removed from his start with the Gwinnett Stripers after his velocity dropped three-dozen pitches into his start. The severity of the issue is not yet known.

Waldrep was thrust into action almost one year ago with Atlanta and took advantage of his opportunity, making nine starts, and gave the Braves optimism about his viability as a starting pitcher option in 2026.

Unfortunately, Waldrep had loose bodies removed in his elbow before the start of the regular season and was on the 60-day IL until June. He returned to big league action in late June and made three appearances with Atlanta – including two starts – the last of which saw him allow seven runs in 3.1 innings. Waldrep was optioned back to Triple-A on July 10.

The set-back for Waldrep adds more uncertainty to the team’s starting rotation depth which is currently missing Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Joey Wentz and AJ Smith-Shawver. Smith-Shawver may be close to returning after recovering from “Tommy John” surgery last year. Wentz has been lost for the season and Strider and Schwellenbach are both facing uncertain return times.

With prospects JR Ritchie and Owen Murphy unable to establish themselves in their first season of limited big league action, Atlanta may now have one less option depending on the outcome of Waldrep’s setback.

If Atlanta looks to add a starting pitcher via trade before the deadline on August 3, 2026, here’s a list of some of the players that could make sense for Atlanta.

PHILADELPHIA –– Edwin Díaz might be getting his New York homecoming after all.

Out since April following a surgical procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ new $69 million closer has almost reached the finish line in his three-month-long recovery process, putting him in play to potentially return in time for the team’s trip to Queens next weekend to face his old team, the New York Mets.

“There is a chance,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Monday.

Since beginning a rehab assignment on July 11, Díaz has made four scoreless outings with the Dodgers’ single-A and rookie-ball affiliates, striking out seven total batters while allowing no hits and only one walk.

The next, and possibly last, box for him to check is pitching on back-to-back days, something Roberts said Díaz is scheduled to do this coming Wednesday and Thursday.

If that goes well, it could allow the closer to be activated during next weekend’s series at Citi Field, which will be the Dodgers’ only trip there this season.

Díaz is sure to receive an animated reaction if he pitches against the Mets. While he became a fan favorite with the club during a seven-season stint from 2019-2025 –– which included two All-Star appearances, a 2.93 ERA and 144 total saves –– he also left the team as a free agent this offseason to sign his three-year deal with the Dodgers.

At the start of this season, Mets owner Steve Cohen described Díaz’s decision to leave New York as “perplexing,” even though the Mets’ offer to him was reportedly for slightly less money than he got from the Dodgers (who rewarded the right-hander with a record annual salary total for a relief pitcher).

Díaz has only spoken highly of his time with the Mets since his departure this past winter. In the end, he said his decision to sign in L.A. came down to “looking to win.”

To this point, he hasn’t been able to help much, posting a 10.50 ERA in seven outings while dealing with his elbow injury.

But now, he’s almost back –– perhaps in time to return to his old stomping grounds.

PHILADELPHIA –– Mookie Betts has been “back” a lot this year.

First, to his disappointing form at the plate from last season. Then, to his former MVP-caliber heights for a few weeks last month. And lately, into another recent slump that prompted manager Dave Roberts to drop him down in the batting order on Monday.

“About a month ago, yeah, we all felt that he turned the corner,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And then the last few weeks, it just hasn’t been there.”

Alas, right on cue, Betts looked back –– at least for one night –– to his once-potent self again in the Dodgers’ 10-7 loss to the Phillies on Monday night, when he had a season-high four hits and belted two consolation home runs in his final two trips to the plate.

So goes the rollercoaster campaign that has been Betts’ 2026 season.

“It’s just been so up and down,” he said. “It just makes it hard.”

A few weeks ago, Betts truly did seem to be emerging from his early-season slump. After hitting .181 through June 12 –– and missing more than a month following an oblique strain in early April –– he went on a 17-game tear that included that .375 average, five home runs, five doubles and 12 RBIs.

It was the best the 33-year-old had looked in more than two years, going back to the broken hand that derailed his MVP-caliber start to the 2024 campaign.

And yet, it was immediately followed by a 4-for-38 rut in 11 games since, and a 14 at-bat hitless streak entering play Monday night.

“I mean, coming out of the break, I thought I found something, and then there was nothing,” Betts said. “I need to find some consistency, something that I can just think about all the time, and it kind of at least puts me in play.”

In hopes of improving Betts’ play, Roberts shuffled his lineup Monday by moving Betts down a spot.

“Right now,” the manager said, “I just wanted to give Mookie a different look.”

Coincidence or not, Betts turned around and had his best game of the season. He hit singles in the fourth and sixth innings off Cy Young-contending left-hander Cristopher Sánchez. He then went deep in both the seventh and ninth, hitting no-doubt drives to left-center of 401 and 421 feet.

“Tonight was a good night. We’ll see if we can repeat it,” Betts said. “Made a few adjustments today, and it worked.”

Any time Betts struggles now, of course, questions about age will arise for the 13-year veteran. Pressed on that topic before the game, Roberts said there was no “easy answer.”

“I think that he’s better than what he’s showing; I do believe that,” Roberts said, as Betts began the night with a .226 average and .690 OPS.

But, the skipper quickly added, “Do I have the expectations of when he was considerably younger, playing the outfield? No, I don’t. I think that’s an unfair expectation. I have a hard time really answering what my expectation is.”

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Betts struck a more confident tone after his three-RBI outburst, insisting “tonight lets me know I still can do something.” He also bumped his batting average back up to .237, and his OPS all the way to .731.

“It’s not necessarily uncharted territory,” Betts added, referring back to the ups-and-downs he experienced in a career-worst season last year. “But I’d like to not continue to be here. It’s been a couple years now, and I don’t believe this is who I am.”

The A’s have hit the road, heading south to Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks in the first of three games. The A’s are on life support as far as the playoffs go so the panic button has been pressed multiple times at this point. If there’s a late surge in this team, it’s going to have to start tonight.

Taking the ball tonight for the Athletics for the first game of the series will be left-hander Jeffrey Springs. He got off to a strong start to the season but after the first few weeks of the season he’s come crashing back down to earth hard. He’s been one of the worst pitchers in the league over the past couple of months and a lot of that comes from all the home runs he’s given up. Arizona won’t be much help for him in that department. At this point the best the A’s can hope for is that Springs looks strong over the next few starts before the trade deadline and the team can recoup some sort of prospect value for the veteran lefty.

Here’s how manager Mark Kotsay decided to line up his squad for tonight’s series opener:

Jacob Wilson is leading things off for the good guys tonight followed by Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers in the 2 and 3 spots. Then it’s the young guys bringing up the rear as the back half of the lineup is full of rookies (outside of Jonah Heim, who is tonight’s DH). The future is here as Colby Thomas, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, Tommy White and Henry Bolte are all in there.

That starting nine will be going up against Arizona lefty Mitch Bratt, who will be making just his third career major league appearance/start. He’s only gone in three-inning bursts his first two times so he may be on a short leash tonight. Considered a top-15 prospect in the Arizona farm system, the 23-year-old relies on command and control to make up for below-average velocity and movement. If the A’s are drawing walks against him they should be in a good position to put up a crooked number against the rookie.

And Arizona’s starting lineup tonight shakes out like this:

Desperate doesn’t describe the situation right. Gotta get a win tonight. Let’s go A’s!

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