Category: Baseball

My first foray into this “contract year” between MLB and the MLBPA looked at how franchise values continue to grow at wildly unequal—if steadily upward—rates.

This time around, the focus is on geography. So, get out that green folder (don’t fight me on this) from eighth grade and let’s find the section on “population density”.

First, a thought experiment:

Imagine three lemonade stands run by the same proprietor operating on three different streets.

The first one operates on a street where 1,000 people walk by every hour.

The second sees 500 people/hour stroll by.

The third only draws 100 passersby in the same period.

Every single day, these three lemonade stands are in competition with each other for sales that can be poured (pardon the pun) back into the business. For product-saturation reasons, the less-trafficked stands cannot simply horn in on the busier stands’ territory.

One can imagine the inequity this setup might produce between the rival-but-all-in-the-same-gang stands. Stand 3 could have the highest-quality lemonade and service in the business, but never win the competition simply because the volume of potentially thirsty patrons is so low. Stand 1 could dominate in sales by pairing a strong product with high traffic—or put out watered-down lemonade and probably still come out on top because, well, there are just so many potential consumers on that hourly basis.

This is what is happening in MLB geographically right now.

Using this U.S. Census Data (no guarantees on if any fava beans or Chianti were consumed in the process), here is a basic tiered layout of MLB markets by population density/size…

Tier 1: 19 Million

• New York

Tier 2: 12 Million

• Los Angeles

Tier 3: 7-10 Million

• Chicago, Arlington, & Houston

Tier 4: 5-7 Million

• Toronto, Washington, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Phoenix, Boston

Tier 5: 3-5 Million

• Oakland, San Francisco, Detroit, Seattle, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Tampa Bay, San Diego, Denver, Baltimore, St. Louis

Tier 6: 2-3 Million

• Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Cleveland

Tier 7: <2 Million

• Milwaukee

Something else to remember: though often hard for us “die hards” to comprehend, most daily ballpark attendance comes from folks simply “looking for something to do”. Yes, the competitiveness of the on-field product can and will certainly tip the scales in one direction or the other. But the access to larger numbers of individuals who may decide to go—and take their family/friends with them—to one or more of 81 yearly contests is also an enormous profit consideration.

It isn’t just “butts in seats”, either. TV deals are largely valued on advertising. The more potential eyes on the glowing box (or device), the more $$$ clubs can get for their media wares. While perhaps more prominent in the bygone age of cable TV, it still stands to reason that larger markets = larger potential advertising profits, especially with MLB mostly being a regional-over-national success media-wise.

This takes us back to our lemonade stand. Except now, replace the citrusy stop with a MLB ballpark but keep the varying street traffics. No matter how good or bad the product is, high volume is going to have an inherent advantage over its opposite. The Dodgers can build an empire by consistently winning, while the Mets can still rake in the dough as lovable losers. Meanwhile, the Twins or Pirates can turtle up and not compete at all, or clubs like the Brewers & Tigers can continue trying to swing with the big boys and never quite reach that level but for an extraordinary run of development/injury good fortune.

To be clear, I’m not at all saying that player dev and smart personnel decisions don’t matter. The Rockies have failed that exam for years and look where they are, while the Rays seemingly ace the test every term. I simply think it is important to remember that certain MLB franchises have significant built-in advantages over others by population density alone.

Advantages that could be leveled at least somewhat by a salary cap/floor structure in the upcoming collective bargaining agreement.

Royals captain Salvador Perez was out of Thursday night’s lineup with elbow soreness, causing a flurry of roster moves

Catcher Luke Maile was selected to the 40-man roster and called up from Triple-A Omaha, offering a reinforcement behind the plate if something were to happen to Carter Jensen and the Royals needed another catcher during the game.

In corresponding moves, outfielder John Rave was optioned to Triple-A Omaha, and reliever Eric Cerantola was designated for assignment to create room on the 40-man for Maile. The Royals also activated Stephen Kolek from the family medical emergency list to make Thursday’s start against the Rays and optioned reliever Jose Cuas to Omaha.

In other injury news, Cole Ragans has UCL surgery and is out for the next 10-12 months

Cole Ragans underwent an ulnar collateral ligament repair on his left elbow on Wednesday, with the surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.

The Royals’ lefty now faces 10-12 months of recovery. The club expects his return midseason in 2027.

The extent of Ragans’ elbow surgery was not known until he actually had the operation done, with several different options based on what the surgeon found once he could assess the elbow fully. But the Royals were operating under the assumption that it was going to be something related to Ragans’ UCL, and that they were not going to get Ragans back on the mound in 2026.

Kendry Chourio and Blake Mitchell will play in the Futures Game this season

Chourio has been on a rocket ship since signing for the Royals last year, and after a promotion to Quad Cities last month, he’s the only age-18 pitcher to appear at High-A this season and the first since Eury Pérez in 2021. His fastball sits around 96 mph (that stands out more for his command of it than its shape), and he plays off that with an upper-70s, good-spin curveball and an upper-80s changeup. Mitchell is a Three True Outcome King with 13 homers, a 24.5 percent walk rate and 35.2 percent strikeout rate in 68 games at High-A Quad Cities this season. The 2023 eighth overall pick also has a strong arm from behind the plate that he could show off in Philly.

Here are some former Royals who are playing well this year.

Michael Wacha and Jac Caglianone were named Royals player and pitcher of the month for June

Congratulations to Michael Wacha and Jac Caglianone, our June Pitcher and Player of the Month award winners! pic.twitter.com/mQFQkvVG0d

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 2, 2026

Brayan Rocchio hit a walk-off two run homer against the White Sox in a battle of for the lead in the AL Central

Julio Rodriguez left the game for Seattle after taking a throw off the helmet on a double play ball

ESPN analyst Matt Miller is now being investigated by Missouri attorney general after car crash last month

Here is your song of the day Africa by Toto

Triple-A: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Yankees) 7, Norfolk Tides 3

Cade Povich allowed a pair of early homers but settled down to pitch into the fifth inning. The lefty allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out five. Povich tossed a clean third, danced around a two-out double in the fourth, and exited after allowing a walk and a double in the fifth. He threw 56 of 81 pitches for strikes.

Heston Kjerstad went deep for the second consecutive night to mark his fifth homer of the season. Enrique Bradfield Jr. stole a pair of bags and scored twice while going 1-for-4 with a walk. Jeremiah Jackson finished 2-for-5, and Ryan Noda went 2-for-3 with a base on balls.

Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 8, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Mets) 4

Chesapeake trailed 4-2 before erupting for six runs in the top of the ninth. Aron Estrada launched a go-ahead grand slam to flip a two-run deficit into a two-run lead. Ethan Anderson followed with a solo shot, and Douglas Hodo III drove in the eighth run of the evening. The grand slam capped a massive day for Estrada at the plate. The 21-year-old finished 4-for-5 and a triple shy of the cycle. Frederick Bencosme doubled twice while going 4-for-5 as well.

Lost in the fireworks was a nice outing from Joseph Dzierwa. Dzierwa limited the Rumble Ponies to only two hits over 4.2 scoreless innings. He struck out seven and walked two. Alex Pham tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless ball. Richard Guasch allowed all four runs in just one inning but received a fortuitous win.

High-A: Frederick Keys 9, Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 4

Ike Irish smacked solo shots in the first and sixth innings while going 3-for-5 in the victory. The blasts marked his 11th and 12th homers this season. Wehiwa Aloy finished 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs, and Vance Honeycutt walked and scored a run while going 1-for-3.

Yeiber Cartaya limited Brooklyn to one run over 4.2 frames. He allowed three hits, struck out two, and walked a pair. Tyson Neighbors earned the win with a scoreless eighth. He struck out a pair and did not allow a baserunner.

Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 3, Charleston RiverDogs (Rays) 2

Delmarva scored all three of its runs in the second inning. The Shorebirds struck first on a wild pitch, and Raylin Ramos drove in two more with a base hit up the middle. Charleston outhit Delmarva 7-to-5, but the pitchers kept the RiverDogs off the board.

Andrew Herbert delivered a quality start for Delmarva. Herbert allowed five hits, but only one of his two runs were earned. Trent Turzenski, J.D. Hennen, and Jack Crowder combined for three scoreless innings of relief.

Box scores

Friday’s Schedule

Norfolk: at Scranton Wilkes-Barre, 7:05. Starter: Yaqui Rivera (1-2, 1.75 ERA)

Chesapeake: vs Binghamton, 7:00 pm. Starter: Evan Yates (4-4, 5.37 ERA)

Frederick: vs Brooklyn, 7:00 pm. Starter: Twine Palmer (3-3, 3.62 ERA)

Delmarva: vs Charleston, 6:35 pm. Starter: Brayan Orrantia (0-4, 4.97 ERA)

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (42-42)

WORCESTER 7, SYRACUSE 5 (BOX)

Syracuse took a 5-3 lead into the top of the seventh, but their bullpen gave up four runs over the final three innings of the game without any response from their lineup. If you’re looking for a silver lining, Jorge Polanco hit a home run and drew a walk as the Mets’ designated hitter in this one. It’s worth pointing out that he’s had one or more days off between each of his rehab appearances since starting his second attempt at a rehab assignment on June 27.

• REHAB ALERT: CF Luis Robert Jr.: 0-4, 2 K
• REHAB ALERT: DH Jorge Polanco: 1-2, R, HR, RBI, BB
• PH-DH Christopher Morel: 0-1, K
• 2B Ji Hwan Bae: 0-3, BB, K
• LF MJ Melendez: 1-3, R, HR, RBI, BB, 2 K
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 0-4, 3 K
• RF Jared Oliva: 1-4, R, K, SB
• 3B Vidal Bruján: 0-3, R, BB
• C Hayden Senger: 1-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, 2 K
• SS Zack Short: 0-4
• P Jonah Tong: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• P Matt Turner: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Nate Lavender: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• P Ryan Lambert: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (29-49)

BOWIE 8, BINGHAMTON 4 (BOX)

Binghamton trailed 2-0 when the eighth inning got underway, but they put up a four spot to take a two-run lead in the bottom of that inning. Douglas Orellana proceeded to have about as bad a night as a reliever can have, though, as he didn’t record a single out while giving up five runs—all earned—on four hits and a walk. Bowie tacked on a sixth run that was charged to fellow reliever Saul Garcia in the top of the ninth, and that was that.

Lost amid all of that was a very good outing from Max Green, whose story about overcoming the yips to pursue his dream is a good one.

• DH Chris Suero: 0-4, R, K
• 1B Nick Lorusso: 0-3, R, BB, 2 K, SB
• C Kevin Parada: 2-4, R, 2B, RBI, K, SB
• LF Vincent Perozo: 1-4, R, HR, 3 RBI, K
• 2B Wyatt Young: 0-4, 2 K
• CF Jaylen Palmer: 0-4, 4 K
• SS Kevin Villavicencio: 0-4, 2 K
• RF Nick Lucky: 1-4, K, SB
• 3B Nick Roselli: 0-2, BB
• P Channing Austin: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• P Garrett Stratton: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• REHAB ALERT: P Dedniel Núñez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• P Max Green: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
• P Douglas Orellana: 0.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• P Saul Garcia: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (32-45)

FREDERICK 9, BROOKLYN 4 (BOX)

Cyclones pitchers gave up at least one run in seven of the eight innings they pitched in this one, and Brooklyn’s four-run innings in the top of the fifth accounted for all of their runs while merely pulling them within one run of Frederick at the time.

• 2B Yonatan Henriquez: 2-5, 2B
• CF John Bay: 0-2, R, 2 BB, K
• DH Corey Collins: 2-4, R, 2B, RBI, K
• C Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-2, R, 2 BB, K
• 3B Jamari Baylor: 1-4, R, RBI, K, SB
• RF Yohairo Cuevas: 1-3, 2 RBI, BB, E
• SS Colin Houck: 0-4, K, E
• 1B Trace Willhoite: 0-4, K
• LF Sam Biller: 0-4, K, E
• P Jose Chirinos: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
• P Cristofer Gomez: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Hunter Hodges: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• P Bryce Jenkins: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• P Hoss Brewer: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (35-41)

TAMPA 7, ST. LUCIE 5 (BOX)

With a 5-4 lead heading into the top of the ninth, St. Lucie saw relief pitcher Zack Mack give up three runs to swing the game in Tampa’s favor. This was not the best night for the Mets’ non-rookie-ball minor league teams.

• SS Elian Peña: 1-4, R, 2 K, SB, E
• DH Trey Snyder: 2-4, R, 2B, RBI, K
• 3B Antonio Jimenez: 1-4, 2B, RBI, K
• 1B Julio Zayas: 2-4, R, 3B, K
• LF Branny De Oleo: 0-4, 2 K
• CF Simon Juan: 2-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, K
• C Chase Meggers: 0-4, K, E
• 2B Jeremy Rodriguez: 1-3, R, BB, E
• RF Taylor Darden: 0-4, K
• P Luis R. Rodriguez: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Joe Scarborough: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• P Joel Lara: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
• P Miguel Mejias: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• P Zack Mack: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Rookie: FCL Mets (XX-XX)

FCL METS 3, FCL NATIONALS 2/ 8 (BOX)

• CF Bohan Adderley: 0-2, 2 BB, SB
• LF Vladi Gomez: 1-3, R, RBI, SB
• RF Wyatt Vincent: 0-3, R, BB
• C Yovanny Rodriguez: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, K
• DH Josmir Reyes: 0-2, BB
• SS Anthony Frobose: 0-2, BB, K
• 3B Diover De Aza: 0-2, BB, 2 K, SB
• 1B Yeider Mindiola: 0-3, K
• 2B Yorber Semprun: 2-3, R, 2B, K
• P Camden Lohman: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
• P Austin Brown: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• P Wilmer Lugo: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• P Yoralbert Cadiz: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Rookie: DSL Mets Orange (14-10)

DSL METS ORANGE 11, DSL MARLINS 2 / 5 (BOX)

• DH Cleiner Ramirez: 1-3, R, K, SB
• SS Sebastian Toro: 2-3, 2 R, RBI, BB, K, SB
• C Cesar Acosta: 2-3, 2 R, 2B, 3 RBI, BB
• RF Ryan Rudas: 0-2, 2 R, K
• CF Jhonael Cuello: 0-2, R, 2 BB, SB
• 2B Oscar Pena: 2-3, R, 2B, 4 RBI, BB, SB
• 1B Anthony Delgado: 1-4, RBI
• LF Elvis Teran: 1-3, R, 2B, 2 K
• 3B Jose Padilla: 0-1, R, 2 BB
• P Christopher Rochin: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• P Jodarlin Perez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Rookie: DSL Mets Blue (9-13)

DSL COLORADO 5, DSL METS BLUE 3 (BOX)

• SS Johnderis Sanchez: 0-1, RBI, BB
• 2B Dayron Oramas: 1-2, 3B
• PR-2B Jesus Minaya: 0-1, R
• LF Henry Manrique: 0-2, RBI, K
• DH Jonnhan Sanchez: 0-2, BB, 2 K
• C Frank Moreno: 0-2
• RF Royner Bravo: 2-2, R, SB
• 3B Michalle Mercedes: 2-2, RBI, 2 E
• 1B Jose Serracin: 0-2, 2 K
• CF Aiberson Blanco: 1-2, R, 3B, K
• P Leyvi Rodriguez: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• P Jhony Osoria: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Max Green

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Douglas Orellana

The Atlanta Braves have reportedly agreed to a minor league deal with outfielder/designated hitter Andrew McCutchen. The 39-year-old has spent the 2026 season with the Texas Rangers, where he appeared in 37 games and averaged a subpar .192 at the plate. He was released at the end of May and according to the transaction log, was picked up by Atlanta on Thursday.

The move is a low-risk depth addition for an Atlanta club that has been searching for offensive consistency during a wave of injuries. While McCutchen is well past his prime, the former MVP brings plenty of veteran experience and could provide organizational depth as he aims for another opportunity in the majors.

More Braves News:

The Braves announced a roster move Thursday morning that recalled INF Jim Jarvis and designated INF Rowdy Tellez for assignment. 

Atlanta suffered another series loss after dropping Thursday’s contest to the St. Louis Cardinals, 11-5.

Eric Hartman joined the 20/30 club after Wednesday’s contest. More in the minor league recap.

MLB News:

The San Diego Padres placed right-hander Jason Adam on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder strain. The move is retroactive to June 30.

From the Feed:

How many All-Stars do you think the Braves will have this season? Cast your vote here.

Intro

Today’s article will do a bit of a deep dive on George Soriano. This guy has seemingly come from nowhere to become a stalwart in the Cardinal bullpen. Not dissimilar to Ryan Fernandez in 2024 or Matt Svanson in 2025, a guy who could reasonably be considered unheralded, but still becomes a key member of the cadre.

Authors Note: I’m travelling over the 4th, so I had to do this article a fair bit in advance. The stats I cite are going to be over a week old by the time you read this. I’m not sure if the VEB hex applies when I write the article or when I publish, but George could crater in between and foul up the data. Such is life.

How unheralded? He came into 2026 with a career fWAR of -1.0, backed by career ERA and FIP figures exceeding 5.00. Across 3 years with Miami, he progressed from bad to worse, ending last year with an 8.35 ERA. He found himself on the Nationals roster and ultimately dealt to St. Louis for Andre Granillo. What did the Cardinals see that prompted them to swap out a low-grade prospect for him?

Here in St. Louis, he has filled a variety of roles all the way from chase reliever to high leverage. It hasn’t been perfect, but he is outperforming his career norms by a fair bit. Interestingly, he is not far off his Zips projection, which projected a 4.19 FIP with a 21.3% K rate and a 9.5% BB rate. So, I’m curious. What gives?

We’ll start with back of the baseball card stuff. George is carrying a 3.16 ERA with a relatively pedestrian 20.8% K rate. His 8.5% walk rate is a marked improvement from his career 10% rate. He has accumulated .1 fWAR. Further down, he has qualified for 11 shutdown (SD) appearances, which is 70th percentile among relievers with 30 or more IP (George has 30.1 IP). He has 4 meltdown (MD) appearances which is tied with a bunch of guys right at average for the league. For comparison, Justin Bruihl and JoJo Romero pace the league with 10 and 9 MD appearances. Thus, why he is rising up the trust scale.

Sidebar: Riley O’Brien is second overall in baseball with 20 SD appearances, behind only Cade Smith of Cleveland.

What is underneath this improved performance?

If we wander on over to Statcast/Baseball Savant, some interesting details emerge. Morsels to chew on, as it were.

Pitch Mix

Note his pitch mix vs. left and right-handed batters. This will come up later. In general, he is more FF and CH heavy against LH hitters and more SL and SI heavy against RH hitters.

Since joining StL, they’ve had him de-emphasize his SI and ST (sweeper). He has cut the sweeper use from 16% to 10%, and sinker use from almost 20 to 12%. The SL usage has increase from 16% to nearly 25% and he has upped his four-seamer (FF) usage from 18% to more than 25%. Subtle changes, but they appear to have had some success. Pitch mix is one of the places the Cardinals tinkered, but not the only.

Pitch effectiveness

To the left you see the current run values for his entire pitch mix. Looking at the blue, you can see why the Cardinals wanted to de-emphasize the Sinker (SI) and Sweeper (ST).

Mechanics

One of the things I found striking was now much the Cardinals influenced his arm angle. That 34 degree angle is new this year, up from 29 degrees in 2025. That is pitching lab stuff. In ways, given how late in the off-season they acquired him, I am surprised they were able to implement what is a fairly radical change, and be successful doing it.

It’s not clear how the arm angle has affected his pitch metrics, which have not really changed a lot even though the arm angle did.

Pitch Movement

That mechanical changes have produced a pitch movement profile that leaves me scratching my head a bit.

His 4-Seam Fastball (FF) is pretty average in terms of movement, although it does have 87th percentile velo, averaging 96.7 mph. The four-seam grades at 87 Stuff+, but the Sinker grades out at a nice 108+.

That ChangeUp? It has somewhat below average arm-side run, but well above average drop. That pitch could almost be called devastating. That Whiff% has climbed for 19.6% in 2025 to 41.8% this season. That change is particularly effective against LH hitters, allowing him to navigate the left-right lanes. It grades out as a 116 on Stuff+. Impressive.

The Slider (SL) is an odd one. Used mostly against RH hitters, it produces a near 40% whiff rate, but that is in line with career norms. The arm angle change seems to have produced less arm-side run and a bit more drop. It grades out as a 96 by Stuff+.

I can’t figure his Sweeper. It doesn’t sweep, but still gets a 40%+ whiff rate. How? No Stuff+ grade. I think because the sample size is too small.

His very average Sinker (SI) gets clobbered at an xwOBA of .622. Seems contradictory to a Stuff+ of 108.

Spin

George seems to tunnel his pitches well, which can improve the effectiveness of the mix. The fastballs and the change come out of a pitcher’s hand looking the same from a spin standpoint but act quite a bit differently as they approach the hitter.

Oddly, his sinker comes out with all different spins, almost all around the watch face. I don’t know if he is still tinkering with it or what, but that is a lot of inconsistency and probably helps explain why it is a mostly straight pitch, yet oddly effective.

Overall

Putting it all together, we can look at his overall performance against the rest of the league.

His fastballs (4-seam, sinker) perform at an average rate in terms of run value. Neither good nor bad, as do the breaking pitches. The Offspeed pitches (Sweeper, Change) provide most of his positive value, ranking in the 85th percentile. I’d opine here is where pitch mix is key … an average fastball combined with near-elite offspeed can make an effective pitcher if deployed properly.

Note the 81st percentile FB velocity, but also note that much of his very poor 8th percentile exit velo comes … off his fastballs.

He gets excellent chase and whiff, as noted above. Oddly, for all the excellent whiff numbers his K% rate is pretty pedestrian a 20.8%, probably not enough for a leverage reliever.

Concerns

Beyond the hard hit data just above, a few other concerns pop out in his profile.

His 2026 BABIP is running an extremely low .241. Now, in 3 of his 4 seasons, he has run really low BABIPs, so that may be normal for him, but the number itself suggests some luck is smiling on him in 2026 and regression could bite him, particularly since he doesn’t strike a lot of guys out.

On that vein, his 21% strike out rate and 9% walk rate result in a ~12% K-BB%, which really isn’t good enough for a leverage reliever. 15% is the number I use as a floor for a pitcher expected to pitch well reliably.

Summary

We like to say relievers are volatile. Well, every player is volatile to an extent, relievers just seem to be moreso. George may be the archetype of one form of reliever volatility.

A pitcher equipped with largely average stuff, with some above average offerings and some below. Nets to a Stuff+ of 101. Some years, such a pitcher will have good luck in sequencing or random and others years it will horrid luck. 2025 appears to have been his horrid year and 2026 appears to be the year the GOB are smiling upon him.

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

If you’re one of the many fans who have found the Orioles exhausting to watch for most of the season, at least we’re getting ample breaks from the team this month. The O’s weekend series with the Reds is bookended with off days yesterday and Monday — because traveling to Cincinnati is particularly arduous, apparently? — and after a six-game homestand, the Birds will take four days off for the All-Star break.

We’re just over a week until the unofficial end to the first half, and not a moment too soon. The Orioles, unless they go a perfect 9-0 in their next three series, are guaranteed to have a losing record entering the break. It’s not the kind of season that any of us hoped we’d be seeing, so close on the heels of an equally disappointing 2025 campaign. This year was supposed to be different. It hasn’t been, and that stinks. We’ve written plenty about that already and will have to do so for a while longer if the Orioles’ freefall continues.

But for now let’s focus on the future — specifically, the MLB Draft, which begins next Saturday, July 11. The Orioles hold the seventh pick, and MLB.com’s latest mock draft projects them to select outfielder Drew Burress from Georgia Tech. Wait, you’re telling me the Orioles might select a college outfielder? Imagine that! Other possible candidates for that spot, according to MLB’s Jonathan Mayo, are Justin Lebron, Tyler Bell, Ryder Helfrick, Chris Hacopian, and Derek Curiel. I’m not convinced that all of those are real names.

As for Burress, he’s a 5-foot-9 center fielder who’s ranked as the #6 draft prospect by The Athletic’s Keith Law. Burress “swings hard, with excellent bat speed,” according to Law, who notes that his average exit velocity was in the 90th percentile of college hitters. Burress has “easy plus power” that belies his small frame, and Law projects him as a 20+ homer a year player who could stick in center field but might have to move to a corner spot. Yep, sounds like the Orioles’ type.

Of course, it’s much too early to write down Burress in pen as the Orioles’ pick. There’s just over a week until the draft and six teams picking ahead of them, so there’s plenty of different directions the O’s could go with their selection. I just wish the draft weren’t the only thing that qualifies as excitement in Birdland these days.

Links

With the No. 7 draft pick, will O’s take a pitcher? It doesn’t seem likely – Steve Melewski

Yup, that also tracks.

Will Orioles ever see Gunnar Henderson return to ‘superstar’ numbers? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com

Superstar? First let’s see him at least return to league-average numbers, and go from there.

Beltway rivals O’s, Nats complete trade for 1st time ever – MLB.com

History in the making. I, for one, will never forget what I was doing when the Kyle Nicolas-for-Randal Diaz went down. I don’t know which player was the one the O’s traded and which one they acquired, but still.

Checking with Robertson on upcoming draft, and tossing out a few names – School of Roch

Shortstop Roch Cholowsky is so highly regarded that he won’t drop to the #7 pick, ruining the possibility of having two Rochs on the Orioles circuit. Alas.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Three former Orioles were born on this day: right-hander Tommy Hunter (40), lefty Jeff Rineer (71), and the late outfielder Al Pilarcik (b. 1930, d. 2010).

July 3 used to be a pretty good day for the Orioles. At one point the O’s won 15 consecutive games on this date from 1961 to 1974, including three doubleheader sweeps. Through 1974, they had a 19-3 record all-time on July 3. But since then they’re 18-30 on this date, and have lost five of their last seven.

Random Orioles game of the day

On July 3, 1992, the Orioles beat the Twins, 6-1, at the Metrodome. Hall of Famer Mike Mussina, then in his second season, came within two outs of a complete game, somehow holding the Twins to just one run despite giving up 12 (!) hits. He made big pitches when he needed to, I suppose. The Orioles broke a scoreless tie in the fifth on back-to-back sacrifice flies, then removed all doubt with a four-run seventh inning that included RBI singles by Glenn Davis, Randy Milligan, and Joe Orsulak, and a run-scoring double from Mark McLemore.

After that game, the O’s and Twins had identical 46-32 records, with the Twins sitting in first place and the Orioles one game out, but neither would end up making the playoffs.

I don’t have a clever heat-related pun to use here. Did you know that the home run rate rises as the temperature does? You did? Well, that’s all I had. Onto the links.

Phillies news

Zack Wheeler was not happy that Don Mattingly pulled him in the fifth inning of his last start. The skipper lays out his case.

Will Bryce Harper join the Home Run Derby? Maybe!

Jay Jaffe of FanGraphs examines the worst defenses among baseball’s championship contenders. The fact that I’m putting it under “Phillies news” is something of a giveaway. ($)

MLB news

Even if you don’t like the Braves, you’ll like this charming story of English football fans throwing their support behind Michael Harris II.

Courtesy of ESPN, one player that every team should rate for (or trade away) at this year’s deadline.

The future is NOW. Well, not now. But the Futures Game is now. Well, not now. Next Sunday. Anyway, here’s a look at who’s playing in it.

The suspensions from the Nationals-Red Sox incident from earlier in the week have been handed down.

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Codi Heuer, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 1966 – Pitcher Tony Cloninger hits two grand slams and drives in nine runs, as the Braves rout the Giants at Candlestick Park, 17-3. Cloninger is the first National League player to slam two in a game, and the first pitcher ever, and his nine RBIs are a major-league record for pitchers, breaking Vic Raschi‘s mark of seven, and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

• 1911 – At Philadelphia, the A’s Frank Baker hits for the cycle in a 5-1 win over the Yankees in the second game of a doubleheader.
• 1947 – The Indians purchase Larry Doby from the Newark Eagles. In two days, the 22-year-old will become the first African-American to play in the American League.
• 1951 – Giants rookie Willie Mays blasts a 13th-inning solo homer off the Phillies’ Jocko Thompson to give New York a win. It is Willie’s second extra-inning homer in two weeks.
• 1968 – Luis Tiant registers 19 K’s in ten innings, as Cleveland beats Minnesota, 1-0. Tiant sets two modern major league records – most strikeouts in a ten-inning game; and 32 strikeouts in consecutive games – and ties the modern major-league record of 41 strikeouts in three successive appearances. 
• 1977 – In an 11 – 7 win over the Padres, Phillies 3B Mike Schmidt hits an inside-the-park homer, the second of his career. He’ll hit one more, in 1982.
• 2009 – Albert Pujols, the major league home run leader, hits his fourth grand slam of the year, a team record, as the Cardinals dispose of the Reds, 7-4. He now has 350 career dingers, becoming the third-youngest to reach the mark, after Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr.
• 2021 – Harmon Killebrew falls off the top ten home run list as Jim Thome goes deep twice for the Twins to give Thome 574 dingers in the big leagues.

Today in Cubs history:

• 1929 – The Cubs and Reds turn nine double plays, tying the Detroit–Washington 1925 mark. The 7-5 Chicago win is their seventh in a row, giving them a half-game lead over the Pirates.
• 1960 – A day after his wedding in Chicago, Jim O’Toole pitches and loses, as the Cubs pound him for seven runs and nine hits in less than five innings. Chicago wins, 7-5. An unsympathetic manager Fred Hutchinson deadpans: “It was his turn to pitch. I didn’t tell him to get married.”
• 1967 – At the launching pad in Atlanta, Billy Williams, Ron Santo and Randy Hundley homer for Chicago, and Rico Carty and Felipe Alou answer for the Braves – all in the 1st inning, a major league record. Carty adds another homer later, but Glenn Beckert‘s three-run shot helps put the game out of reach. Ray Culp emerges the winner, 12-6.
• 1970 – At Chicago’s Wrigley Field, Gene Alley and Roberto Clemente each hit two homers to help the visiting Bucs outlast their hosts, 16-14. This slugfest also numbers a game-tying, 2nd-inning grand slam by Chicago’s Billy Williams among its eight homers and 70 total bases. Mother Nature, however, has to get a good deal of credit for the day’s offensive production; clearly, the “Windy City” has earned its sobriquet today. “It blew fourteen miles per hour toward center,” reports the Chicago Tribune, “prompting Clemente to all but apologize for his first homer.” “I just tapped the ball,” Clemente tells the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “There was no way that ball should have gone out of here. The wind was blowing to left, to center, to right. Everywhere it was blowing, it was for the hitter.”

Cubs Birthdays:Codi Heuer*, Casey Coleman, Zach Putnam, Tommy Hunter, John Koronka, Moisés Alou, Matt Keough, Cliff Curtis.

Today in history:

• 1775 – George Washington takes command of Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• 1861 – Pony Express arrives in San Francisco with overland letters from NY.
• 1863 – Battle of Gettysburg, the largest battle ever fought on the American continent, ends in a major victory for the Union during the US Civil War.
• 1886 – In Germany, Karl Benz first drives the first automobile in Mannheim at a top speed of 16 km/h (10 mph).
• 1928 – John Logie Baird demonstrates the first color television transmission in London.
• 1931 – German boxer Max Schmeling beats American Young Stribling by TKO in 15 in Cleveland in his first heavyweight title defense; first major fight broadcast live on national radio.
• 2004 – Official opening of Bangkok’s subway system.
• 2025 – Archaeologists announce the discovery of a 3,500-year-old ancient city in Peru named Peñico.

*pictured.

Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. Happy Fourth of July weekend! We’re now beyond the midpoint of the season, and just over a week away from the MLB Draft & All-Star break. The Brewers have weathered the first half of their gauntlet, but they still have the D-backs, Cardinals, and Pirates on deck for 11 games in the next 10 days.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread:

They’ve been scouted and scrutinized for months and years on end, and now you can add some pokes, prods and productive interviews to the list for the top prospects entering Major League Baseball’s draft.

The draft scouting combine was, for almost all draftees, the last major step leading up to the July 14 selection soiree in Philadelphia. While many prospects put on a measurables show – including an old friend of ours – the greater value from the days in Phoenix are the interviews and get-to-knows exchanged between front offices and draftees.

As clubs tweak their big boards and draft day arrives in less than two weeks, USA TODAY Sports takes a fourth crack at forecasting the first round:

1. Chicago White Sox: SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA

All indications are the White Sox are still deliberating this pick, and due diligence and bonus pool gymnastics – they have the third-highest lump to distribute, $17.592 million - will always transpire up until go time. In the end, the virtually minimal risk drafting a shovel-ready college shortstop instead of a catcher or prep shortstop should prevail.

2. Tampa Bay Rays: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian HS

The first real fork in the road. Yet the Rays may not draft this high for many years and the window to grab such a tooled-up, high-ceiling talent like Emerson will be too difficult to pass up.

3.  Minnesota Twins: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech

Seemingly another coin flip, but we’re ready to move off college righty Jackson Flora, though it would be little surprise if the Twins stayed that course. The franchise knows about elite-hitting catchers as franchise cornerstones.

4. San Francisco Giants: SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (Florida) HS

Flora would make sense here as well but Buster Posey opts for the other potential franchise prep shortstop at the top of the round. It’d seem the last thing the Giants need is more risk with the high-ceiling Lombard, but the Miami-bound shortstop also represents opportunity.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara

They love their high-ceiling prep arms, but in this scenario, it’s too hard to pass on Flora after he slips past the Twins and Giants. Flora’s profile suggests a quick-to-the-majors path, not the worst thing for a club with three years left of Paul Skenes and a future rotation that could be built around last year’s top pick, Seth Hernandez.

6. Kansas City Royals: OF Eric Booth, Oak Grove (Mississippi)

A snug fit for both, as Booth’s skill set translates nicely to Kauffman Stadium, and he figures to be the last of the big half-dozen on the board when the Royals are on the clock.

7. Baltimore Orioles: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech

The college player from the Sun Belt type has defined Orioles first rounds and there are so many to choose from as they determine the direction the first-round river flows from here. Burress’ career 1.204 OPS with the Yellow Jackets – he tied Jason Varitek’s career home run mark with 57 – and ability to man any outfield position stand out.

8. Athletics: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama

Still a passel of college hitters to sift through and the A’s roll the dice on Lebron, weighing the fallen stock against the physical tools that may fully develop in Yolo County and then Las Vegas.

9. Atlanta Braves: LHP Gio Rojas, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Florida) HS

There are scenarios where a team upsets the expected Big 6 and snags Rojas earlier, but he should slip through to become the next big young arm added to Atlanta’s stable of pitchers.

10. Colorado Rockies: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas

Pitching has been the focus of the Rockies’ bottom-up rebuild, but it will be too hard to bypass a thunderous bat like Helfrick, who finished up in Fayetteville with 18 homers and as many walks as strikeouts.

11. Washington Nationals: OF Derek Curiel, LSU

They’d prefer a higher-ceiling player here but go with an advanced pure hitter who raked (.349, .353 in two seasons in Baton Rouge) against SEC pitching.

12. Los Angeles Angels: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina

Perry Minasian is gone, but does his ghost linger? Arte Moreno certainly does and the marching orders, surely, would be to assemble quick-to-the-majors talent since they’re just that close to contending.

13. St. Louis Cardinals: INF Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M

Already mature in his development and possesses enough versatility and an excellent hit tool to transition smoothly to St. Louis.

14. Miami Marlins: INF Ace Reese, Mississippi State

We’ve matched Reese and the Marlins before and we bring ‘em back together after the combine. The Marlins do like pitching but there’s not a consistent enough arm here to bypass a solid collegiate bat.

15. Arizona Diamondbacks: LHP/OF Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach (California) HS

Might as well take a big swing here. Grindlinger just turned 17 and while he figures to land on the hitting side of the equation, the youth and upside affords Arizona the time to find out.

16. Texas Rangers: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia

Mature college bat fits the Rangers snugly and Gracia, who could go much higher if a club wants to save a few bucks, could move quickly toward Arlington.

17. Houston Astros: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky

Like Gracia, Bell might hear his name sooner, but the Astros jump on the draft-eligible sophomore whose final season was slowed by a shoulder injury.

18. Cincinnati Reds: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida

They love their big right-handers and the Reds could have their choice of Flukey or Peterson, whose platform season did not match his significant stuff.

19. Cleveland Guardians: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan (Massachusetts) HS

Elite athleticism and a 6-9 frame with a 100-mph fastball? Kind of surprised Bumila would last this long, but the Guardians should do wonderful work with the erstwhile prep basketball star.

20. Boston Red Sox: C Daniel Jackson, Georgia

Jackson’s provided his own helium with a 32-homer, 26-steal season that ended in the men's College World Series finals and he simply looks better the longer you regard him.

21. San Diego Padres: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah (Georgia) HS

They love their athletic high schoolers and in this simulation, Condon is available. Check back in a few years if he ends up more AJ Preller trade fodder.

22. Detroit Tigers: 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal (South Carolina) HS

Plenty to dream on here: A 6-5 corner infielder with big power potential and a smooth lefty swing.

23. Chicago Cubs: LHP Mason Edwards, Southern Cal

No need to overthink grabbing a big lefty who strikes out 16 batters per nine innings with plenty of deception.

24. Seattle Mariners: RHP Cade Townsend, Ole Miss

A draft-eligible sophomore with a powerful repertoire, Townsend – or whomever the Mariners grab here – is in the right system to max out his skills.

25. Milwaukee Brewers: OF Aiden Robbins, Texas

He slashed .333/.426/.696 for the Longhorns, increasing his home runs from six to 24 in moving from Seton Hall to Austin.

26. Atlanta Braves: SS Tyler Spangler, De La Salle (California) HS

Armed with a nearly $16 million bonus pool and two picks in the top 26, the Braves can afford a bold venture. Spangler, who missed his senior year due to injury, certainly qualifies. A top 10 consensus pick preseason, he performed at the draft combine, though his numbers reflected the rust. How far above slot would it take to lure him from Stanford?

27. New York Mets: RHP Tegan Kuhns, Tennessee

The 10-slot penalty for luxury tax indiscretions are seen in real time here, but a good player will still tumble to the Mets. In this case, it’s Kuhns, who rode a mid-90s fastball and sharp curve into the first round.

28. Houston Astros: OF Zion Rose, Louisville

We’ll stick with the Rose-to-Houston narrative and, in this scenario, the Astros walk away with a pair of advanced collegiate bats from the state of Kentucky.

29. San Francisco Giants: LHP Logan Schmidt, Ganesha (California) HS

No way the Giants don’t come away with pitching in either of their two picks. Having opted for Lombard over Flora earlier, they play the long game with Schmidt, who reclassified from 2027 and holds a commitment to LSU.

30. Kansas City Royals: RHP Jensen Hirschkorn, Kingsburg (California) HS

Like Schmidt, Hirschkorn is an LSU commit. Like Burmila, he’s also a standout hoops player with a 6-7 frame that already produces a mid-90s fastball.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB mock draft 2026: Will White Sox Roch steady at No. 1 with star shortstop?

The Yankees ended June on as terrible a run as they could’ve, and now sit in a seven-game losing streak as they limp into the weekend. Perhaps the off-day will have rejuvenated them, or perhaps their next opponent will as the Twins roll into town. Even their perpetual punching bag across the 21st century may not be enough of a fix for how lackluster they look at the moment, but it couldn’t hurt to give winning a series against them a try.

Matt starts us off with a look at said Twins and the pitching matchups they’ll throw out against the Yankees, and then he’ll come back to cover the Rivalry Roundup as well on a night where the Rays gained a little more separation in the standings. Nick wishes a happy birthday to the GM himself in Brian Cashman, I’ll pop back in to talk about the latest Reacts results, and then Peter looks at Yovanny Cruz busting out a nasty splitter in the Sequence of the Week. Sam goes through the defensive plays of the month that the Yankees managed in June, and finally I’ll return again to answer your latest questions in the mailbag.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

Time: 7:05 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Twins.TV

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Questions/Prompts:

1. Surely the losing streak ends tonight, right?

2. Will we see Gerrit Cole look sharper tonight, or will the rotation continue to see its struggles pile on?

According to the Atlanta Braves transaction page, they have signed outfielder/designated hitter Andrew McCutchen to.a minor league contract. The former National League Most Valuable Player had appeared in 37 games with the Texas Rangers earlier this season. He was a free agent after being released by the Rangers.

The 39-year-old, five-time All-Star debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2009 and has spend 18 seasons at the big league level. This season, he hit only .196/.277/.260 in 83 plate appearances. He’d spent the prior three seasons on a return engagement with the Pirates as their designated hitter providing slightly better then league average results until dipping below that production mark in 2025.

The Braves inked fellow grey-hair Carlos Santana to a MiLB deal last week but after designating Roddy Tellez for assignment yesterday, Atlanta seems positioned to get another former aging star a chance to see if there is something left in the tank. While Santana is limited to DH and first base, McCutchen can still play the corner outfield positions, although McCutchen has worked primarily as a DH since 2022.

McCutchen has appeared in 2,299 career games with 2,280 hits, 453 doubles and 333 home runs.

PHOENIX — So, how do you like him now?

Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champion and finest contact hitter in the game, could not find a job last winter.

He was viewed as a one-dimensional player who could hit singles, and never struck out, but didn’t excel at any other area of the game.

So he sat home with his .317 career batting average and elite bat-to-ball skills and waited all winter for someone to give him a chance to return to his natural position as an everyday second baseman.

Five teams expressed interest in him.

Only one team called to offer him a job to play second base.

The San Francisco Giants, after failing in trade attempts to acquire Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals, Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs and CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals, signed Arraez to a one-year, $12 million on the eve of spring training.

They were mocked by their peers, believing it was a reckless decision to try to turn one of the worst defensive players into even a passable defensive player, and that he’d relegated to the DH role by the end of April.

Well, in a season that has gone horribly wrong, with the Giants producing the third-worst record (36-50) in the National League, there is Arraez.

He is reestablishing himself the modern-day of Rod Carew and Tony Gwynn – hitting .326 with only 13 strikeouts in 358 plate appearances, an MLB-low 3.6% strikeout rate, with 105 hits and a career high seven triples. He has become one of the better defensive second basemen in the game.

Really.

You can watch him with your eyes, back it up on the computer with analytics, and the story is the same.

Arraez ranks second in MLB among second baseman with 11 outs above average, trailing only rookie JJ Wetherholt of the St. Louis Cardinals. He is fourth in all of MLB among all position players with his defensive rating.

“I don’t think anyone thought I could do this but me," Arraez, 28, tells USA TODAY Sports. “I proved them wrong.

“I worked my (expletive) off to have this season.

“And I think it’s the best all-around season I’ve ever had."

Arraez, who signed as a 16-year-old second baseman out of Venezuela, had not been an everyday second baseman since 2023 with the Miami Marlins. He played only 17 of 154 games at second base last season with the San Diego Padres, and graded negative 7-outs below average as their primary first baseman.

He decided to go to work during the winter for a dramatic defensive facelift.

He spent hours training every day with former Cincinnati Reds infielder Rainer Olmedo in Miami and veteran infielder Luis Rengifo in Miami. When spring training started, informed Giants infield guru coach Ron Washington that he’ll be his prized pupil and work as long and hard as it takes to be that elite second baseman.

Washington, 74, is legendary for turning ordinary defensive infielders into Gold Glove winners. Third baseman Eric Chavez became a six-time Gold Glove winner. Shortstop Marcus Semien, who made a league-leading 35 errors his first season, became a two-time Gold Glove winner. Third baseman Matt Chapman won five Gold Gloves. Shortstop Dansby Swanson won two Gold Gloves.

Michael Young became a Gold Glove winner. Miguel Tejada and Jason Giambi won MVPs. Bobby Crosby won the AL Rookie of the Year. Mark Ellis had the highest fielding percentage among second basemen. Third baseman Austin Riley, second baseman Ozzie Albies and shortstop Elvis Andrus became All-Stars. And third baseman Adrian Beltre became a Hall of Famer.

And every single one of the players credits Washington for their defensive prowess, with Chavez even giving Washington his third Gold Glove award.

That group, Washington confides, probably all had more raw talent than Arraez, but when it comes to work ethic, when it comes to desire, Arraez take a back seat to anyone.

“The good thing about Luis is that he held true to what he told me he was going to do in spring training,’’ Washington says. “And that was coming to work to try to be a better second baseman, but more than anything, he wanted to be a better teammate. Everything he said he’d do, he’s done.

“The way he’s elevated the game, the way he has started understanding how to play the game, the way he’s fighting fatigue, the way he’s fighting anything that’s negative, and going out and doing it, he’s elevated his game as much as anyone I’ve had."

While Washington and the Giants are receiving the bulk of the credit for Arraez’s success, the real reason for his dramatic turnaround is Arraez, himself, Washington says. He’s the one who put in the work. He’s the one who dedicated himself to being the best. And he’s the one who deserves all of the accolades.

“I believe that if he would have been given the love and opportunity that the Giants have given to him when he was in other places,’’ Washington says, “I think they would see the same thing. He’s got skill set, you know what I mean. The key was to making him use that on a daily basis and making him believe, and that’s what he’s gotten here in San Francisco.

“He’s gotten love and he’s gotten an opportunity to realize his dream, showing the world that he’s always had that skill set to play defense.

“We just gave him that chance."

Luis Arraez trade rumors?

Arraez, a three-time All-Star who would love to make his fourth trip, says he’ll forever be indebted to the Giants for the opportunity. He’s certainly paid them back with his performance, and would love for it to be a long-term commitment.

The reality is that the trade deadline is a month away. The Giants are going nowhere in the standings. They have an abundance of young infielders who need playing time. And surely Arraez will be wearing a different uniform on Aug. 4 after the deadline.

“If they give me an opportunity, I’d love to stay," Arraez said. “I really enjoy it here. But it’s a business. I’m not paying any attention to any of the trade stuff. I just want to continue to work hard and focus on my job. Really, that’s all I can do."

Giants rookie manager Tony Vitello, trying to retain his sanity enduring the myriad of problems he has encountered since becoming the first manager to transition straight from college at Tennessee to the big leagues, has found tranquility in Arraez’s performance. Arraez plays every day. He performs. And he epitomizes professionalism.

“He’s phenomenal,” Vitello says. “Speaking of determination, he’s always got it. I don’t think there’s anybody out there that you could accuse of lack of overall focus or effort, but if we could match his energy and his determination as a group, we’d be in a pretty good spot.

“He’s just a pro. He can do a lot of different things for you. It’s not just about batting average or bat-to-ball skills. I’m not sure anyone is playing better at second base."

All-Star Game a possibility for Arraez

Yet, Arraez finished only fifth among all NL second basemen in the All-Star balloting with Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies and Philadelphia’s Bryson Stott finalists for the starting job. He now awaits Saturday’s announcement to determine whether he’s selected as a reserve by his peers, managers and coaches.

“I don’t think I’ll make it," Arraez said, “but we’ll see. I know what I’ve done, and I’m proud of that. That means the most to me, helping my team.’’

In a month, he’ll likely be helping another team’s quest for a playoff run, and then it’s off to free agency where his value certainly has risen from a year ago.

“I think he’s proven that it will be different for him this time around," Washington says. “You already know what he can do at the plate, but now with the way he’s playing defense, with his decision-making going up a different level, there will be a lot of interest in him.

“He wants to be great, and he’s just a class act. He would never embarrass you or the organization. Anyone would be lucky to have him."

And the team who signs him to his next deal, well, Arraez has one little request.

“I gotta take Washington with me," Arraez says, “wherever I go. That should be part of the deal."

Who could argue with that?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giants' hit wizard Luis Arráez 'worked my (expletive) off to have this season'

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: June was a rough month for the Yankees, and July isn’t off to a good start, either. On Thursday, news broke that flamethrowing prospect Carlos Lagrange was placed on the 7-day injured list in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with a reported shoulder issue. The level of concern is high enough for the organization to schedule an MRI, per Kirschner. The right-hander had moved to the bullpen in early June and allowed five earned runs in his last game on Sunday. Everybody in the organization is crossing their fingers, hoping the exciting prospect can avoid a serious injury.

Newsday | Erik Boland: The Yankees have a very specific set of needs before the deadline: a bullpen arm or two and a right-handed-hitting catcher. They are expected to be active before August 3rd, but as Boland suggests, the future of Aaron Judge and his pending return from the injured list loom large and could dictate their specific plans. It goes without saying that the team’s performance in the short-term will factor into the strategy, too.

“The uber-talented Chisholm, who very much could be a trade deadline chip, is among a slew of Yankees slumping at the plate,” Boland wrote. Is there a universe in which the Yankees entertain a soft sale before the deadline, or at least use Chisholm as part of a deal to improve elsewhere? It seems unlikely, but you never know.

SNY | Anthony McCarron: Would you believe us if we told you that the Yankees have the best ERA in the American League before Thursday’s games? Well, that’s true: their 3.19 mark only trails the Braves’ 2.72 in the entire league. It hasn’t always felt like it, though. McCarron gave his grade of the unit halfway through the season, and it was B-. “There’s high-level talent, and it’s hard to ignore the numbers. It just feels like the path to Bednar should be smoother,” he wrote. And he’s right.