Category: Baseball

At the end of last season, Andrew Alvarez had five really nice starts for the Nats. He did not go that deep into games, but Alvarez proved to be effective with his breaking ball heavy attack. However, I was not fully convinced about the lefty. With a fastball that averaged 91, and middling results at AAA, I thought it was a flash in the pan.

This season Alvarez is proving me wrong one outing at a time. He is still not going deep into games, but he is just getting as many outs as the team needs. On the season, the 27 year old southpaw has a 3.05 ERA and 2.65 FIP in 41.1 innings across 11 appearances and 5 starts. The velocity is more in the 92-93 range and his breaking balls are as sharp as ever.

For a guy who does not throw hard, Alvarez gets a ton of strikeouts. This season, he has 48 K’s in 41.1 innings. He is striking out 27.6% of hitters, which has him tied with Braxton Ashcraft and Reid Detmers, two breakout arms who throw much harder than him. My favorite part of Alvarez’s game is his ability to finish guys off with two strikes. It is a skill that not many arms on this staff have, but he does it super well.

His go-to two strike weapon and his best pitch is his curveball. It is a really sharp curve that he throws quite hard and commands well. His other pitches do not really pop on most stuff models, but stuff+ really likes his curve. Despite not throwing his fastball that hard, his 83 MPH curveball is significantly harder than the average 80 MPH lefty curve. 

Most harder curveballs sacrifice some movement in exchange for the extra power. That is not the case for the Alvarez curve though. He actually gets more drop and break than the average curveball. It is truly a unique pitch and has been getting exceptional results. Batters are hitting .179 with a 35.1% whiff rate on his hook. Of his 48 strikeouts, 30 of them have come on the curveball. With that context, it is no surprise that the curveball is his most used pitch.

The curve is not Alvarez’s only swing and miss breaking ball though. He also has a slider which he throws 26.3% of the time, just 2% less than the curve. The slider comes in at about the same speed, so if you did not know any better, you would think it is a misread curve. However, if you look at the pitch plot, the two pitches have very distinct movement profiles. 

Having two breaking balls at the same speed with different movement is also a unique piece of Alvarez’s arsenal. The slider actually has a higher whiff rate than the curve, but it gets hit harder and he only has 11 strikeouts on the pitch. Here is a neat video of Alvarez getting strikeouts on the slider and the curve though.

It is no secret that Alvarez is a breaking ball reliant pitcher. He throws either the curve or the slider 54.7% of the time. That is his bread and butter, and he knows it. The fact that Alvarez knows himself so well as a pitcher is another strength for him.

The fastball is not a strength of Alvarez’s game, but he mixes in his 4-seamer and sinker just enough. Batters are hitting over .300 on both, but the heaters keep them honest and get a good amount of ground balls. On the season, Alvarez has an elite 55% ground ball rate.

Despite not having a great fastball, Alvarez still has good stuff, just not in the traditional way. His breaking balls grade out well, and he uses that to get strikeouts. He is a good example of a pitcher not having to throw 100 to be a swing and miss guy.

While Alvarez will walk some hitters, his overall command is strong. He does a nice job placing his curveball at or below the bottom of the zone and locating his 4-seamer at the top of the zone. Alvarez also spots his sinker down and into lefties, which is a nice spot to put it. His overall location+ grade is 106, which is better than average. 

Overall, I am very encouraged by Alvarez’s season. The fastball will limit him, and he is not necessarily a guy you want facing hitters 3 times. However, he is a really solid piece in this pitching staff. Moving forward, I think he could have a lot of success in a Brad Lord type role.

We saw Lord and Alvarez team up yesterday, and that is a cool concept. Those two could combine for 7 innings and create a very good starter in the aggregate. While Alvarez does not have the flashy velocity many teams are looking for, he is proving that his spin heavy attack is not a flash in the pan.

Some English soccer fans weren’t done getting their sports fix after their comeback win over DR Congo on Wednesday.

Following Harry Kane’s heroics that sent the Three Lions through to the World Cup Round of 16 in Atlanta in the afternoon, a group of supporters made their way to the Braves game against the Cardinals.

Standing in a section beyond left-center field, the fans threw their support behind Braves center fielder Michael Harris, singing songs like “Walking in a Harris wonderland” and “Baseball’s coming home again with Michael Harris.”

An appreciative Harris threw a ball toward the fans before the start of an inning.

“So it’s my first experience of baseball and we didn’t know what to expect,” an English fan named Nige told Braves TV reporter Wiley Ballard. “And what we’re trying to do is just bring a little bit of English atmosphere to what is obviously a slightly different sport. But it’s amazing, it’s fantastic to see something different. I love the whole build, I love the atmosphere, I love the fact that you guys do something so big. Just to be part of it for one night is really special.”

Harris went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Atlanta’s 5-1 win as the Braves improved to 50-34.

The NL East leaders are 2 1/2 games up on the Phillies entering Thursday.

Every match of the FIFA World Cup will air on either FOX or FOX Sports 1. If you don’t have cable, you can take advantage of a DIRECTV free trial to stream it all.

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Harris, 25, was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2022, when he burst onto the scene by slashing .297/.339/.514 with 19 homers and 64 RBIs.

After a couple of down years offensively, Harris is hitting .293 with an .817 OPS, 14 homers and 44 RBIs in 78 games this season.

England now heads to Mexico City for a daunting match against Mexico at Estadio Azteca on Sunday.

The Cincinnati Reds have lost four straight games overall and all six of the games in which they have played the Milwaukee Brewers so far in 2026, and now they get to face the single most intimidating pitcher on the planet today. Great!

Following yet another late game collapse on Wednesday evening, the Reds are now seven games under .500 and should almost immediately begin going into hibernation mode, the 2027 season (ha) a much more realistic time to be ambitious than this disastrous 2026 one. And now, this Thursday afternoon, they get to face Jacob Misiorowki, who tops the FanGraphs fWAR leaderboard for pitchers so far this season while also topping the fastball velocity readings by nearly 2.5 mph.

Interestingly enough, it’s Cincinnati’s Chase Burns who sits second on that velocity list. Even though he’s 2.4 mph behind the Miz on average, he’s still one of the elite chuckers in the game, and that’s who Cincinnati will send to the bump in this series finale. There’s at least a bit of hope, if not much, that Burns can once again be the guy who stems the tide and gets this moribund franchise pointed back in the correct direction for at least one day.

It’s beyond bleak, folks. 85 games into the season, up against the most dominant arm in the sport, and knowing a loss would sink you a full eight games under the .500 mark? That’s a season-ending scenario just about any way you look at it, even though Nick Krall will point at the injured list and tell you it’ll be just like making a trade.

Cincinnati’s season isn’t just on the brink, it’s leaning over it.

First pitch on Thursday is a 2:10 PM ET matinee. Here’s how the Reds will line up to start:

The 2026 MLB trade deadline is a month away, and Steve Cohen suggested to the New York Post on Wednesday that the Mets will be selling because of their shrinking playoff odds.

But unlike most teams that end up selling this time of year, the Mets will not be doing so in the middle of a full-fledged rebuild. They could use prospects, yes, but they will also need pieces who can help them next year, when they intend to contend again.

Given those circumstances, this Mets deadline will be both complicated and pivotal. We reached out to some rival executives to get an idea of which players contending teams will see as assets and what they might give up for them. 

Here is a very early take on who is most likely to go and what kind of talent the Mets might be able to get in return.

All of this is speculative and subject to change depending on when the Mets sell: If they start selling now, they will find a market low on supply and middling on demand. If they wait until other teams sort out their fates, their assets will be part of a bigger supply, but demand might also be more drastic, too. In other words, stay tuned.

VERY LIKELY TO GO 

LHP Brooks Raley

Raley’s name comes up in almost every conversation about the Mets’ trade deadline. He is an experienced lefty who can handle righties and whose contract is expiring after this season. He is having one of the better seasons of his career, pitching to a 2.32 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 31 innings. The 38-year-old will probably be one of the better relievers available, and certainly one of the better non-closers on the market.

Given that, one could look to a few recent deals to inform a potential return: The optimistic extreme would be the Mets’ deal for Tyler Rogers last season, one in which they sent three prospects, two ranked in their system’s top 15, to the Giants in exchange for the veteran reliever. That might have been a slight overpay, and Rogers consistently ranks among baseball's best in terms of Stuff+ (His 133 is best among all relievers this year, while Raley is tied for 31st).

A more conservative comparison might be the deal the Mets made for Ryan Helsley last year, in which they sent three players to the Cardinals, also including two prospects ranked in their system’s top 15. Both of those deals came closer to the deadline.

LHP A.J. Minter

Minter, like Raley, is an experienced lefty who can also handle righties. Minter, like Raley, will be a free agent after this season. He has not allowed a run in 13 appearances since returning from shoulder surgery this year, has a 3.12 career ERA, and pitched in a World Series-winning bullpen for the Braves in 2021. His 101 Stuff+ does not inspire as much confidence as Raley’s, but his track record and performance should make him appealing to a similar group of suitors. His return seems likely to be less than Raley’s, particularly if teams have concerns about the fact that he is still within a year of major shoulder surgery. But one could spin it this way, too: He has fewer innings on his arm over the last two seasons than just about any proven reliever who will be available, which could make him fresher for October.

SP Freddy Peralta

Peralta struggled again against the Blue Jays on Wednesday, making it three bad starts in his last five. His 4.81 ERA is the worst of his career as a regular starter by nearly a full run, and he is battling his mechanics in ways that appear to be affecting his stuff and on-field morale.

Still, Peralta is a durable starter in a contract year, and because his issues appear to be the result of some inadvertent changes to his delivery early this season, pitching-savvy teams should have reason to believe they can fix him. He is also a good budget option in a starting pitching market that can often be rather costly: He is owed $8 million total this season, meaning any team trading for him would only inherit approximately $2.5 million prorated salary he is owed after the deadline. That would seemingly make him a good option for everyone from big-market teams looking for help to smaller-market teams hoping to bolster rotations without major investment.

Perhaps, obviously, the Mets will not get back what they gave up for Peralta. And his struggles will not help his value. Still, veteran Yusei Kikuchi was traded with a 4.75 ERA in his walk year two years ago, and that deal netted the Astros three prospects that ranked in the Blue Jays’ top 15 at the time, all of whom have since played in the majors. Track record counts for something.

Even in a worst-case scenario, consider the return the Orioles got last year for veteran Charlie Morton, who was more expensive, a decade older and pitching worse than Peralta when they traded him to the Tigers at last year’s deadline. He netted the Orioles a prospect named Micah Ashman, who struck out Cal Raleigh and Roman Anthony in the WBC this spring and has 50 strikeouts in 30 innings in Double-A this year. Proven starters can return value, even if it is not as much as the Mets gave up to get him.

SP Clay Holmes

Given the state of the Mets' rotation heading into 2027, they should probably consider extending Holmes, who was a stalwart for them earlier this season before breaking his leg on a comebacker in May. But if they are not able to do that, they should trade him, and multiple executives pointed to the deal that the Blue Jays made to acquire Shane Bieber last year as a potential template.

Holmes is not currently healthy. He is throwing his first bullpen since his injury this week, and he will need time to build back up to a starter’s workload from there. As such, he might not be available to audition for teams in time for the Aug. 3 trade deadline. If he is, he might not be able to offer much of a sample.

Bieber was even less of a sure thing when the Jays traded for him last year. He had not pitched in a major league game in more than a year and was due back from Tommy John surgery in the last month of the year. Toronto, needing starting depth, traded a respected pitching prospect for him anyway, planning for his return.

Holmes has pitched well more recently than Bieber had. He is not coming back from an arm injury. He is on an expiring contract that will owe him a bit less than $5 million in prorated salary for August and September, which is affordable for a frontline starter, but could be prohibitive for small-market teams. Still, all of that suggests the Mets should be able to get more than the Guardians got for Bieber – and they got a former second-round pick and a top-five prospect from the Jays system in Kahl Stephen.

Stephen needs elbow surgery that has stalled his rise up prospect rankings, but he was pitching to a 3.44 ERA in 12 Double-A starts before the injury.

IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT

RHP Huascar Brazobán

Multiple executives raised Brazobán’s name as one the Mets could consider moving at this deadline, even though he is not on an expiring contract. The formerly volatile righty is compiling the most consistent season of his career, pitching to a 1.94 ERA with a sub-1.00 WHIP in a variety of bullpen roles.

Unlike the other relievers mentioned here, Brazobán is entering his second year of arbitration and will not be a free agent until after the 2029 season. He is, therefore, a more affordable relief option than many available this time of year, which could appeal to contending teams trying to improve their bullpens on a budget. Because of his success this year and that extended team control, any deal for Brazobán should secure the Mets a legitimate prospect or two. If it doesn’t, they do not need to trade him: After all, the 2027 Mets will need cost-controlled relievers, too.

RP Luke Weaver

Multiple executives speculated about the potential availability of Weaver, who has not allowed a run since April 30. He has been one of the best relievers in baseball this season, walking just nine batters while striking out 39 in 36 innings and is maintaining a career-low 0.806 WHIP. He is also under contract through next season at a reasonable top reliever rate of $11 million for 2027 – a price any mid- or big-market team intending to contend next year would happily pay to lock down a bullpen stalwart before an unpredictable offseason.

But the Mets are a team that intends to contend next year, and keeping the pairing of Weaver and Devin Williams intact would mean not having to start from scratch in the bullpen, at least. Both Cohen and David Stearns have acknowledged the possibility that too much roster turnover, implemented too quickly, might have contributed to the 2026 team’s early struggles.

So Weaver’s status likely depends on more variables than, say, Raley's or Minter's. First, it depends on Cohen and Stearns’ goals for this deadline. If they decide they need to salvage as much as they possibly can from this season and strip the roster for every possible asset, Weaver certainly would bring significant value. But neither the owner nor his president of baseball operations has operated in extremes this year.

More likely, the plan for Weaver will depend on how many teams decide to sell and how many elite relievers are available. If supply is sparse, the potential return might help the Mets more in 2027 than Weaver would.

LONGSHOTS

SS Francisco Lindor

Cohen told the Post on Wednesday that he does not see the Mets moving either of their high-priced superstars, Lindor or Soto. That should end 95 percent of all speculation about whether Lindor will be traded. He is on this list for one reason: If the Mets decide they need to recalibrate the heart of the roster – whether due to clubhouse dynamics or multiple years of on-field malaise -- the last five-and-a-half years of Lindor’s $341 million contract are still easier to shop than the billions and eons remaining on Soto’s.

Could a team in need of a long-term middle infield solution and a middle-of-the-order bat decide Lindor is better than what will be available to them in the free-agent market? Or that cost certainty on a player of his caliber is an asset heading into the lockout? That does not seem impossible, particularly for a POBO with a history of trading big, veteran contracts for one another like Stearns did with Brandon Nimmo and Marcus Semien.

Still, Lindor is an extremely valuable hitter at his position who has committed himself to New York and proven himself capable of handling ups and downs here. It is not easy to envision the kind of deal that would inspire Cohen to part with him, let alone to shop him while planning to win again in 2027.

SP Sean Manaea

In keeping with the idea that all starting pitchers with any recent history of success qualify as treasured assets this time of year, Manaea is a starting pitcher with some recent history of success. Some team might be willing to bet his revived velocity, 3.53 ERA, and 3.16 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) marks since May 22 are representative of the pitcher he will be for the remaining year and a half of his three-year contract – or that they can make him even better.

But given how much he struggled early in the season, and the fact that he still has one-year remaining on a three-year, $75 million deal, he seems likely to appeal to a smaller group of high-payroll teams – unless the Mets want to pay down his contract. Then again, they will also need starters in 2027, not to mention down the stretch in 2026.

OF Tyrone Taylor

Right-handed hitting outfielders are notoriously hard to find, and Taylor is an excellent defender who provides credible at-bats as a fourth outfielder. He is making $3.8 million this year, so even at a prorated price, teams could likely find cheaper options. But the free-agent-to-be is known as a strong defender and could potentially fit a contender needing a veteran on the bench.

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The Texas Rangers have won six of the last seven and are -120 favorites to come out on top against the Detroit Tigers tonight.

My Tigers vs. Rangers predictions and MLB picks see value in backing them to slow a Detroit team coming off a sweep over New York.

Who will win Tigers vs Rangers today: Rangers moneyline (-115)

Nathan Eovaldi has posted an xERA of 2.11 or lower in three consecutive starts while striking out 24 batters.

His strong run of form should continue against the Detroit Tigers, who rank 21st in both OPS and OBP vs. right-handed pitching.

The Texas Rangers have a better matchup against Framber Valdez. Although he has pitched better of late, this is a spot where we could see a hiccup.

The Rangers lead the majors in batting average and sit second in wOBA against lefties since June 1. They should provide Eovaldi with enough support to get a win. 

Play this up to -125.

COVERS INTEL:Eovaldi ranks in the 93rd percentile in chase rate, which should serve him well against a Detroit team with the seventh highest strikeout percentage vs. righties.

Tigers vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7 (+100)

Eovaldi has started six games over the last two months against teams striking out at a Top-10 clip. He's averaged well over six innings while posting a 2.56 ERA.

Playing in a pitcher’s park against a strikeout-heavy team missing one of its most productive bats against righties (Gleyber Torres), he should fare well.

Valdez owns a 3.23 ERA over the past month and has opponents hammering balls in the dirt, sporting a ridiculously high 63.5 GB% along the way.

Runs should be hard to come by, making the Under an appealing play up to -110.

Tigers vs Rangers weather

Tigers vs Rangers odds

• Moneyline: Tigers +100 | Rangers -120
• Run line: Tigers +1.5 (-210) | Rangers -1.5 (+170)
• Over/Under: Over 7 (-120) | Under 7 (+100)

Tigers vs Rangers trend

The Rangers have cashed the Under in 24 of the last 40 home games for +8.95 units and a 21% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Rangers.

How to watch Tigers vs Rangers and game info

Tigers vs Rangers latest injuries

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2026 MLB Draft Preview: Jack Natili scouting report.

The 2026 is less than two weeks away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.

Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at University of Cincinnati catcher Jack Natili.

Jack Natili is a 6’3”, 198 lb. righthanded hitting catcher for the University of Cincinnati. Natili went undrafted int 2023 out of high school in Pennsylvania, and played for Rutgers as a freshman before transferring to Cincinnati, where he’s played the past two seasons. A junior, Natili turned 21 in March.

Offensively, Natili is a power-over-hit guy. He has a swing that is geared towards getting the ball in the air, helping him make the most of his plus power. However, his swing is described as getting long, and he can have problems catching up with fastballs. He is described as making good swing decisions, so his issues are less about chasing pitches out of the zone and more about making contact often enough with pitches in the zone.

Defensively, Natili has a plus arm which is perhaps his biggest asset behind the plate. He’s described as having made strides in his work behind the plate, though he’s not considered a particularly strong blocker or receiver of pitches. Nonetheless, he is expected to be able to stick behind the plate. As is the case with most catchers, he has below-average speed.

Natili hit .230/.386/.367 in 183 plate appearances for Rutgers as a freshman, striking out 32 times and walking 12 with 5 homers. As a sophomore for Cincinnati, Natili slashed .338/.451/.556 in 244 plate appearances, striking out 53 times and walking 30 times with 9 homers. He took a big step forward power-wise this year, hitting 19 homers in 276 plate appearances while slashing .339/.424/.674, with 29 walks against 56 Ks.

Baseball America has Natili at #58 on their board. MLB Pipeline has Natili at #87 on their board. Kiley McDaniel puts Natili at #71 on his top 150 list. Keith Law does not have Natili on his board. Fangraphs does not have Natili on their board. Baseball Prospectus does not have Natili on their top 30 draft board.

Catchers are always in demand. Power is always in demand. Thus, catchers with power are always going to be attractive to teams.

Natili is seen as someone who is always going to have a lot of swing and miss in his game, with the question offensively being if he can handle velocity well enough for him to utilize his power, rather than just being blown away by professional pitchers at the upper levels. The possibility is strong enough for him to likely go somewhere in the second through fourth rounds.

Previously:

Liam Peterson

Tyler Bell

Aiden Robbins

Jared Grindlinger

Logan Reddemann

Cooper Harris

Justin Lebron

Cameron Flukey

Derek Curiel

Hunter Dietz

Logan Hughes

Carson Wiggins

Peyton Bonds

Ace Reese

Sawyer Strosnider

Gio Rojas

Chris Rembert

Worcester: W, 6-5 (BOX SCORE)

On Wednesday against the Mets, Brayan Bello had a start. It was… a start. It was fine. He allowed three runs, went five innings, throwing 50 strikes on 81 pitches, struck out six and didn’t walk anyone. The pitching staff as a whole hurled fourteen strikeouts and, aside from Noah Song, were all huge in high-leverage situations. Allan Castro again played hero, hitting what would become the game-winning RBI single last night. This is the second consecutive game that the outfielder was instrumental in a win.

Portland: W, 7-6 (BOX SCORE)

I mean… at what point is it enough of a sample size to admit that Franklin Arias can hit this level of pitching and that it’s time to evaluate his bat at the next level? Yesterday against Altoona (Pirates AA) he hit a home run for the second consecutive game, the third such time he’s had a home run streak, as he’s now at 17 homers on the season. He’s slashing .329/.414/.606. I mean, come on now.

Brooks Brannon’s bat woke up with a bases-clearing double. The team surpassed a slumping Hayden Mullins getting hit to death and managed to win having had just five knocks on the night.

Greenville: L, 4-12 (BOX SCORE)

Luke Heyman led the charge with his seventh home run of the season, but there was simply too much Winston-Salem (White Sox High-A) offense to overcome. Jojo Ingrassia couldn’t go any longer in this game but pitched solidly enough overall for five innings. The bullpen, though, let a ton up, unable to hold the 4-2 lead they had after six innings, and this game just wasn’t winnable after an 8-run 8th inning for the Dash.

Salem: L, 0-1 (BOX SCORE)

Feels like a Red Sox game, doesn’t it? The pitching staff allowing just two hits to the Green Jackets (Braves A). Avinson Pinto matched that total himself, but all four Salem hits were singles, and the RidgeYaks couldn’t advance any runners and also couldn’t draw any walks. Tough to win a baseball game in that capacity no matter how good the pitching is.

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The Chicago White Sox have won six of the last nine and are priced at -110 to come out on top in tonight's series opener.

My White Sox vs. Guardians predictions and MLB picks suggest the road team should be favored against a Cleveland team missing its best player.

Who will win White Sox vs Guardians today: White Sox moneyline (-110)

Slade Cecconi has allowed six runs over his last five starts and managed a 1.88 ERA, despite a 3.97 xFIP and 4.02 FIP. 

Opponents hit an unsustainably low .229 on balls put in play over the past month. Even more unsustainable is that he has stranded 93.3% of baserunners, which is miles above his 71% career average.

The Chicago White Sox rank ninth in ISO and 12th in wOBA vs. righties since June 1, making them a strong candidate to bring Cecconi back to earth.

Back the White Sox up to -120.

COVERS INTEL:Slade Cecconi ranks in the 24th percentile in expected batting average allowed.

White Sox vs Guardians Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-110)

This total is half a run too high. Cecconi has not pitched as well as his numbers suggest, but it’s not as if he should be getting shelled. He simply deserves middling results rather than high-end. In a pitcher’s park, I don’t think he’ll get blown up entirely.

The Cleveland Guardians are missing a couple of key bats, and it shows. They rank 24th in wOBA and 29th in ISO against righties at home since June 1.

Davis Martin has allowed only five runs through six starts against Bottom-10 teams in OPS vs. right-handed pitching. Bet the Under to -125.

White Sox vs Guardians weather

White Sox vs Guardians odds

• Moneyline: White Sox -110 | Guardians -110
• Run line: White Sox -1.5 (+150) | Guardians +1.5 (-175)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)

White Sox vs Guardians trend

The White Sox have cashed the moneyline in 26 of their last 45 games (+9.4 units, 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Guardians.

How to watch White Sox vs Guardians and game info

White Sox vs Guardians latest injuries

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Team News

D-backs’ undefeated run vs. Giants ends as Gallen searches for answers
“Zac was really good for the early parts of this game,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I thought he was driving his fastball into the right parts of the zone.”

Said Gallen, “I felt like we were pretty much in control.”
……………………………………………………….
“I think I had said a while back, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good in this game,” Gallen said. “Like, right now I’m on neither side of the coin, so it’s kind of frustrating. I felt like any time I made a mistake, the ball was [hit] for damage or leaving the ballpark.”

https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zac-gallen-gives-up-six-runs-as-d-backs-lose-to-giants

Diamondbacks’ win streak over Giants couldn’t last forever

“We’re not gonna quit on Zac,” manager Torey Lovullo said postgame. “No coach is gonna quit on him. I know he’s struggling and he’s gonna continue to fight because that’s his spirit … It’s not working the way we want it to for him, I’ll acknowledge that, but he can pay us unbelievable dividends if he gets on one of his runs.” https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/giants-win-streak-ends

Diamondbacks’ Historic Streak Against Giants Finally Comes to an Endhttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/diamondbacks-historic-streak-giants-finally-comes-end

Diamondbacks Injured Catcher to Begin Rehab Assignmenthttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/diamondbacks-injured-catcher-rehab-assignment-mccann

Diamondbacks prospect Kayson Cunningham named to NL Futures Game rosterhttps://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/diamondbacks-prospect-kayson-cunningham-named-to-nl-futures-game-roster

Other Baseball

MLBPA seeks larger roster sizes, demotion protection in proposal https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49240289/mlbpa-labor-proposal-seeks-bigger-roster-size-demotion-protection

MLBPA Proposes Changes To Roster Rules In CBA Talkshttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/07/mlbpa-proposes-changes-to-roster-rules-in-cba-talks.html

Team-by-team breakdown of every player headed to Futures Game
https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/each-team-s-prospects-headed-to-2026-futures-game?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

Pirates SP Paul Skenes gets tagged for career-worst 7 earned runs vs. Phillieshttps://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/pirates-sp-paul-skenes-gets-tagged-for-career-worst-7-earned-runs-vs-phillies-004832134.html

Rays star Junior Caminero extends streak, becomes youngest player since at least 1900 to hit home run in 6 straight games

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/breaking-news/article/rays-star-junior-caminero-extends-streak-becomes-youngest-player-since-at-least-1900-to-hit-home-run-in-6-straight-games-002346617.html

Rays ‘running out of words’ to describe Caminero after tying franchise markhttps://www.mlb.com/news/junior-caminero-ties-franchise-record-and-homers-in-sixth-straight-game

Dansby Swanson hits 3 homers, 8 RBIs as Cubs torch Padres 23-3https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49242842/dansby-swanson-hits-3-homers-8-rbis-cubs-torch-padres-23-3

Orioles Trade Kyle Nicolas To Nationals

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/07/orioles-trade-kyle-nicolas-to-nationals.html

A’s dealt a blow as Rooker set to undergo season-ending knee surgery
https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/brent-rooker-out-for-season-will-undergo-knee-surgery

Blue Jays, alumni invest $300K in Canada’s baseball future
https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-alumni-grow-baseball-canada-donations

The most iconic baseball card from every era in trading card history
https://www.mlb.com/news/most-iconic-baseball-cards-in-american-history

Anything Goes

This day in history:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-2

This day in baseball:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/July_2

Soda fountain workers were called soda jerks

The workers were called soda jerks because of the jerking motion used to pump soda water.

The holes in spaghetti spoons have a purpose.

The single, circular hole in the middle of pasta spoons isn’t just for draining. It is actually a measure for the serving size of spaghetti. The amount of dry spaghetti that fits snug in the hole counts as one serving. 

A group of frogs is called an army.

They can also be called a chorus or colony. A group of toads, on the other hand, can be called a nest or a knot. 

Since the 4th doesn’t fall on “my day,” have a fun and safe July 4th! Or Treason Day either, or. My mom graduated high school in the bicentennial year.

Morning, all!

Corey Seager is back on the IL less than a week after returning from a concussion and less than a month after another back related injury.

This is the third trip to the IL for Seager this season and the ninth in the five years he’s been in Texas with five years and $155 million still left on his contract.

Wyatt Langford and Brandon Nimmo are also dealing with injuries right now.

Chris Martin made a rehab appearance with AA Frisco on Wednesday on his way back from a shoulder impingement.

Morale is high despite all the injuries, with the Rangers wrapping up a 7-3 road trip even with crucial missing pieces.

Cleveland beat the Rangers 9-4 yesterday, snapping the Rangers’ longest road win streak since 2017.

They did it. They actually did it: The Giants finally beat the Diamondbacks.

The win feels a bit like finding a crumpled up dollar in your pocket after getting mugged for your wallet and phone. Less of a win, more of “not a total loss”, but the Giants will take it. These small victories are what they’re playing for as the calendar flips to July and speculation abounds before the trade deadline. Unabashed sellers, they enter the market with trench coat fully open, rattling their wares: “Franchise cornerstones, here. Get yur cornerstones here. 100% authentic, no-doubt, real-deal cornerstones here!”

In this weird purgatorial state, all the Giants have is the day. This is the team until it’s not the team anymore. As a member of the roster, you have to find other things to play for: individual achievement, camaraderie, development of skill, love of the game (hopefully), proof you belong, to avoid total embarrassment.  

Saving face — that’s a big one. Dropping to 0-9 to the Diamondbacks, three consecutive series sweeps to a division rival that was formed in the90’s…that would’ve been too much to bear.  Then there’s right-hander Trevor McDonald, who needed to kick dust at a June in which he went 0-4 with a 5.73 ERA. Or Heliot Ramos, who missed 37 games due to a hamstring injury, and returned a stranger, needing to reintroduce himself to the fanbase and reassert his claim to an outfield spot. 

Both starter and outfielder did what they needed to do on Wednesday evening to help themselves and help the team. McDonald threw 6 shutout innings, allowing just one-hit and striking out 5, while Ramos powered the offense with a homer and RBI triple in the 6-4 win.

The only baserunner McDonald allowed was a lead-off single to Ketel Marte in the 4th. He leaned heavily on his sinker (56% usage) to set up his slider and change-up. The offspeed particularly shone — bagging three of his five K’s, generating 6 whiffs on 10 swings. But the major personal triumph of the night: zero free passes handed out. McDonald’s last walk-less outing was his first of the year on May 4th. He walked 13 batters over five starts in June with a 1.73 WHIP.  Wild pitches and hit batters exacerbated issues and shortened his starts. Things were sloppy. At times, he looked in over his head, lacking the composure needed to stay afloat in the Majors.

McDonald had that composure on Wednesday when Arizona’s hitters forced him to work. Ketel Marte started the game with an 8-pitch at-bat. He fouled off three pitches, pushed the count to 3-2 before flailing over the top of a slider. Later in the 1st, McDonald put himself in a 3-0 hole to Corbin Carroll before pumping three sinkers into the zone — Carroll didn’t move his bat once. In the 4th with two-outs and Marte on third in a scoreless game, McDonald jumped out to an 0-2 advantage against Gabriel Moreno, who then didn’t bite at any three baited offerings off the plate. Count full, with the threat of Arizona’s pesky offense breaking through once again, McDonald kept challenging the zone, and he finally got Moreno swinging at a change-up after three fastballs.  

The very next pitch thrown in the game Heliot Ramos rocketed over the wall in center field.

427 111 MPH off the bat, landing 427 feet from the plate — the shot was Ramos’s sixth of the year, his second since his return from the IL, and also broke-up an impressive scoreless outing by Zac Gallen.

The Giants offense had managed a single single off of Gallen over the first four innings. Ramos’s homer sparked a string of four hits, including a Victor Bericoto 2-run homer. In the 5th, after Gallen recorded the first two outs by way of the K, Rafael Devers worked a walk before Ramos nearly took Gallen deep again with a deep flyball that bounced off the top of the right-field wall and back into play. The RBI triple fueled another series of hits: Jung Hoo Lee pulled a single through the infield to plate Ramos, and two batters later, came around to score himself on Drew Cavanaugh’s single. 

A pair of three-run rallies gave San Francisco a six run lead, which proved stable enough to survive a barrage of singles and some general defensive sloppiness at Ryan Walker’s expense in the 8th. Dylan Smith mopped up the mess and Caleb Kilian turned in a stress-free 1-2-3 9th. 

The Giants have been done in by the desert, lost and lifeless as they’ve wandered in the unbroken heat. Nine games in, dehydrated and down-trodden, this team finally found a slice of shade.

A minor relief — but that’s what this team is playing for.      

The San Diego Padres are heading to Dodger Stadium, which has become their house of horrors.

Rarely do the Padres play their best baseball in LA

Since 2021, the Padres have a 16-33 record (.327 winning percentage) against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. After an embarrassing three days in Chicago, the Friars arrive in Tinseltown for their first series of the season inside Dodger Stadium. They hope to exorcise the demons that caused them despair from seasons past.

Keep in mind, the Dodgers hold a +55-run differential against the Padres at Dodger Stadium since 2021. It has allowed them to leverage their home-field advantage over their chief rival. 

Often, the Friars’ defense self-destructs in Los Angeles, as the Dodgers take full advantage of the team’s mistakes for easy victories. 

San Diego cannot get over the 2024 NLDS defeat

The Friar Faithful have suffered through so many disappointing losses inside Dodger Stadium. But none is bigger than the 2-0 shutout in Game 5 of the 2024 National League Divisional Series. What sunk their hearts was an 8-0 Whitewash in Game 4 at Petco Park. 

The Padres were up 2-1 heading into the contest and looking to send the Dodgers home for the holidays. Losing that divisional series has left an indelible mark on the franchise that has been impossible to remove. 

Those 24 consecutive shutout innings to close out the series may have been the start of the team’s struggles at the plate. 

What is next in the season series

All of their games this season have been played in San Diego, as Los Angeles holds a 4-2 mark in the season series and a 13-game lead in the NL West standings. The crushing defeats have tested the Friar Faithful’s patience to cheer for a directionless, struggling ballclub. 

The bats are slumping, and they cannot be buried by the Dodgers once again. The lineup has to show some signs of life. They cannot fade quietly into the night. The Padres have to breathe more life into their season because it is on life support. 

No one is asking for a series sweep, but the Friars have to change their fortunes by playing smart baseball and winning a couple of games. 

The roster needs to treat Dodger Stadium as another road site on the schedule. The field conditions are ideal for getting on a winning streak.

With the first half of the minor league season over, I thought it would be a good time to evaluate the state of the Royals’ farm system. While the organization has developed a few stars like Bobby Witt Jr., and Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen are off to good starts, they have struggled to develop a roster of homegrown players that can win.

Most observers still rate the system in the bottom third in the league, and I don’t think developments this summer have changed that status. There is more higher end talent in the farm system than there has been in years, but the depth tails off very quickly. First-round draft picks like Frank Mozzicato and Gavin Cross have failed to pan out and frankly, wouldn’t be rostered anymore if they didn’t have their draft pedigree.

On the other hand, the Royals have several intriguing pitching prospects climbing prospect rankings, and their recent international signing classes are producing more talent than we’ve seen from the organization in quite some time.

You can see the mid-season prospect list I put together last year, with Carter Jensen and Luinder Avila having graduated from prospect status since then. Here is my stab at a midseason top 30 prospect list for 2026.

30. 3B Derlin Figueroa

The Royals acquired Figueroa from the Dodgers in 2023 in a deal for pitcher Ryan Yarbrough. His power has really developed nicely, and he has 15 home runs in just 63 games at Quad Cities. He is a bit old for the league and should probably move up soon, and his 30 percent strikeout rate is a bit of a red flag.

29. OF Corey Cousin

The Royals lured Cousin away from Oklahoma with an overslot signing in 2024, and the toolsy outfield has begun to hit this year in his first pro season. The 19-year-old right-handed hitter is batting .308/.439/.477 with 11 steals in the Arizona Complex League.

28. LHP Darwin Rodriguez

Rodriguez had an amazing strikeout-to-walk ratio in the Arizona Complex League and held his own upon a promotion to Low-A this year. He has built on that performance this year with a 4.43 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 67 innings in his second season with the Fireflies. He features a big breaking ball that should dominate at lower levels.

27. 1B Brett Squires

Squires went undrafted out of Oklahoma, and had done nothing but hit since joining the Royals. He has smacked an organization-best 16 home runs while hitting .293/.366/.570 across Double-A and Triple-A. He doesn’t walk much, and although he plays some outfield, he is mostly limited to first base. There are a lot of guys at the Triple-A level who show these kind of numbers only to fail to hit big league pitching, but if the Royals continue to struggle, why not give him a shot?

26. RHP Hiro Wyatt

Wyatt showed a lot of promise last year in Low-A, and while his ERA improved in a second tour there this year, his peripherals have taken a turn for the worse. Even more discouraging, he has been out since mid-May due to an undisclosed injury and is on the 60-day IL. There is still a lot of time for the 21-year-old, but these aren’t the first injury issues he has had.

25. LHP Jordan Woods

Woods was an undrafted free agent out of Ontario, Canada and doesn’t appear on many prospect lists, but at some point, results have to matter. He struck out 14 of the 18 batters he faced over six perfect innings in one start earlier this season and dominated the Carolina League with a 1.80 ERA in 35 innings. He was older than much of his competition, so his promotion to High-A should provide a better test of whether he’s truly a hidden gem or simply taking advantage of younger hitters.

24. RHP L.P. Langevin

Injuries limited Langevin last year, but he has returned to strike out a ridiculous 45 percent of all batters he has faced this year. He also has 25 walks in 31.1 innings as a 22-year-old in High-A, which is not ideal. The Quebecois native has tremendous spin on his fastball, but will need to develop control to be a factor.

23. RHP Eric Cerantola

The streak of Canadian pitchers continues. Royals fans have seen a glimpse of Cerantola, and he what you see is what you get – a live arm that can strike hitters out, but walks too many to be very effective. He can throw in the mid-90s with a decent slider, but needs far better command to stick in the big leagues.

22. RHP Blake Wolters

We continue our streak of pitchers who miss bats, but can’t find the strike zone. Wolters flat out dominated Low-A ball with a 1.65 ERA this year, but upon a promotion to High-A, the walks have piled up. He has a 12.35 ERA in eight starts with 24 walks in just 31.1 innings. He has had shoulder issues in the past that have limited his development, and the clock is ticking on the 21-year-old.

21. SS Ramcell Medina

Medina was a big international signing last year and was named a Dominican Summer League All-Star. He has struggled with the bat there this year, but is just 18 years old, so he has plenty of time to develop.

20. SS Warren Calcaño

Calcaño was the big signing in last year’s international class as a glove-first shortstop. He hit well in the Dominican League in his first pro season, but has struggled this year. Just 18 year old, he is very wiry and will need to add strength to his frame to be any kind of offensive threat.

19. SS Daniel Vazquez

Vazquez is a glove-first shortstop who could be interesting if his bat develops a bit. His bat exploded in the advanced Arizona Fall League last year, generating excitement that perhaps his offensive game was coming around, but he is hitting just .248/.31/.331 in 66 games at Double-A this year.

18. SS Austin Charles

Charles has had a very up-and-down pro career, and is the definition of a high variance prospect. The 22-year-old had a rough 2025 season, but rebounded to hit .306/.377/.491 with three home runs and eight steals in 30 games at High-A this year. In May, he suffered hip and abdominal ligament issues, requiring surgery that will keep him out at least two months. He brings a great power/speed combo, but has had some problems staying on the field.

17. C Moises Marchán

Marchán comes from a baseball family – his cousin Rafael plays for the Phillies. He was a high dollar signing in the 2025 international draft class and has done nothing but hit. He is hitting .339 in the Arizona Summer Complex League, although he hasn’t developed any power to speak of yet. The 18-year-old runs very well for a catcher and could develop more strength as he grows.

16. RHP Drew Beam

Beam was selected in the third round as a polished college pitcher after winning a championship at Tennessee in 2024. He had a solid season in High-A this year, but has struggled a bit with a 6.86 ERA in Double-A. He struggled to strike hitters out last year and his rate has only decreased this year, while his pinpoint control has worsened as well. He’ll need to reestablish his ability to throw strikes, but he has a deep arsenal that can help him avoid hard contact.

15. RHP Ben Kudrna

Kudrna is a Kansas City-area kid the Royals signed overslot as a second round pick in 2021. He struggled to put hitters away at lower levels, but significantly improved his strikeout rates last year, and he had a solid 4.21 ERA at Double-A. His fastball has been pretty hittable, although the Royals have worked with him to tweak it. He underwent elbow surgery in April, which will likely keep him out most, if not all of this season.

14. RHP Cameron Millar

Millar was an overslot signing selected in the third round of the 2025 draft out of high school. He has pitched a few games in the Arizona Complex League and has an eye-popping 21 strikeouts and just 3 walks in 14.2 innings. He has a mid-90s fastball that can run up to 97, but needs refinement in his secondaries. He’s a good project for the Royals pitching development team, and we could see him assigned to Low-A soon.

13. CF Asbel Gonzalez

Gonzalez is one of the best base-stealers in professional baseball, swiping 117 bases over the last two years, second-most of any player. He has very little power, although he does seem to be hitting the ball with a bit more authority this year, and he has already hit three home runs this year – he had only hit two his entire career prior to this year. He can draw some walks, but with his lack of power, he seems unlikely to do so at higher levels. Right now he projects to be the future designated pinch runner the Royals love to employ, but if he can develop just a modicum of pop he could become interesting.

12. CF Carson Roccaforte

Roccaforte just seems to hit at each level, showing power, speed, and a decent eye, while playing a premium defensive position in centerfield. He is hitting .236/.332/.468 with 15 home runs at Double-A this year, and has seemingly conquered the level in 118 games over the last two years there. The knock on the lefty bat is his strikeout rate – he’s whiffing 32 percent of the time. If he can cut down on that, he has a chance to break into a Royals outfield that is thin on talent.

11. RHP Felix Arronde

Arronde has gotten pretty good results at each level, and while his ERA has taken a bit of a hit at Double-A this year, his peripherals have improved. He features a fastball in the mid-90s, but had a pretty low strikeout rate in High-A last year. This year, however, he has significantly boosted his strikeout rate while also cutting his walk rate, an encouraging sign that his stuff is playing better against more advanced hitters. He has some pretty good downward action on his pitches, particularly his curve, and he could be a guy whose stuff plays better in the bullpen.

10. SS Yandel Ricardo

There is a noticeable gap between the top ten prospects and the rest of the system. Ricardo was a high-dollar signing out of Cuba in 2024 known for his glove. He has developed a solid bat, and after a slow start at Low-A last year, he is hitting .252/.325/.406 with five home runs at age 19 this year. He has added some strength this year, and it seems to be paying off with more power. He does not seem to be overly aggressive, taking some free passes, and using his speed on the bases.

9. CF Angeibel Gomez

The Royals have developed a decent pipeline of talent from Venezuela, and Gomez is the latest product of that system. Signed for $2.9 million in this year’s international signing period, Gomez is a potential five-tool player that already stands 6’2” at age 17. He is dominating in the Dominical Summer League, exhibiting power, speed, and a patient eye. He’s a long way from the big leagues, but he has the kind of upside that could make him a star one day.

8. RHP Michael Lombardi

Lombardi was a two-way player at Tulane and was often used as a reliever, so he doesn’t have a ton of mileage on his arm. The Royals have used him as a starter and he has dominated at Low-A with a whopping 86 strikeouts in 55.1 innings. He has struggled a bit with walks and he is a bit old for that level, which allows you to get away with shaky command at times. The Royals have been working with him to develop his secondaries, and his refinement of those pitchers will likely determine if he makes an impact at higher levels.

7. CF Sean Gamble

Gamble was the 23rd overall pick for the Royals in the first round of the 2025 draft out of high school who was praised for being a polished hitter with great speed. The Royals have moved the former shortstop to center field, but he has struggled in his first season of pro ball, hitting .183/.294/.270 with three home runs in 68 games at Low-A. He has an encouraging 10.8 percent walk rate, has 19 steals, and shows surprising power at times. Still, I thought he was a bit of a reach with a limited ceiling for a prep player at the time he was drafted, and he has done nothing to dissuade me of that yet.

6. C Ramon Ramirez

Ramirez seemed like a man among boys at Low-A Columbia last year, and he has only increased his offensive production at High-A this year. Hitting .286/.363/.478 with 10 home runs in 65 games this year, Ramirez is one of the best power bats in the organization. He isn’t a very big hitter, but he has a compact swing and gets everything out of it. Ramirez is a convert to catching, and while he has made some strides, he is something of a work-in-progress.

5. LHP Justin Lamkin

Lamkin went from Texas A&M to High-A ball this year, and after flat-out dominating in six starts, the Royals aggressively promoted him to Double-A. He struck out 15 hitters in 11.1 innings over two starts with just three walks, but was shut down and put on the 60-day Injured List, with an undisclosed injury. That’s a disappointing setback in what looked like a meteoric rise for the 22-year-old. Lamkin only throws in the low-90s but has a funky, deceptive delivery that could play as a reliever if he can’t cut it as a starter. Depending on the severity of his injury, he could be a contributor in the big leagues pretty soon, although his ceiling is probably a bit limited due to the lack of a plus pitch.

4. C Blake Mitchell

The power that Mitchell lost from his hamate bone injury a year ago has seemed to return. He has slugged 13 home runs in 68 games and seems likely to surpass a career high as a pro. That’s good! He also continues to draw walks unlike any other player in the organization – 73 free passes for a 24 percent walk rate. That’s great!

What is concerning is that he is striking out a 35 percent clip and hitting .210 in his second season in High-A ball. Other high school hitters from his draft class – Max Clark, Walker Jenkins, Colt Emerson, Arjun Nimmala – are already at Double-A or higher, so I suspect Mitchell could get moved up soon. He will need to adjust his approach at higher levels where opposing pitchers throw more strikes, but it is encouraging to see some pop out of him.

3. SS/3B Josh Hammond

Hammond was the 28th overall selection in last year’s draft, and while he was the second player the Royals selected, I liked him a lot more than Gamble. Hammond provides the kind of raw power the Royals need in their lineup, and has seemingly adjusted to wood bats quite well. In 69 games at Low-A, he is hitting .293/.354/.431 with five home runs.

Still just 19 years old, Hammond’s frame really hasn’t filled out and you could project more power onto him as he ages. He shows a decent eye at the plate for a high school draftee, and has 18 steals already. I think his future is at third, but he has split time between short and third this year.

2. LHP David Shields

The Royals have long struggled developing high school pitchers, but David Shields could be an indication that is changing. The former second-round pick had an eye-popping strikeout-to-walk ratio last year, and has picked up where he left off last season. In 14 starts at Quad Cities this year, he has 74 strikeouts to 20 walks in 64 innings and opponents are hitting just .214/.296/.362 against him. Shields doesn’t blow hitters away with velocity – he throws in the low-90s – but he commands his pitches well and has developed some plus secondary pitches. Whether or not that combo will play at higher levels remains to be seen, but the 19-year-old is currently getting outs against much older competition.

1. RHP Kendry Chourio

The prospect with the most helium in the organization right now is 18-year-old pitcher Kendry Chourio. Signed for $247,500 out of Venezuela, Chourio impressed in six late season starts at Low-A last year, and he dominated in 11 starts there this year with a 1.88 ERA and 44 strikeouts to just 9 walks in 48 innings. He earned a promotion to High-A where he is nearly five years younger than the average player. The performance has earned attention from national evaluators, with Baseball America ranking him as the #37 prospect in the game, and MLB Pipeline placing him #70.

What stands out most is Chourio’s polish. He fills the strike zone and demonstrates uncommon command for a pitcher his age. He throws in the mid-90s with some cut to his heater, and some scouts feel he could add some velo as he matures. He mixes in a plus kick change up, above-average curve, and a solid slider that keeps hitters off balance. The Royals have aggressively promoted him and he has answered every challenge so far. He has perhaps the highest upside by a Royals pitching prospect since Yordano Ventura. Chourio still has several years of development ahead of him, but so far he has done just about everything you could hope to see from an 18-year-old pitching prospect.

Honorable mention: RHP Kyle deGroat, RHP Kamden Edge, IF Tyriq Kemp, RHP Augusto Mendieta, SS Tyson Moran, OF Spencer Nivens, LHP Oscar Rayo, OF Nolan Sailors, 3B Jhonayker Ugarte, C Hyungchan Um, RHP Steven Zobac

Good morning everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your Mariners off-day yesterday. The squad is back in action this afternoon against the Angels.

The holiday weekend is now just around the corner! What plans do you have on this Fourth of July? Do you enjoy watching fireworks, or has the novelty of it been lost for you?

In Mariners news…

• Major League Baseball announced the Futures Game rosters for All-Star weekend, with Ryan Sloan and Kade Anderson serving as Mariners representatives in the contest.
• Zach Mason provided a complete chart for the month of June, with some key facts and figures to know now that June is behind us.
• Commenter BearInTheRiver introduced a new baseball game called The Four Seamer. Check it out!

Around the league…

• Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli issued an apology for his comments towards Willson Contreras during Tuesday night’s game which many perceived as racially charged.
• Astros right-hander Christian Javier is set to return from the injured list with his shoulder strain healed — but he will do so in a bullpen role.
• A’s designated hitter Brent Rooker is slated to undergo season-ending knee surgery, a major blow to their already-slim playoff hopes.
• Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is headed to the injured list again with an ailing back, less than a week after returning from the IL.
• The Red Sox have placed stud rookie left-hander Connelly Early on the injured list with elbow inflammation, but the team is hopeful he can resume a throwing program soon.
• Giants third baseman Matt Chapman is hitting the injured list with a strained abdominal muscle.
• The MLBPA’s latest proposal to the league included an earlier trade deadline and limits on player demotions, among other things. Evan Drellich at The Athletic has the report. ($)
• Rays third baseman Junior Caminero homered for a sixth straight contest, now just two shy tying the MLB record.
• Despite the Mets’ continued struggles, owner Steve Cohen assured fans that president of baseball operations David Stearns is safe — for now.
• The Chicago Cubs seem to always be portrayed as the “loveable losers.” Northwestern professor and longtime Cubs fan Bill Savage explored this running theme for the Cubbies in modern pop culture.
• The MLB.tv app’s 3D graphics keep glitching, and Brian Grubb highlighted the most absurd screencaps from its continued malfunction.