Category: Baseball

The latest SB Nation reacts poll response warmed my heart. It shows a wisdom that sometimes eludes fans.

Admittedly, the poll question is asking for a prediction rather than an opinion, but most people tend to conflate the two; because, “Do you think the Giants should sign Bryce Eldridge to an extension this year?“ means something radically different.

You can bet that respondents considered the Giants’ history in engaging in such behavior along with the upcoming lockout that has been planned by the owners since (probably) signing the last CBA. And then there’s the simple matter of whether or not an extension is warranted at this time.

Yes, this year is sort of an outlier in the frequency with which teams have extended their pre-arbitration players or even players before they’ve made their MLB debut — some other recent examples: the Brewers with Luis Lara, Cooper Pratt, and Jackson Chourio; the Mariners with Colt Emerson, the Tigers with Colt Keith, etc. — because it’s also not as though there is talented that has necessarily warranted such financial commitments.

With Eldridge, we’re talking about a slugging first baseman/designated hitter, the sort of hitter that is far more common than the ones who’ve been getting extended lately. No, Eldridge isn’t likely to be demoted anytime soon, and a 21-year old slashing .259/.359/.459 in 256 plate appearances is impressive enough, but his importance to the Giants is simply in having an impact hitter come up through their farm system and provide “surplus value” (performance vs. pay). He’s not (yet) hitting like 21-year old Juan Soto (.351/.490/.695) — which, yeah, by the time he does start hitting like that he’ll be less likely to want to sign an extension.

Thing is, Eldridge’s ceiling is unclear. Again, he’s a revelation for the Giants. He’s the type of hitter the Giants have been searching for and he’s likely to be a significant figure going forward, but is he a generational talent within the context of the sport itself? It’s really tough to compare him to these recent extensions and not come off like a critique to the point of insult. Let’s see if we can find a pattern here:

• Jacob Wilson, A’s: 7 years, $70 million — shortstop
• JJ Wetherholt, Cardinals: 8 years, $112.5 million — shortstop
• Cooper Pratt, Brewers: 8 years, $50.75 million — shortstop
• Colt Emerson, Mariners: 8 years, $95 million — shortstop (and some third base)
• Konnor Griffin, Pirates: 9 years, $140 million — shortstop
• Kevin McGonigle, Tigers: 8 years, $150 million — shortstop (and third base)

So, that should be definitive. There’s a very good reason why front offices opened up the pocket book. These up the middle defenders with above average hit and power tools are extremely valuable.

I can only think of a few recent extensions for non-shortstops, and while they don’t reflect the opposite end of the spectrum, they do present as cases that would give Zack & Buster pause.

• Lawrence Butler, A’s: 7 years, $65.5 million — outfield
• Jackson Chourio, Brewers: 8 years, $82 million — outfield
• Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta: 8 years, $100 million — outfield

Butler was 23 when he signed his deal and coming off of .262/.317/.490 in 451 plate appearances with some fantastic defense in right field. The Athletics were probably motivated more by their financial restraints than by “look at this generational talent blossoming before us,” but that’s more or less where Bryce Eldridge falls on the player performance scale. Butler was sub-average last year and one of the worst players in the sport this year (age-25).

Chourio has been good. Around 20% better than the league average as a hitter and a good defender in a corner outfield position. Another not-generational talent, but who is playing well enough that the Brewers have locked in a quality contributor for below the market rates for similar performance.

Acuna Jr. was on a Hall of Fame track as recently as 2023, but in the years since the extension, he’s been injured a lot and his power has diminished quite a lot. In his first 4 seasons, ages 20-23: a .268 ISO or .549 slug. In the subsequent 5 seasons, ages 24-28: a .200 ISO or .492 slug.

Yes, Atlanta is absolutely doing that deal 12 times out of 10, but would 2019 Alex Anthopoulos consider a similar deal for 2026 Bryce Eldridge? Probably not.

Finally, there’s this example that the Giants are probably thinking about, if they even pondered an Eldridge extension at all:

• Jonathan Singleton, Astros: 5 years, $10 million (with club options that could increase it to $35 million) — first baseman

That’s about $49 million in today’s dollars through simple dollar inflation, but it doesn’t factor in MLB’s market inflation over the past 12 years. Still, you can imagine senior advisor Bobby Evans remembering that 2014 deal and relaying to Posey the massive negative reaction it got from Evans & Sabean & then-Giants ownership at the time. Eldridge and Singleton’s profiles aren’t remotely comparable beyond left-handed hitting first baseman, but Singleton was more of an on base guy with doubles power. Still, because a bunch of oldheads are advising the Giants, I’m sure the fact that he hit just .171/.290/.331 in the first two seasons of the deal before the Astros moved on from him is a data point in the cost-benefit analysis.

And I think Giants fans know their organization enough to recognize that they’re less likely to take financial risks on younger players — for better or worse — so, that might be some of the wisdom behind the response here. But after the season? I wonder if the question was interpreted as “in-season” versus “off-season.” How many fans might wager on a November extension?

My personal opinion is that they should’ve signed him to an extension if he’d hit 20 home runs by now. But it was pretty clear to me early on that he was going to need at least this season to figure out major league pitching. So, given that, he looks like he’s on a pretty typical career trajectory, and for a tall power hitter who will either play first base or DH, the long-term value of a player like that is tricky to calculate and the team is better off going year to year to see if he can hit his way into forcing them to make a big commitment. I don’t think Juan Soto’s $31 million arbitration number could be a comp just given the defensive differences, and by the time Eldridge reaches his final year of arbitration, who even knows what arbitration will look like or what $31 million means.

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A fresh week is in front of us as we look to back a few players and fade another on this nearly full Monday slate.

Here are my three favorite MLB player props for July 27.

Best MLB player props today

Max Scherzer Over 2.5 earned runs (-114)

I'm fading old man Max Scherzer this evening in my MLB picks as he draws one of the most dangerous offenses in baseball.

The Toronto Blue Jays veteran righty owns the worst pitcher rating on Batters-Box for today's slate and will face a lineup featuring three elite-rated hitters and one additional strong-rated bat.

The Washington Nationals have been on an absolute tear over their last 21 games, posting a 151 wRC+, .358 wOBA, .244 ISO, and .889 OPS.

Meanwhile, Scherzer has looked nothing like himself over his last five starts, posting a 13.50 ERA, 5.82 xERA, and 2.06 WHIP.

As difficult as it is to fade a future Hall of Famer, this is the spot to do it. The Nationals lead all of baseball in first five-inning scoring, averaging 3.13 runs over that span.

I'd play this prop down to -125.

• Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NATS, Sportnet

Pete Crow-Armstrong Over 1.5 total bases (-111)

It is a great day to fade St. Louis Cardinals lefty Matthew Liberatore. The southpaw enters Monday with the second-worst pitcher rating on Batters-Box, where he grades poorly in matchup ISO, wOBA, hard contact, and ground ball rate.

Two Chicago Cubs stood out to me in this matchup, starting with leadoff hitter Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is coming off a strong performance on Sunday. He also carries an elite rating tonight while covering nearly 100% of Liberatore's arsenal.

Over his last 60 at-bats against southpaws, Crow-Armstrong owns a .543 SLG, .993 OPS, .434 wOBA, and .260 ISO.

Liberatore has also struggled against left-handed hitters, especially at home, where they are batting .321 with a .509 SLG and .357 wOBA against him.

With temperatures expected to climb into the triple digits tonight, the conditions should heavily favor the hitters. I think there will be plenty of offense, with the ball carrying well in St. Louis.

I'd play this to -125.

• Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MARQ, CARD

Seiya Suzuki Over 1.5 total bases (-109)

The other bat I want to back in this matchup is Seiya Suzuki, who has been crushing left-handed pitching all season.

Over his last 60 at-bats against southpaws, the Cubs slugger owns a 46.1% hard hit rate, 12.8% barrel rate, and 74.4% elevation rate. He has also posted a 26.3% HR/FB rate, .680 SLG, and 1.097 OPS.

Against right-handed hitters, Liberatore has allowed a 42.5% hard hit rate and 72.5% elevation rate over the last 60 hitters he has faced. Those righties have also produced a .337 xBA, .501 xSLG, and .417 xwOBA during that span.

With the heat expected in St. Louis and the way both Suzuki and PCA have been swinging the bat, I think at least one of them has a big night at the plate.

I'd play this down to -125 as well.

• Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MARQ, CARD

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Cincinnati Reds infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer has seen his name fly all over trade rumor boards so far this July, and for good reason. He’s incredibly versatile defensively, he’s hit over 20 homers for three straight seasons, he once swiped 25 bags in a year, and he’s mashing left-handed pitching to the tune of a 1.062 OPS so far in 2026, all while playing for a club in last place that’s barreling towards the deadline with intentions of selling off pieces.

Teams like the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Yankees were all rumored to be interested in Steer’s services, which would come with a bonus of two additional years of team control. And when those big names (with big urgency) come circling, the idea of striking while the iron is hot in regards to Steer had become one of Cincinnati’s biggest trade deadline decisions in years.

Steer helped the Reds make that decision a lot easier on Sunday in St. Louis, unfortunately. He fouled off a pitch with an awkward swing and immediately left the game with wrist pain. On Monday, Cincinnati placed him on the 10-day IL with ESPN’s Buster Olney concurrently reporting that Steer ‘will miss signficant time’ with it.

Spencer Steer, one of the coveted right-handed hitters in this year's trade market, is going on the injured list today after suffering a hand/wrist injury yesterday, and will miss significant time.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 27, 2026

The Reds, to their credit, noted that it’s a ‘wrist sprain’ and not a hamate break (or one of the litany of other ‘breaks’ that could happen when a wrist hurts), but that still muddies the timeframe for how long he’ll be out. Cincinnati also noted that Ivan Johnson has been recalled to the active roster in Steer’s stead.

The #Reds today recalled from Triple-A Louisville IF/OF Ivan Johnson and placed on the 10-day injured list IF/OF Spencer Steer (right wrist sprain). pic.twitter.com/anqkeemt1w

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 27, 2026

It has truly seemed as if the 2026 season was destined to be undone by something, anything any time the Reds managed to cobble together momentum. Ace Hunter Greene was shut down for three months in spring training as he needed cleanup surgery in his elbow. Blisters befell first Brady Singer and then Nick Lodolo, twice. Elly De La Cruz hit the shelf for nearly a month, closer Emilio Pagan missed two, and even the indominable Eugenio Suarez was sent to the shelf for a month with an oblique strain. That’s before we mention the decimation to the bullpen that still has Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft claimed after hitting pause on the seasons of Caleb Ferguson and Pierce Johnson first.

Every team deals with injuries, yes. This Reds club, though, has been simply smashed with them, so much so that I failed to originally recall Jose Trevino, Matt McLain, and even Ke’Bryan Hayes being out for extended absences.

Now, it’s Steer’s turn, and how the Reds recover remains to be seen. We don’t know if they were ever truly going to consider trading him, first, and we also don’t know how their 6-3 start to the season’s second half changed their tune on trading away anyone else. What they do get to see now, though, is how much different Terry Francona’s in-game decisions will be without Steer around, as the latter’s versatility unlocked pretty much any decision Tito wanted to make heretofore.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

July has nearly all but come and gone, and the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline sits exactly one week away. It’s still a little odd to me personally to see it land on August 3rd, but that’s what the league decided before the beginning of 2026, so that’s just how it is.

Honestly, in a muddled season like 2026 to date, it’s probably for the best to give teams as much time as possible to determine if they think they’re true contenders or pretenders. The league’s respective Wild Card races are flush with mediocrity and even some division leaders are barely above .500. Do not take this for throwing stones in a glass house, however; the Yankees are certainly lacking in certain areas of their team and most desperately need captain Aaron Judge to return to health by September 1st at the absolute earliest.

In the meantime, the Yankees at least have another week to consider the best possible external options to improve their roster. It’s a tricky game, and as always, it takes two to tango. Even if you want your team to get Player X and they put forth the public’s consensus best offer, they’re not a lock to land him. The selling club is well within its rights to decline if their own internal valuations have a different opinion.

The Yankees will look to make a move, but what position should be their greatest priority? This was the topic of last week’s Reacts survey. The results are below.*

*Keep in mind that this poll ran before news broke of rumored catching addition Shea Langeliers’ possible season-ending injury and Cody Bellinger’s hamstring strain.

Yankees fans are fairly at the limit with the current catching plans. Despite a homer over the weekend, Austin Wells has been a colossal disappointment this year. Yankees catchers have combined for a .185/.268/.283 triple slash in 2026, which FanGraphs rates as a 56 wrC+, the third-worst mark in baseball. There desperately needs to be some improvement there, hence the overwhelming 74-percent majority voting for “catcher” in this survey. Colorado’s Hunter Goodman, Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers, and Cincinnati’s Tyler Stephenson are all possible options who we’ve profiled as possible trade targets.

Of course, it’s not as though fans are solely focused on the men behind the plate. A common response to the Feed poll was that there were numerous areas to improve.

One possible counterpoint was raised by ConorGallogly, who noted that there was reason to be optimistic about some degree of a Wells rebound. Through his first three seasons in the majors (937 plate appearances), he was a 100 wRC+ hitter. Could he really be a true-talent 55 wRC+ now? Some uncertainty about that is understandable. And the Yankees’ left side of the infield has been a weakness with Anthony Volpe, José Caballero, Ryan McMahon, and Amed Rosario all leaving plenty to be desired at shortstop and third base.

The last sentence of the comment, however? That is also true. Wells undoubtedly has “just been so bad.”

Another point raised was that general manager Brian Cashman could try to improve a relative strength and add a starting pitcher. At the very least, it’s hard not to at least consider a package for two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who would be the best name on the market if the disappointing Tigers made him available.

Imagine Skubal with Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, and Max Fried in a playoff rotation? Holy moly. Again, it’s probably a pipe dream, but why not dream big?

Another pitcher who might be out of reach but still fascinating is elite Padres closer Mason Miller, who could be on the market for the second year in a row. David Bednar, Fernando Cruz, Brett Headrick, and even Paul Blackburn have provided some great innings of late relief, but there’s certainly a sentiment that the Yankees could use at least one more reliable reliever to make the middle relief more palatable. And it doesn’t have to be an addition who slots in there; instead, it could be a jewel like Miller, who pushes everyone down the pecking order.

Someone like Miller’s teammate Adrian Morejon might be more likely, though.

We’ll see what the Yankees end up doing. And stay tuned for the next Reacts survey, when we’ll delve into the Yankees’ catching options on the market! I agree that some move there is most likely (and the greatest need).

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These survey results are sponsored by FanDuel.

Two years ago, Brenton Doyle was playing out of his mind.

Outside of being in the middle of his second straight Golden Glove campaign, the Rockies center fielder was about to win National League Player of the Month honors for July. He hit .333/.394/.800 with an OPS of 1.194 with 11 home runs, 27 RBI, 15 runs scored, seven doubles, two stolen bases and one triple in 25 games.

He hasn’t had a month like that since.

This season, Doyle has only played in 43 games due to oblique and groin injuries. He went from the dream center fielder with power to a player in an offensive drought in 2025 to an absent player in 2026.

In the 128 games he’s played from Aug. 1 to May 20, Doyle has combined to hit 21 homers. The year-to-year difference has been rough to witness. In 2024, Doyle, the Rockies fourth-round draft pick from 2019, hit .260/.317/.446 with 23 homers and 72 RBIs with 30 stolen bases in 149 games. Last season, Doyle hit.233/.274/.376 with 15 homers and 57 RBIs with 18 stolen bases in 138 games thanks to a surge at the end of the season.

This season, instead of picking up where he left off in 2025, the downward trend has persisted. In 43 games, Doyle hit .207/.279/.270 with one homer and four RBIs with nine stolen bases. His speed and potential, in the field and at the plate, are undeniable. He remains a valuable player who still could benefit from more time with a new coaching staff and could regain his 2024 form if healthy.

First put on the IL with an oblique strain, Doyle then suffered a groin injury while rehabbing. Doyle is now in his second rehab stint with Triple-A Albuquerque and looking good. It’s a small sample size, but Doyle has gone 2-for-7 with two walks, one RBI and one strikeout in two games (July 23 and 25).

So far, he’s only slotted in the lineup as a DH, so he’ll need more time to test out his body in the outfield before he can rejoin the Rockies. But what happens when Doyle’s rehab assignment is complete and he’s ready to play in the big leagues?

He’ll rejoin a crowded outfield — one that’s been the subject of lots of trade speculation — but one that is also now home to promising rookie Cole Carrigg. The 24-year-old has proven to be a spark at the plate and a solid fielder with range and a powerful arm. He’s also versatile, able to play the rest of the outfield, as well as most of the infield.

Meanwhile, Jake McCarthy has also filled in nicely in the outfield with a knack for making diving plays and the ability to get on base — sometimes all the way around — as seen by his two inside-the-park home runs. With Mickey Moniak, Troy Johnson and Tyler Freeman also in the outfield — where Willi Castro can also play — there are too many outfielders and not enough spaces.

This is not a new problem. It’s just multiplied with offseason acquisitions while prospects, from Jordan Beck to Zac Veen, remain in farm system purgatory with a depth chart that can’t be infiltrated unless someone is traded or the Rockies can expand their roster on Sept. 1.

Doyle still has more to prove in his rehab assignment, but if he continues to play well, the Rockies will have to start making some choices, especially since he could return around the time of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

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Coming off a 15-game winning streak, an 8-2 home stand, 6 series victories in a row, and a 2-1 series win against the Blue Jays to finish that homestand, the Red Sox are riding high. The Sacramento Athletics, one of the teams the Sox needed to pass a few weeks ago, are now 9.0 games back in the Wild Card chase. The Sox hold the second of three AL Wild Cards right now. Their FanGraphs playoff odds are up to nearly 70%.

It’s time for Late Night Baseball, with all four games against the A’s set for 9:40 starts. Don’t worry, next Sunday against the Dodgers the Sox return to a 7:20 first pitch.

The Sox start things off Payton Tolle. Mass Pike wasn’t at his best the last time out, yielding 4 runs in 5.2 innings, but his offense picked him up in a 6-5 victory. 9 Ks and 1 walk is nothing to sneeze at either. He’ll miss his friend. But you can still revel in these two being best buds:

The A’s send Jack Perkins in the first game. A righty form Kokomo, Indiana, where they take it slow, he has a career ERA of 5.77 and a season mark of 6.75. Perkins started the season in the bullpen, was moved to the rotation in June, and the A’s have lost all but one of his starts. The win against the Brewers was a 4.0 inning, 3-run affair which wasn’t exactly sharp. He hasn’t gone more than 5.0 innings or tossed more than 90 pitches this season. It’s a good time to have a strong night for the bats.

Jake Bennett is looking to extend his team (and personal) winning streak to 7. An out away from a quality start, Bennett held the O’s to just 3 runs last time. He’ll face one of two Gages in the majors. Gage Jump is a 23-year-old southpaw who is 11 starts into his MLB career. The A’s have lost his last 6 starts and it’s not hard to see why with runs allowed of 0,5,6,1,4, and 6 and just one start longer than 4.2 innings. Over that time his ERA/FIP has been 8.31/6.57. Over his first 5 starts things looked better: 2.04 ERA, 2.14 FIP.

Patrick Sandoval held the Blue Jays scoreless for 4.2 innings. Since he was activated he’s struck out 13 in 14 innings with 4 walks and 5 hits. He was pushed to 84 pitches the last time out which might be about all the Sox expect from him given the long layoff. The A’s have scored more runs than the Red Sox but are still a below-average offense. Toronto is dead last in runs but his other starts against the White Sox and Rays were against above-average run scoring teams. Jacob Lopez is a lefty who has really struggles this season. While his most recent start against the Twins was solid – 5.0 innings, 0 runs – he’s allowed runs is all but two outings of his 16 games this year (one in relief).

The final game is Sonny Gray’s chance to bounce back. And it comes against an old team! Gray has been solid as can be for Boston this season but had an off day on Saturday against Toronto. The Jays hit him (relatively) hard by his own standards in June as well. The A’s still haven’t announced who will pitch on Thursday. Allowing the second most runs per game, above only the Rockies, it probably won’t be a new ace.

New second baseman (we assume) Curtis Mead will be suited up for the Red Sox!

Catcher Shea Langeliers is out with a torn meniscus, probably for the season, which is a break facing the A’s.

Nick Kurtz is hitting .263/.401/.491 with 20 homers.

The Jeff McNeil bounce-back didn’t happen.

Tyler Soderstrom has been good: .248/.346/.470.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Monday, July 27: Payton Tolle (3.31 ERA / 3.24 FIP) vs. Jack Perkins (6.75 ERA /4.45 FIP)

Tuesday, July 28: Jake Bennett (2.58 ERA / 3.12 FIP) vs. Gage Jump (4.42 ERA / 3.83 FIP)

Wednesday, July 29: Patrick Sandoval (3.21 ERA / 3.04 FIP) vs. Jacob Lopez (6.12 ERA / 5.67 FIP)

Thursday, July 30: Sonny Gray (2.78 ERA / 3.70FIP) vs. TBD (— ERA / — FIP)

When/Where to Watch

Monday, July 27: 9:40 PM ET on NESN

Tuesday, July 28: 9:40 PM ET on NESN

Wednesday, July 29: 9:40 PM ET on NESN

Thursday, July 30: 9:40 PM ET on NESN

The Braves are having fun. Mostly. Probably. They have a top five-ish record in the league both after the All-Star Break, and in July as a whole. No team has scored more runs in July, even though the Braves are just 15th in xwOBA for the month. They haven’t lost a series since the All-Star Break, including exorcising a very specific demon by beating the Padres in a series at home — something they hadn’t achieved since 2018. Now, fresh off a series win after a trio of close, wacky games in Baltimore, they’re off to New York in search of more Ws.

And, as fate has inevitably contorted itself, I have coverage of another Martin Perez start. To be very clear: this was not my original assignment; I switched from tomorrow to today to help scheduling stuff. No, I did not check who was pitching for the Braves. But I think I already knew. Much like Perez’ style of pitching, we are all just marionettes on the erratically-rattled strings of the universe.

Anyway, Martin Perez! He’s had his ups and his downs. He was in the middle of a rough stretch when he was hit on the forearm by a comebacker, and had to miss some time on the Injured List. He came back last week and had a very strange outing against the Padres: four innings, four walks, three strikeouts, and a 1-0 lead when he departed. (The Braves eventually won, 7-6.) It was his fourth start in a row with very poor peripherals, but the defense and the vagaries of his own pitching style and the universe at large bailed him out from suffering any damage in the runs ledger.

On the season, Perez has a 79 ERA-, 107 FIP-, and 101 xFIP- in 85 2/3 innings, which… yeah. Sometimes not everything is undeservedly bad. Sometimes, things are undeservedly good. Hurrah.

As for the Mets, well, they’re kind of just depressing. At 44-62, they have MLB’s third-worst record. They’re 8-12 in July, and recently announced that nearly everyone on their roster is available in trade, though they haven’t actually started moving guys yet. It’s been a tough season in Queens for many reasons, though a big one is a huge offensive xwOBA underperformance that’s made a decent set of inputs translate into some of the league’s worst outputs. In addition, the Mets’ lack of defensive prowess has made their run prevention more of a problem than it’s needed to be.

On the flip side, 24-year-old Zac Thornton, tonight’s scheduled starter, has been a nice story so far in four starts. He wasn’t pitching all that well in the minors before being called up, and had a rough landing in his MLB debut, but then dominated the Phillies in his second try… though the Mets still lost that game, 2-1. He’s then had a couple of weirder outings — zero runs tallied to him (hi, Martin Perez!), but just a 7/3 K/BB ratio in 13 innings. He hasn’t allowed a homer since his debut, so that’s why his line is 47/71/99 (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-). The Mets could use some undeservedly good stuff, too, after how their season has gone.

As a pitcher, Thornton is definitely an odd duck. He’s a cutter-slider-thing-first lefty who generates good “rise” with his not-thrown-that-hard fastballs. He also throws a sweeper that’s much slower than his cutter thing. His command’s been kind of rough, but it’s an in-the-zone rough, so he’s not walking the world, and the ability to use his four-seamer and sweeper as a change-of-pace has helped him survive.

Ronald Acuña Jr. will apparently be back for this game, so that might be more exciting than everything else put together.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Monday, July 27, 7:10 p.m. EDT

Location: Citi Field, Flushing, NY

TV/Streaming: BravesVision

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM

Seattle Mariners @ Texas Rangers

Monday, July 27, 2026, 1:35 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

The Shed

RHP George Kirby vs. RHP Kumar Rocker

Go Rangers!

The MLB trade deadline is officially under a week away, which means that it’s crunch time for the Nats to prove whether or not they deserve to be invested in. They currently sit 2 games above .500 and 1.0 game back of the last Wild Card spot, making these next few series’ as important as they come. This will also be their first test without Curtis Mead after he was dealt to Boston, and the offense will look for someone else to step up and take his place.

Washington’s opponent is the Toronto Blue Jays, a team that is destined to sell at the deadline and still remains 10 games under .500. They’ve gone 3-7 in their last 10 games and are likely to see some major changes to their roster before August 3rd. With Atlanta next on the schedule, now is the time for the Nats to assert their dominance and prove once again that they’re worthy of adding to at the deadline.

Game One – Monday 6:45 PM EST

TOR: RHP Max Scherzer (1-4, 10.23 ERA)

WSH: LHP Andrew Alvarez (2-3, 4.22 ERA)

The future Hall-of-Famer has looked far from that status through 6 games in 2026. Scherzer is closing in on 3,000 innings, and this season could be his last. His arsenal is a far cry from what made him one of the league’s best arms in the 2010s, and teams have jumped all over him this year.

Connelly Early’s addition will force the Nats’ coaching staff and front office to make a few tough decisions on the state of the roster, and Alvarez could be pitching for his spot in the rotation every time he takes the mound. His impressive start has diminished in recent weeks, with his 3 most recent outings resulting in at least 3 earned runs and less than 6.0 innings each.

Game Two – Tuesday 6:45 PM EST

TOR: RHP Shane Bieber (2-1, 4.70 ERA)

WSH: RHP Cade Cavalli (7-4, 3.58 ERA)

Bieber’s start to the season was delayed by an injury that kept him out until late June, and he’s seen a mixed bag of results since returning to the mound. His best 2 outings have come in back-to-back fashion, however, and he enters Tuesday’s game having given up 1 earned run in his last 13.0 innings pitched.

The Washington righty continues to get better in what has turned into a full-fledged breakout season, with July being far and away his most impressive month yet. He’s thrown 6.0 innings and given up 3 runs or less in 5 of his last 6 starts, and the Nationals will look to heavily on him with their rotation set to be shuffled around in the coming days and weeks.

Game Three – Wednesday 1:05 PM EST

TOR: RHP Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.92 ERA)

WSH: RHP Zack Littell (7-8, 5.17 ERA)

Yesavage has seen his fair share of struggles recently, with a 2.56 ERA in May followed up with 4.75 and 6.11 marks in June and July, respectively. He’s been tagged for 12 earned runs across just 17.2 innings in July, and the Nats’ offense will look to continue that trend of subpar performances in the series’ finale.

It’s been a rollercoaster of a month for Littell, with 3 stellar outings sandwiching an 8-run blowup appearance on July 18th against the Athletics. He was able to bounce back with 5.0 innings of 1-run ball in his most recent game, and the Nats will hope that he can continue to get back to what was working earlier in the month.

On Sunday the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame were inducted in Cooperstown, New York. It’s a celebration of a baseball career that made its mark well beyond the impact a player had on an individual team. There are 354 members of the Hall of Fame, including just 281 players. This year’s class of players included Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent.

Kent spent most of his career in the National League, playing for the Mets, Giants, Dodgers and the Houston Astros (back when they were in the Cubs’ division). He had 264 plate appearances against the Cubs, slashing .267/.330/.446 with 10 home runs against Chicago’s NL team. It’s a solid, if unremarkable line. His wRC+ of 101 against the Cubs is almost exactly league average. A worthy adversary, for sure, but not the bod

But yesterday, as Kent was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he invoked Ryne Sandberg, one of the greatest Cubs of all time, as a key influence on him as a second baseman:

"I never had a chance to meet Ryne, but I watched him play every day because I wanted to be like him."

Jeff Kent credits the late Ryne Sandberg for setting the standard for generations of second basemen 💙 pic.twitter.com/E4cZOs6pPw

— MLB (@MLB) July 26, 2026

Kent was choked up as he mentioned the Cubs Hall of Fame second baseman who passed away last year. I was choked up as he noted that Ryne Sandberg not only set the standard for a generation of second basemen, but played with “respect, toughness and a quiet fire.” It made me flash back to Sandberg’s Hall of Fame induction speech, which revolves around the theme of what it means to respect the game.

It was a beautiful day to celebrate the long legacy of baseball, and the newest members of baseball’s most exclusive fraternity. Kent’s remarks were a fitting tribute to the man who set the standard for Cubs fans as well.

Salvador Perez is the new home run king of Royals baseball! All hail the king!

Salvy smacked the 318th home run of his career over the weekend, passing George Brett for the most home runs ever hit by a Royals player. It is just the latest accolade in the long, storied career that has made Salvy an icon in Kansas City.

Now you can celebrate his accomplishment with your own Salvador Perez: Kansas City All-Time Home Run King t-shirt from our partners at BreakingT!

This officially MLBPA licensed shirt is available as adult or youth t-shirt, or hoodie.

Salvy is rising up the all-time home run list for all MLB catchers, and Cooperstown could be calling his name before it is all said and done.

In the meantime, we still get to watch Salvy bash home runs at the K. From all of us at Royals Review, congrats to Salvy, the home run king of Kansas City!

I left for a month and the Twins slightly improved? The team is now 1.0 game away from the final wild card spot and two more series away from the one-year anniversary of the legendary Twins Trade Deadline firesale. It remains to be seen whether we’ll be saying goodbye to any fan favorites next week or hello to new players that are part of the playoff push, but regardless, it should be an eventful week in baseball.

The Twins split a series against the Guardians and took care of business against the A’s, and now face the Royals and Mariners this week. The team could potentially get back to being an above-.500 team and fight for the playoffs. That being said, the team was in a similar spot last year prior to the fire sale, so I wouldn’t hold your breath.

The Past Week on Twinkie Town:

• Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
• We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
• Game threads and recaps are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we experience the season together.
• Jack Purdy sets expectations for Vahn Lackey and how he can contribute to the Twins organization.
• Zach Koenig introduces us to a stat you might not have heard of: plate appearance per pitcher.
• Aidan O’Brien breaks down the most recent season from the FCL Twins.

Elsewhere in Twins Territory:

• Aaron Gleeman provides his primer to the trade deadline and routes that the Twins could take in the next week.
• Chris Schad at Zone Coverage looks at how the Twins could approach the trade deadline without “Fire Sale 2.0”.
• LaVelle E. Neal at the Star Tribune explores the dynamics between the Twins’ “triangle of authority” of Joe Pohlad, Jeremy Zoll, and Derek Shelton.
• Matthew Leach at MLB.com gives a look into the funny dynamic in the Twins clubhouse with four teammates sharing the same wedding date this fall.

In the World of Baseball:

• Tampa Bay leads the AL by three games over the Yankees, who have impressively kept pace despite still not having a timetable for Aaron Judge’s return. The White Sox are leading the AL Central by 2.5 games, and the Rangers lead the AL West by 1.5 games. The top three wild card spots are currently occupied by the Yankees, Red Sox, and Guardians.
• The NL pennant race is now down to the Dodgers and the Brewers, who are separated by a half game, while Atlanta has dropped to 4.5 games behind the Dodgers. The Cubs, Phillies, and Diamondbacks round out the wild card slots. YYes
• Carlos Beltran, Andruw Jones, and Jeff Kent were enshrined on Sunday as part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
• Jesse Rogers at ESPN looks at the potential movers and shakers at the trade deadline.
• Michael Baumann at Fangraphs evaluates the Red Sox – Washington Nationals trade of Connelly Early for Curtis Mead.

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Happy Monday!

A new week is here, and I'm ready to get it going with a trio of MLB player props in the home run market — highlighted by Willson Contreras.

Here are my favorite MLB picks for July 27.

Best MLB home run props today

Home run pick: Willson Contreras (+291)

Athletics RHP Jack Perkins — the fourth-worst-rated pitcher on Batters-Box's current season dataset this evening — has been getting torched by right-handed hitters over his last few starts. 

Across the last 30 righties he has faced, he owns a 3.00 HR/9, 7.50 ERA, and just a 27.3% ground ball rate. Those hitters have produced a .418 xBA, .676 xSLG, and .391 xwOBA against him. Overall, at home this season, right-handed hitters are generating a 38% hard hit rate and a 74% elevation rate.

Enter Boston Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras. One of the hottest and most consistent bats in the lineup, Contreras has posted a .320 batting average, .520 SLG, and .953 OPS over his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching, while generating a 46.7% hard hit rate and 13.3% barrel rate.

I love everything about this matchup, especially with the game being played in Sacramento, where temperatures are expected to be in the mid 90s. It sets up as an ideal environment for the ball to carry.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSCA, NESN

Home run pick: Corbin Carroll (+344)

The heart and soul of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Corbin Carroll, enters Monday in a great spot against Pittsburgh Pirates righty Mitch Keller, who owns a poor pitcher rating on Batters-Box along with a poorly rated matchup ISO.

Carroll carries an elite rating on Batters-Box and boasts one of the highest arsenal coverage marks among all elite-rated hitters on the slate, covering 90.4% of Keller's pitch mix.

Despite Carroll's cold stretch over the last few weeks, I think he is beyond due for a big game. Over his last 30 plate appearances against RHP, he has generated a 58% hard hit rate and 21.1% barrel rate.

He also owns a .500 SLG, .767 OPS, and .308 ISO. When you're hitting the ball that hard, the results will come.

Keller has also been getting hit hard by left-handed batters. Over the last 60 lefties he has faced, they have produced a 44.7% hard hit rate, 12.8% barrel rate, and just a 21.3% ground ball rate. They also own a .382 xBA, .631 xSLG, and .419 xwOBA against him.

Hopefully Corbin sends one over the fence, or even better, legs out a little league home run with his speed. Hey, his triple is at 15-to-1 tonight. Shrug emoji.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SNP, ARID

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Ever since the All-Star break ended, the Braves have faced off against AL West, NL West and AL East opposition. I hope y’all enjoyed the grand tour because it’s over now and the Braves will be staying in the NL East for the next few weeks. 13 of the next 16 games the Braves will play are going to be against NL East opposition and the other three games will be against AL East opposition in the form of the New York Yankees. Needless to say, there won’t be many late nights around here — unless there are rain delays. Don’t come at me for jinxing it either, it’s summer in the South.

Anyways, the Braves are now set to get well acquainted with their usual divisional foes starting this week. Atlanta’s current road trip will end in New York with a three-game series against the Mets while they’ll be returning home to begin a four-game set on Thursday with the Washington Nationals. We know the usual pratfalls when it comes to dealing with these two particular ballclubs but let’s go over them once more in order to get a better idea of what lies ahead for Atlanta this week.

---

July 27-29: New York Mets

Current Record: 44-62 Projected Record (via FanGraphs): 74-88

Well, at least the last time the Braves saw the Mets, they didn’t have too much trouble scoring. The Braves scored 34 runs in four games against New York when they locked horns in Cobb County. That was truly a sight for sore eyes considering how bad the offense had been during the month of June. Still, it was certainly a sign of how things were going for the Braves at that point that they somehow found a way to split that four-game series after the Mets snatched a couple of one-run wins to salvage it.

Juan Soto was a complete and total nightmare for Atlanta to deal with so far this season. In the seven games that they’ve played against the Mets, Soto has racked up five multi-hit games and 12 hits in total, with three of them being homers and 10 RBI to boot. Needless to say, Soto’s absence during this series due to a calf injury will be felt as he’s been one of the main factors keeping New York competitive with Atlanta during this season series so far.

That doesn’t mean that this’ll be smooth sailing for Atlanta’s pitching staff, though. Bo Bichette is still healthy and he’s been just as much a of a nightmare for the Braves to deal with as Soto has been. Bichette has had six multi-hit games against the Braves so far this season with 14 hits in total! He’s also had 10 RBI against the Braves so far as well. New York has scored 36 runs against Atlanta so far and 20 of those RBI have come from two players alone. Good grief. Bichette hasn’t done much since terrorizing the Braves (he hasn’t even homered since June 23) but it would not be shocking if he just suddenly found his plate production again.

So that’s the ballgame, right? Atlanta doesn’t have to deal with Juan Soto and Bo Bichette is the clear danger man here, right? Not exactly. Both Francisco Alvarez and Jared Young have been hot since running into the Braves earlier this month and Alvarez’s performances have apparently resulted in him being “shopped around” by the Mets, so there’s that. Francisco Lindor has been pretty consistent at the plate recently and New York’s been getting some solid contributions from A.J. Ewing lately as well. The Mets can do some damage at the plate on their day, as they’ve proven against the Braves a few times already and they’re coming into this series having tagged the Dodgers for eight runs in a win just yesterday.

The Braves will have to continue to hit the ball well, themselves, if they’re going to actually take care of business against New York for once. Zac Thornton has gotten his big league career off to a fine start so Monday could very well be a challenging situation for Atlanta’s lineup to deal with. With that being said, Atlanta didn’t have too many problems against Tuesday’s starter Christian Scott the last time they saw him and while a lot of Sean Manaea’s poor performance could be contributed to his defense letting him down, Wednesday’s starter certainly hasn’t been imposing, either. The Braves should be able to continue having success against this pitching staff.

This has once again been another closely-fought season series between these two teams and honestly, it wouldn’t be shocking if there was even more drama this time around.

Monday, July 27 at 7:10 p.m ET (BravesVision)
Tuesday, July 28 at 7:10 p.m. ET (BravesVision, Gray TV)
Wednesday, July 29 at 1:10 p.m. ET (BravesVision)

July 30-August 2: Washington Nationals

Current Record: 54-52 Projected Record: 80-82

Guess who has the top wRC+ in all of baseball since May 25? Yep, these guys. Guess who’s tied for the lead in wRC+ in all of baseball for the entire season so far? Yep, these guys again.

James Wood, Luis García Jr., CJ Abrams, Curtis Mead, Nasim Nuñez and Keibert Ruiz have all been performing at either well above-average or simply above-average levels since the last time the Braves faced them. Washington’s offense has been clicking all season and they haven’t really missed a beat at the plate. No matter who the Braves have pitching against these guys, there’s a very good chance that a slugfest could break out at any given moment against this crew. Plain and simple, they’ve been hitting at an elite level all season and at this point in the season, they are completely legit.

It’s also probably easy to guess why this team is still only two games over .500 and projected to finish under .500 despite having a genuinely elite offense. Their pitching is absolutely terrible — that was the case when the Braves played them earlier on this season and it continues to be the case as we get deeper into the season. The only National League pitching staff with an ERA- higher than Washington’s 113 mark is Colorado — and it’s actually pretty close since the Rockies are carrying an ERA- of 115. The Nationals are also carrying the second-worst FIP- in the National League at 111 (the Cubs are actually last at 113). It hasn’t gotten better for Washington since the last time Atlanta saw them, as the Nats have had a 113 ERA- and a 110 FIP- since May 25. This is just a bad pitching staff.

I think that the best way to sum up the 2026 Washington Nationals is a two-game span during their series a couple of weeks ago on the road in Sacramento. In the series opener, the Nats absolutely demolished the A’s in a 23-4 destruction. The very next day, the Nationals got whacked 15-1.

anti-wheeeeee into an anti-wheeeeee! https://t.co/e40TTye5Stpic.twitter.com/4sAAsM2AuD

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 19, 2026

That is this team in a nutshell — one day, they could take you out behind the woodshed for a beatdown and the next day, they could be the ones getting taken out behind the woodshed for a beatdown, themselves. Maybe things will get better for the Nationals once they get Connelly Early back from injury after acquiring him from the Red Sox but for now, Atlanta’s lineup is going to have to match Washington swing-for-swing and they’ll be fully capable of it if the Nationals’ pitching staff performs as advertised.

Thursday, July 30 at 7:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, July 31 at 7:15 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
Saturday, August 1 at 7:15 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
Sunday, August 2 at 1:35 p.m. ET (BravesVision)

The 2026 Yankees feel like they have been bouncing from one crisis to the next. On the heels of Cody Bellinger landing on the injured list (though the injury hopefully isn’t too serious), they suddenly find themselves in need of another outfielder, specifically one who can hit left-handed pitching and plug into the middle of the order.

Without Bellinger and Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ outfield looks a bit like a box of misfit toys. Trent Grisham has been steady, but Jasson Domínguez has continued to teeter on the edge of being an average big leaguer. Spencer Jones has also been less than inspiring, with a batting stance that looks like someone in a Hallmark movie pretending to be a professional baseball player. Super utility man Max Schuemann has held his own, but he is naturally an infielder and does not always look comfortable in the outfield.

Oddly enough, the Yankees’ current outfield actually owns better splits against left-handed pitching than right-handed pitching. Entering Sunday night, Grisham carried a .724 OPS against lefties, Domínguez sat at .740, and Jones, albeit in only 12 at-bats, owned a .774 OPS.

That said, if the Yankees decide they would rather deploy a platoon bat than continue leaning on Schuemann, there is one outfielder who just happens to mash left-handed pitching. According to most around the industry, the Angels are willing to listen on Jo Adell.

So far this season, Adell has posted a .924 OPS in 112 at-bats against southpaws. In 2025, he slashed .277/.346/.585 against lefties compared to .227/.281/.463 against right-handers. It is also worth noting that Adell hit 30 home runs off right-handers last season despite the weaker overall splits against righties, proving the power plays regardless of the matchup.

When it comes to fit, Adell is almost the perfect platoon partner. In many ways, he is what the Yankees hoped Amed Rosario would be against left-handed pitching. If the club wants someone to rotate with Jones for the time being, Adell would make an excellent dance partner.

Defensively, Adell has spent most of this season in right field after splitting his time between right and center in 2025. He is not an elite defender, posting minus-4 Outs Above Average and minus-3 Arm Value this season. However, his 66th-percentile arm strength and 69th-percentile sprint speed suggest he has the physical tools to handle right field at Yankee Stadium, even if the other two outfield spots are less than ideal. Adell is not going to challenge for a gold glove, but he is athletic enough and has a big enough arm to make up for some of his other shortcomings in the field.

Adell also comes with one additional season of team control, making him more than just a rental. That can be viewed as either a positive or a negative. On one hand, the Yankees would have another year to figure out where he fits, potentially using him as a fourth outfielder in 2027. On the other, that extra year of control likely increases the acquisition cost.

The biggest question is what the Angels would actually ask for. Adell is still just 27 years old and will be on a modest contract next season, so Los Angeles has no reason to simply give him away. Factor in the lack of true sellers and the fact that right-handed hitters who mash lefties are always in demand, and Adell is likely to draw interest from several contenders. The Yankees have enough upper-level pitching depth to make that phone call worthwhile, but they will almost certainly have competition.

Adding another bat is very much an immediate need. While Adell may not be the cleanest positional fit, especially once Judge returns, the Yankees simply need offense. Losing Bellinger while Judge is already sidelined created about the worst-case scenario imaginable, and Adell is one of the few available bats whose strengths line up with exactly what the Yankees are missing. If the asking price stays reasonable, this feels like the type of move Brian Cashman has been willing to make at the last several deadlines.