Category: Baseball

A season after the Mets (and every other team but the White Sox) passed on slugging Japanese infielder Munetaka Murakami, New York is showing interest in reigning NPB MVP Teruaki Sato.

The Mets are "scouting and considering" Sato, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. 

It hasn't yet been confirmed that the star third baseman will be posted by the Hanshin Tigers this offseason, but Jorge Castillo of ESPN reported in May that teams are "preparing" for Sato to be available.

Sato, 27, hit .278/.345/.579 with 40 home runs, 34 doubles, and 102 RBI in 139 games in 2025 for Hanshin.

He's taken it up a notch this season, slashing .318/.404/.622 with 27 homers and 28 doubles in 103 games, though he has struck out 116 times.

Sato would very likely have to slide over to first base in a world where he lands in Queens and Bo Bichette doesn't opt out of his contract.

New York's current in-house options at first base for next season include Jared Young and Jorge Polanco. But Polanco has been abysmal at the plate this season, with his Achilles issue limiting him to DH duties since he returned from the IL.

Regarding Bichette, he has opt-outs after this season and the 2027 season. However, it's difficult to envision him exercising it this offseason, with him set to get an AAV of $42 million in both 2027 and 2028.

Bichette has been a lot better since his tough start, hitting .307/.349/.458 (.807 OPS) with seven homers and 11 doubles in 232 plate appearances dating back to June 11. But his OPS for the year is still just .690.

As far as Sato, Heyman notes that the Yankees, Dodgers, and Phillies are also "linked" to him.

Sato continued his huge season on Thursday night, when he crushed a 480-foot homer.

Teruaki Sato destroys a 480 ft MOONSHOT 🚀

111.9 mph off the bat for his 24th bomb 💣 pic.twitter.com/2L2hDxEI3k

— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) August 11, 2026

It was a day of high-scoring wins across the three highest levels of the Dodgers minor league system and a blowout loss for the Tower Buzzers.

Player of the Day

It had been a while since the name of James Tibbs III was mentioned in the running for Player of the Day. Yet here he is once again, the standout player in the Comets’ blowout win at home, hitting two home runs.

So nice Tibbs does it twice☄️ pic.twitter.com/2uKmVsbUsT

— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) August 14, 2026

Tibbs hadn’t hit multiple long shots in the same game since the end of May, and with his four RBI, the corner outfielder moved to a team-leading 88 on the season.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

In one game, James Tibbs III hit more home runs (2) than he had since the start of July, commanding a great Comets effort in a 9-to-3 win over the Isotopes. Also pitching in on the power department, Zach Ehrhard and Ryan Ward both left the yard in this win.

Settling in nicely after nearly two years away from the mound, Gavin Stone was terrific, with a solo homer being the only hit he allowed in three innings of work, punching out five. Kyle Hurt and Ben Casparius also had scoreless appearances, with the former earning the win.

Gavin Stone strikes out his final four batters to end his second rehab start🔥

3.0 IP | 1 H | 1 R | 1 ER | 1 BB | 5 K pic.twitter.com/P9g84xZUdY

— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) August 14, 2026

Double-A Tulsa

Capitalizing on big rallies of seven and four runs in the third and sixth innings, respectively, the Drillers beat the Travelers 11 to 8 despite getting out-homered two to nothing. Elijah Hainline was a key factor in both of those innings, driving in three runs, including a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth.

Elijah Hainline with a clutch 2-run single and the Ranch Dippers have taken back the lead! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5CxrZQkzLV

— Tulsa Drillers (@TulsaDrillers) August 14, 2026

Tulsa starter Zach Root’s six earned runs allowed were the most he has had all season long, coughing up a 7-1 lead alongside reliever Myles Caba. However, Carson Hobbs, Kelvin Ramirez, and Lucas Wepf were able to shut things down in the backend of the bullpen with a combined 5.1 scoreless innings to give the offense enough time to retake the lead.

High-A Great Lakes

Scoring seven of their eight runs in the first two innings, the Loons built enough of a cushion early on to earn the win over the Cubs. Leadoff hitter Charles Davalan started things off with a solo shot and added another one in the fourth, the only two homers that the Loons hit.

Adjusting well to his time in High-A, Mairo Martinus was another key performer offensively with a pair of doubles—the only Loons player with multiple RBI besides Davalan. Across two levels this season, Martinus has a .890 OPS in 102 games.

The Cubs slowly but surely built a comeback effort against Sterling Patick and Justin Chambers, but Davis Chastain got the job done in the ninth to earn the save, his fifth of the season.

Single-A Ontario

When your leadoff hitter strikes out three times in just four at-bats, that’s probably a sign of a struggling offensive effort, such as it was in the Tower Buzzers’ 10-2 loss against the Quakes. Ontario’s offense was dominated by starter Derek Clark, who struck out 12 through seven innings of two-run ball.

Take the contributions of Brayan Vergara to close the game as well, and the Tower Buzzers struck out 17 times. On a positive note, though, Joendry Vargas left the yard for his 10th homer of the season; no surprise it was a solo shot given the Tower Buzzers’ offensive struggles in this one.

Transactions

The Loons activated catcher Anson Aroz off the injured list and placed right-hander Hyun-Seok Jang on the IL. The Tower Buzzers activated right-hander Mason Estrada off the IL. The Dodgers sent righties Jonathan Hernández and Landon Knack to Triple-A, and the Comets were also assigned catcher Chadwick Tromp.

Thursday’s scores

• Oklahoma City 9, Albuquerque 3
• Tulsa 11, Arkansas 8
• Great Lakes 8, South Bend 6
• Rancho Cucamonga 10, Ontario 2

Friday’s schedule

• 4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Isaac Ayon) vs. South Bend (Alfredo Romero)
• 5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Luke Fox) vs. Arkansas (Kade Anderson)
• 5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Tyler Glasnow) vs. Albuquerque (Mason Adams)
• 6:30 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Rancho Cucamonga (Mikey Cascino)

Fresh off their best road trip of the 2026 season, the New York Mets (53-69) return home to take on the Washington Nationals (59-63). The Mets have dropped four out of the seven games they’ve played with the Nats so far this year, including dropping two out of three to conclude the month of April. The two sides also split a four-game set in D.C. back in May. They’ll square off one more time after this, in the final series of the season.

The Mets had a somewhat disappointing end to their road trip, dropping the final two games to the Braves to finish off their trip 6-3 after starting off with wins in six of their first seven games. Nevertheless, they fared quite well against three teams that one could reasonably say are in contention (the Braves moreso than the Guardians and Pirates at the moment). They burst out for five runs in the first inning of this last series, punctuated by a Brett Baty grand slam, and then held on for an 8-5 win on Monday.

Beyond that, after scoring seven runs in the first three innings in Atlanta, they managed just four in the final 24 frames, and ended up dropping the last two games, 4-0 on Tuesday and 6-3 on Wednesday. In the latter, the club managed three solo homers, one apiece from Luis Torrens, Luis Robert Jr., and Bo Bichette, but could not piece much together after getting shut out in their Tuesday loss. On the bright side, their young pitching held up quite well in the heat of Atlanta, historically one of the toughest places for the Mets to play. After an uneven outing from Christian Scott in Monday’s win, both Nolan McLean and Zach Thornton offered up quality starts in defeat.

But beyond the pitching, the offense was really the story on this road trip. It was really a tale of two sets of games for New York, which I suppose is not surprising: In their six wins, they plated 50 runs, and in their three losses, they scored just three, which included shutout losses in Pittsburgh and Atlanta. Since August 4, the Mets have scored hit the most home runs of any club (17), have the second-highest wRC+ (130), own the third-highest OPS (.830), and have scored the third-most runs (53). Much like last August, the bats have heated up with the warmer weather.

There were three players who really shined on this most recent trip, starting with Luis Torrens. While only playing five games, he led the club with three homers and slashed .462/.563/1.154 (tops in each category) with a team-best 346 wRC+ and 0.6 fWAR. Unsurprisingly, Carson Benge has been the catalyst for the club, hitting .394/.444/.667 with two homers, seven runs scored, six runs batted in, and a 207 wRC+ and 0.6 fWAR across eight games. Bichette, who homered in yesterday’s loss, also had himself a nice trip, hitting .361/.439/.451 with two homers, six runs scored, eight runs batted in, a 192 wRC+, and 0.6 fWAR while playing all nine games.

The Nationals have shocked everyone by having one of the best offenses in all of baseball despite only one plate appearance from someone over the age of 29. They are incredibly young with some incredibly talented bats, though their pitching has kept them out of the race for much of the season. However, yesterday’s 7-0 win against the Cubs was a combination of solid hitting mixed with stellar pitching, as Cade Cavalli took a no-hitter into the seventh before relinquishing a hit. The victory helped Washington avoid a sweep at the hands of the Cubs. The Nats have won four of six heading into this series.

The Nationals lead all MLB teams in runs scored (622), home runs (177), and stolen bases (134), while their .769 OPS is also tops in baseball. It’s something that very few people could have reasonably predicted heading into this season, but the Nationals, with their young core, seem to have a bright future. CJ Abrams has led the charge, especially following the All-Star break, when he’s hit .311/.376/.642 with nine homers, 20 runs scored, 24 runs batted in, nine steals, a 175 wRC+, and 1.4 fWAR. Needless to say, he leads the club in every one of those categories since mid-July. James Wood, on the other hand, has struggled since the break and recently landed on the IL with an oblique strain. It was revealed that he won’t return this week, meaning the Mets won’t see him this weekend. Before his injury, he was hitting .191/.296/.324 with a 70 wRC+ and -0.2 fWAR since the break.

Friday, August 14: Robert Stock vs. Andrew Alvarez, 7:10 PM EDT on WPIX

Stock (2026): 8.0 IP, 8 K, 5 BB, 1 HR, 10.13 ERA, 4.95 FIP, 251 ERA-

Stock’s second start with the Mets this year did not go quite as well as his first. After allowing just one earned runs on three hits in five innings against the Marlins on August 2, he was tattooed for eight earned runs on nine hits over three-plus frames against the Pirates. Besides the nine hits, the big difference between the two starts can be found in the ‘walks’ column, as he issued five free passes against Pittsburgh after not walking a single batter against the Marlins. Andy Green noted that he would remain in the rotation, though another start like his last one likely will test that resolve.

Alvarez (2026): 69.1 IP, 65 K, 32 BB, 2 HR, 3.76 ERA, 3.09 FIP, 90 ERA-

After posting a 2.31 ERA in five starts for Washington last year, the 27-year-old Alvarez has been strong yet agains for Washington. He’s made 17 appearances, including nine starts, and has a respectable 3.76 ERA and 3.09 FIP in 69 1/3 innings. He’s also been strong in August, allowing just three earned runs on six hits over 11 2/3 innings in his two starts against the Phillies and Reds. He’s faced the Mets twice in his career—he picked up his first loss against New York after allowing six runs (four earned) in 3 1/3 innings last September, and he earned his first career save against New York after going four innings and allowing two earned runs on two hits back on May 20 of this season.

Saturday, August 15: Sean Manaea vs. TBD, 4:10 PM EDT on SNY

Manaea (2026): 104.2 IP, 106 K, 35 BB, 14 HR, 4.13 ERA, 4.14 FIP, 102 ERA-

Manaea turned back the clock in his last start, giving the team an incredible outing the likes of which they had not seen since 2024. The left-hander struck out a season-high 11 over seven one-run innings. The best part was that he did not walk a single batter, only the second time this season that he accomplished this feat in a start. velocityHe has now struck out 18 and allowed three earned runs over 13 innings in his last two starts. He also has experienced an uptick in his velocity, which is a great sign. He threw 13 pitches of at least 94 mph in his last two starts after not doing so at all this season and routinely topping out below 90 mph in the early stages of the year. In a lost season, Manaea’s resurgence has been a really nice story to watch.

TBD

Sunday, August 16: Christian Scott vs. Jake Irvin, 1:40 PM EDT on SNY

Scott (2026): 78.1 IP, 98 K, 33 BB, 7 HR, 3.45 ERA, 3.27 FIP, 85 ERA-

Scott’s last start was a bit up and down. He only lasted four innings and ran up a pretty high pitch count, which resulted in him getting lifted early. He was charged with four earned runs on seven hits while striking out six and walking one. Over his last two starts, he’s allowed seven earned runs in nine innings, though the Mets have won both contests. On the bright side, he’s struck out 13 while only walking three in these two outings. Scott’s development over the past few weeks of this season will be one of the most important things to watch for the Mets.

Irvin (2026): 65.1 IP, 66 K, 28 BB, 11 HR, 5.79 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 138 ERA-

Irvin is making his fourth start after returning from a two-month long IL stint with a right shoulder strain. It’s been a rough go of it since his return, as the righty has allowed 12 earned runs on 10 hits over 13 2/3 innings. He’s struck out eight in these three outings while walking six and surrendering four home runs. Irvin had a really rough season even before hitting the shelf in May, and will look to get back on track and end the year on a high (and hopefully healthy) note.

Entering the season, the Athletics hoped to take the next step toward division and playoff contention. The team got off to a promising start, spending a couple of weeks atop the American League West. However, the Green and Gold could never break free from a .500 record. That proved to be the high point of the season, as everything has gone downhill since.

From the middle of June, the club has nosedived to the bottom of the league, seemingly unable to escape a nightmare of its own making. A horrid pitching staff, coupled with injuries to several of the A’s key position players, has doomed the Green and Gold to another frustrating and embarrassing campaign.

In the modern era, the worst run differential belongs to the 2025 Colorado Rockies, who finished at −424. It would not be surprising if the 47-74 A’s came close to that mark—or even their own franchise record of -339, set by the 2023 club. Entering this weekend’s series against the Texas Rangers, the A’s have an MLB-worst -180 run differential.

Outfielder Carlos Cortes has pitched eight times this season, a testament to how often the A’s have found themselves down double-digit runs. Half of the team’s bullpen consists of guys claimed off other teams’ waiver wires, which helps explain why the group has posted the worst ERA in the majors.

Right-hander Luis Severino signed the largest free-agent contract in A’s history two winters ago, a decision that has turned into a bust. He spent last season complaining about his working conditions. This year, Severino has barely been able to work, as he has been sidelined since late May with a shoulder injury and shows no signs of returning anytime soon.

Speaking of right-handers with electric stuff, the team has also failed to unlock Luis Morales’ potential. The Cuban native showed his immense ability in his MLB debut last year but has struggled to replicate that success this season, both in the majors and at Triple-A.

The problems go beyond the players on the field. The Tampa Bay Rays have a lower payroll than the A’s, yet have the best record in the sport. While the A’s have fallen behind in the analytics and baseball development stuff because of owner John Fisher’s penny-pinching ways, the Rays have continued to invest in those areas to compete with bigger-market clubs.

That is why the club must not only hire the right general manager this offseason but also give that person the resources to bolster this roster by any means necessary. Hopefully, the two sides will figure out a new CBA deal in time to have a full 2027 baseball season. The Athletics need to show signs of progress next year. After everything the remaining A’s fans have endured, they deserve to cheer for a winning, playoff-contending team before this Sacramento era ends.

A’s Coverage: 

• The A’s expected to be better than this by now – here are 3 ways to fix them
• A’s Swept Again in 8-4 Series Finale Loss
• Athletics Outright Jonathan Ornelas
• Perkins confident he can be the pitcher he wants to be in season’s final weeks
• Pair of Waiver Claims Could Become Key Pieces of A’s Bullpen
• A’s Blown Out By Rays 12-4
• Wilson’s errorless streak survives a scare after further review
• Why The New GM Needs To “Clean House”
• Almost Everything Has Gone Wrong for the Athletics
• Feinstein discusses new role as A’s interim GM
• Sage-burning A’s cope with departure of GM as spiraling season continues
• Mason Edwards Headlines Athletics’ Pitching Play In 2026 Draft
• Late Comeback Helps A’s Beat Red Sox 4-3
• Athletics Claim Taylor Rashi
• A Seemingly Rock Bottomless Glass
• MLB Trade Grades: A’s Have Quiet Trade Deadline
• A’s Top Prospect Jamie Arnold Sets Career High in One of His Best Double-A Starts
• A’s First-Round Pick Drew Burress Already Showing Prodigious Power in Single-A
• Fustercluck 2026: The Real Reasons For A Disappointing Season
• Signs Of Hope And Signs Of Hopeless
• Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko says feeling in his legs returning
• Cuban’s investment group purchases minority stake in Athletics
• Chan Ho Park joins A’s group; 1st Korean to buy stake in MLB club

MLB News and Interest:

• NEW Top 100 and Top 30 Prospects lists are here!
• Everything to know about tonight’s MLB at Field of Dreams Game on Netflix
• Benches clear, Martin ejected after hitting Stewart in the helmet with a pitch
• Buster Posey’s Giants legacy is on the line as adulation is shifting to anger
• Reds’ Greene could miss 2027 season after Tommy John surgery
• Paul Skenes exits after 65 pitches amid latest velocity drop
• MLB Farm System Midseason Talent Rankings For August 2026
• Tigers Place Riley Greene On Injured List
• Blue Jays claim Paul Sewald after veteran DFA’d by Diamondbacks
• Freeman smiles through ‘total body soreness’ after scary tumble into opposing dugout
• Alex Bregman’s first 3-homer game helps Cubs rout Nationals
• Yandy Díaz Reaches Vesting Option Threshold
• Rays, Jorge Mateo Agree To Major League Deal
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

A’s minor-league left-handed pitcher Corey Braun and outfielder Breyson Guedez are two players standing out at the lower levels of the A’s farm system.

A’s minor-league LHP Corey Braun has pitched 6 no-hit frames with 10 Ks for the Ports. Fastball sits low-90s. Great command. Deserves promotion to Lansing.

2025 8th round pick out of USF.

Since June
9 starts, 40 IP, 2.70 ERA, 1.05 WHIP
11 walks, 36 K pic.twitter.com/nARbGprBmk

— BK (@athleticBsK) August 13, 2026

There is a ton of similarities to Rafael Devers in his swing and setup https://t.co/jko4YIDRGD

— Straight A’s (@StraightAs123) August 13, 2026

This season has taken an unfortunate but predictable turn for the worse. Hopefully the A’s can turn things around and start winning more games during the final stretch.

I truly think that if you can sit through this 2026 A’s season, then you can sit through any season.

The way that they have lost so many games in truly heartbreaking fashion, the very predictable pitching disaster outings, especially when the bullpen comes in. Countless…

— Athletics Rants (@AthleticsRants) August 12, 2026

What a special scene. Imagine the Athletics playing in a showcase game like this one year.

Phillies and Twins emerge from the corn field for the Field of Dreams Game pic.twitter.com/StGF6OCbZI

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 13, 2026

The Braves have a quartet of solid pitchers going on Thursday night, and Davis Polo topped the bunch by completing 6 2/3 innings while striking out seven batters. Polo has had a wonderful season in returning from Tommy John surgery and has been one of the best pitchers in the system for the past month and a half, and has earned a breakout status amongst prospects.

(59-57) Gwinnett Stripers 3, (41-74) Norfolk Tides 2

Box Score

Statcast

• Brett Wisely, SS: 2-4, BB, RBI, .275/.393/.412
• Patrick Clohisy, RF: 3-5, .413/.481/.620
• Owen Murphy, SP: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 3.52 ERA
• Rolddy Munoz, RP: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 3.35 ERA

Owen Murphy had a solid final line against the Norfolk Tides on Thursday night, though he may have gotten away with more than better lineups in the league would have let him. Murphy’s fastball was the only reliable weapon he had throughout the game as he was scattered with all of his pitches, missing dangerously high on secondaries and finding a way to get away with it throughout the evening. The one exception was a changeup he left glove side and up to a left-handed hitter that got hit for a solo home run. For the second straight outing Murphy’s average fastball velocity was a little bit down from where it has been for most of the season, but the numbers are still within his normal range and he held velocity into the fifth inning with a drop in the sixth that was only represented by two pitches. For Murphy those secondaries up in the strike zone can work given his fastball-heavy approach, as hitters expecting fastballs may get fooled by non-fastballs dropping, and his slider did put up a good performance throughout this game. However this was a case of Murphy missing his spots with every pitch and only getting a few nice fastballs in there at the top or just above the zone. As mentioned in the last recap of Murphy’s outing he deserves some leniency for the rest of the season given how much of a jump in his workload he has faced this season, and he’s held up remarkably well to that as most pitchers have more setbacks.

Gwinnett got most of their offense out of the way early and then went quiet on the scoreboard despite scattering hits throughout the game. Patrick Clohisy was unsurprisingly a major contributor, punching a one out single the opposite way in the third inning that kicked off their biggest rally. The Stripers strung together three singles with two outs, capped by a bloop hit to score Rowdy Tellez from second base, and took an early 2-1 lead that held until Murphy coughed up that home run. Gwinnett managed 13 hits despite only getting three hard hits balls in the game, but it was one of those days that the ball was falling even if they couldn’t come through in the later innings against the bullpen. Clohisy had three hits himself all without getting a hard hit ball, though in his first two at bats against the Tides starter he showed a great approach even if he didn’t hit the ball solidly. His last matchup against the starter was much uglier as he swung at two breaking balls that bounced before chipping one the opposite way off the end of the bat for an out. Clohisy looks lost on sliders below the zone right now regardless of if it’s a lefty or righty on the mound, but is getting enough of them in the strike zone and making contact that he’s finding an avenue to success. After both sides went scoreless in the tenth inning it came down to Luke Williams for the Stripers in the 11th inning, which didn’t bode well for Gwinnett. Williams came into the at-bat with four strikeouts and nine whiffs on the day, then fell down 0-2 after swinging through two straight fastballs. Williams then somehow put this horrendous day behind him and hit a hanging slider for a single, driving home the go ahead run. Bailey Falter struck out the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the 11th, then forced a fly ball right at Clohisy to end the game.

Swing and Misses

Owen Murphy – 11

(51-55) Columbus Clingstones 6, (45-66) Birmingham Barons 7

Box Score

• John Gil, SS: 2-4, BB, .294/.375/.353
• Eric Hartman, LF: 2-5, RBI, .200/.349/.229
• Owen Carey, RF: 1-4, 2B, .219/.342/.438
• Brett Sears, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 3.55 ERA

It was the first game for the Clingstones that Gil, Hartman, and Carey all put it together at once, but in the end it was still not enough for the pitching staff to hold onto the lead. I say they all put it together, but it was still not a great day from Owen Carey. Carey had a great swing in the fourth inning and split the gap for a double that ended up being a huge hit in the game. Carson Taylor followed it up by driving in both runners to put Columbus on top, but that was the end of the good hitting from Carey. He struck out swinging in his other three at bats, and strikeouts have been an issue for him since being called up. Strikeouts have been a bit elevated for all three, which I supposed is to be expected for making the transition to Double-A the first time. Gil has been the best of the three in that regard which isn’t a surprise given their relative histories offensively, and he has come along nicely with six hits in his last four games. Gil hasn’t really had a signature performance but has consistently gotten on base at a high clip, with him failing to get on at least one time only once in the nine Double-A games he has played. Gil pulled a couple of line drives hard in this game, and even though he’s not elevating as well as he did in Rome he has maintained his pace of hitting a ton of line drives and giving himself chances for hits. Gil had a big one in the top of the ninth inning with Columbus trailing by four runs with two outs, and that helped set the stage for a late rally. Hartman followed that up with his best hit when he laced a single to center to score Dalton McIntyre, and Jordan Groshans delivered with the Clingstone’s biggest hit. Groshan’s reached for a slider and muscled a three-run home run out to left field, tying the game up at six runs apiece.

What was a bad final line for Brett Sears really boils down to a terrible single inning of work after four innings of slicing through the Birmingham lineup. Sears started out shaky with a walk and a hit batter to lead off the first inning, but after that he locked it down and carried momentum over the next four innings. Sears was a little bit less fine with his pitches than he was in his great stretch during July, but commanded the ball well until he didn’t anymore. Sears hit two batters and walked two others in the fifth inning, gave up a double on a slider thrown in about as bad a location as you can put one, and ended up allowing three runs in the fifth inning to give Birmingham the lead. Sears lost every bit of touch he had in an instant, and wasted a solid outing. In the tenth inning LJ McDonough had the unfortunate task of trying to strand the runner at second after the offense failed to score, and he lost it in one of the worst ways possible. McDonough got his outs and had a chance to end the game, but threw two wild pitches that let the Barons runner advance in to score and win the game.

Swing and Misses

Brett Sears – 13

Anderson Pilar – 9

Samuel Strickland – 5

(52-55) Rome Emperors 8, (37-72) Asheville Tourists 3

Box Score

• Luis Guanipa, CF: 1-5, 2B, BB, 3 RBI, .186/.205/.326
• Conor Essenburg, RF: 0-4, BB, .176/.317/.294
• Alex Lodise, SS: 0-3, BB, HBP, .264/.394/.415
• Zach Royse, SP: 6 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 4.62 ERA

The Emperors faced off against an old friend in Adam Shoemaker, who reminded us of the good old days by walking five batters in two innings. He started the game off with a strikeout of Luis Guanipa, and while he did chase out of the strike zone it was a solid at-bat and Shoemaker has a great slider that is tough for any batter when he locates. Guanipa also got a called second strike in the at bat on a borderline slider down and in and probably felt he had to protect that spot. Conor Essenburg then fought a ball into right field and was robbed of a hit by a diving play and Alex Lodise drew a two-out walk. After a defensive lapse allowed Dixon Williams on base the Emperors had a chance to get a run early, but a shoestring catch on a hard hit liner from Cody Miller ended the inning. In the second inning Shoemaker ran out of charm, and walked four hitters including a free pass to Guanipa that forced home the first Rome run. Essenburg smoked a ball in the fourth inning that got tracked out for a fly out, and had a walk later in the game. So despite a hitless game Essenburg looked solid at the plate and had the contact to make a bigger contribution even if it didn’t show in the stat line. Alex Lodise didn’t have a particularly great day at the plate but had a fly out to the wall in the fifth inning and yet again no strikeouts. Lodise has had a couple of rough games in a row but continues to have infinitely more success at hitting breaking balls both in and out of the strike zone. Guanipa had one of his best days in terms of seeing the ball at the plate. He had that strikeout in the first but overall made the right decisions on when to swing and hit a ball hard off of the wall the other way for a double. But there are also at bats like in the fourth inning where I truly don’t understand what he is trying to do. A first pitch slider up in the strike zone is a great pitch to swing at, but pushing it the other way on the ground with a slow swing is not it and another example of the complaints I’ve had with him lately. Still he has had some hard hit balls the last few games which is a good sign for him, so I’m hoping this is the start of an upward trajectory for him.

Zach Royse was not quite his normal self in this game, though despite the unfriendly confines he did just enough to keep this game from being a disaster. Throughout the season Royse has made a pattern of looking good early and hitting a wall later in the game after guys get multiple looks at him, but he didn’t have much of a feel for his command early in this outing. He allowed a run and a walk in each of the first two innings, including a leadoff home run, and he never fully settled into the game. What he did was pound the strike zone after his early struggles, and even if this led to some more hits he made the Tourists batters put the ball in play and got solid work from his defense. By focusing on landing his sinker at the bottom of the strike zone he was able to get quick outs in the middle innings and extend his outing to six innings without allowing another run. It wasn’t clean and he allowed nine hits in the game, but he pitched to what he had working even when his slider wasn’t consistently getting the results he is accustomed to.

Swing and Misses 

Zach Royse – 10

Jarret Whorff – 2

(58-51) Augusta GreenJackets 7, (62-49) Charleston RiverDogs 2

Box Score

• Carter Beck, CF: 1-3, 2 BB, .353/.436/.353
• Junior Tilien, 2B: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, .143/.217/.286
• Davis Polo, SP: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 3.19 ERA

Davis Polo keeps churning out great starts for Augusta, and it’s long since been time for him to move up to Rome and get a challenge. Polo really didn’t have his best stuff early, and the RiverDogs were on his changeup but couldn’t square it up. Polo was very predictable with his sequences and locations this outing, which isn’t really anything shocking at this level, and early on he had some high misses with the changeup that limited how much he was able to get whiffs on the pitch. Everything else was working, but with a heavy lefty lineup and Polo’s reliance on his changeup that made it hard for him to get ideal results early in the game. As he settled in that pitch really started to fade below the zone or off the plate arm side and he was churning through this lineup. It was some of the best command he’s shown in any start over the final four innings or so, with him able to hit the sinker at the bottom of the zone and tunnel the changeup off of that, or move the fastball high in the strike zone to get whiffs there as well. His slider didn’t feature as much, but when he did have a righty up he pitched well with it and didn’t make any mistakes up with the pitch. There’s only positives to take out of this for Polo. The sequencing thing is a coaching decision to help guys at this level develop, and in terms of execution Polo did his job.

This lineup has become an older group of guys quite quickly, which has robbed which has robbed it of the consistent intrigue it had prior to this month. The major exception is Carter beck who got on base three times and stole three bases. Beck didn’t even have to take his bat off of his shoulder for his two walks and has been dicing fastballs all across the field for his hits. Beck hasn’t looked to pull the ball in the air as much as I expected and most of his results are coming against fastballs right now, though we’re still well in small sample territory. 15th round pick Caleb Klein had a three hit game to add to a magical start to his professional career. Klein has been a bit of a whiff machine early on, but everything he has made contact with has found a hole somewhere and he has four multi-hit games in six appearances.

Swing and Misses

Davis Polo – 15

Yander Pinero – 5

This is a series that, on paper, is not setting up well for the Orioles. Their underwhelming performance of late has dropped them to the bottom of the AL East, though they are still within two games of the final wild card spot. Meanwhile, the Rays have surged to a nine-game winning streak that has them 6.5 games clear of the Yankees in the division, and well atop the junior circuit at large.

These four games will be played in St. Petersburg, where the Rays have been dominant all season long. They own a 41-18 record at home, the best mark in the sport. The Orioles, on the other hand, are 26-33 on the road and 27-28 against teams above .500.

Tampa’s offense comes into this series on fire. They just scored 30 runs in their three-game sweep of the Athletics, though that came on the heels of a stretch where they failed to score more than four runs in four consecutive games. Offense is not the team’s ultimate strength. They are 13th in MLB in runs scored on the year, but several of their big names have succeeded in August, including Chandler Simpson (161 wRC+ since August 1), Junior Caminero (153 wRC+), Jonathan Aranda (124 wRC+), and Yandy Díaz (111 wRC+).

The goal for the Orioles must be to get to the Rays bullpen sooner than later. The unit’s 4.46 ERA since the start of August ranks 24th in MLB, and many of their peripheral numbers are similarly subpar. They could get a boost this weekend with a return of the injured Manuel Rodríguez, who is yet to pitch this year and has already appeared in seven rehab games. Old friend Cole Sulser may also return from back spams, which put him on the shelf at the end of July. For what it’s worth, Tyler Wells has thrown 4.1 scoreless innings so far as a Ray while Bryan Baker has been one of the league’s best closers (1.55 ERA, 34 saves) this season

Adding to the uncertainty of this series is the Orioles pitching situation. They are yet to announce any of their starters for the series. That indicates that a roster move is coming, likely involving Chris Bassitt. The 37-year-old has made three rehab starts, including six shutout innings on August 7. It seems like he will start the opener of this series, but that has not been confirmed yet.

Game 1: Friday, August 14th, 7:10 p.m., MASN

TBD vs. LHP Steven Matz (5-4, 5.46 ERA)

Bassitt has not pitched in a major league game since June 3. His time with the Orioles has been a struggle. He has a 5.27 ERA over 12 appearances and 56.1 innings. He has been sharper during his minor league rehab games, and seems eager to help the team get back into contention. The team’s positive outlook on his health is likely what made the trade of Dean Kremer easier to pull off.

Matz will serve as the opener here. He has not thrown more than two innings in an appearance since late May, and this will be his first start at all since June 2. He has been quite good recently, allowing no runs over his last six appearances. That has dropped his season ERA from 6.29 to to 5.46.

Game 2: Saturday, August 15th, 6:10 p.m., MASN

TBD vs. LHP Ian Seymour (9-3, 4.08 ERA)

This would be Kyle Bradish’s turn in the rotation. He bounced back from a tough start against the Phillies to allow just one earned run over six innings in a tough luck loss to the Rangers. He has already made two starts against the Rays, both back in May. He served up three earned runs over 11.1 innings back then.

Seymour has been a useful piece that Kevin Cash has moved between the rotation and the bullpen several times this year. He has a 4.43 ERA as a starter and a 3.81 ERA as a reliever and has improved as the season has worn on. He has appeared in three games against the O’s this year, tossing 4.1 total innings without allowing an earned run.

Game 3: Sunday, August 16th, 12:15 p.m., Peacock

TBD vs. RHP Freddy Peralta (5-9, 5.33 ERA)

This will probably be a Trevor Rogers start, though it remains to be confirmed. The lefty has labored a bit recently. Over his last three starts he has allowed 11 runs (eight earned) over 16 innings. But his peripherals are good. In those same 16 innings he has struck out 19, walked two, and only given up 15 hits. His FIP of 3.08 may be a better reflection than his 4.50 ERA over that stretch.

Peralta had a tough time with the Mets, and things haven’t gotten any better with the Rays. He has allowed 10 runs, all earned, over 9.2 innings in his two starts with the new club. His top line stats are worse than all of his expected numbers, but he has still been nowhere near the Cy Young level he pitched at in Milwaukee. The Rays probably aren’t too worried about it right now as long as he trends up closer to October.

Game 4: Monday, August 17th, 6:05 p.m., MASN

TBD vs. TBD

This is a wraparound series that ends on Monday. Neither team has announced a starter for the finale.

---

How many games do you think the Orioles will win in this series? Let us know in the comments.

The Mariners have been on the ropes lately.   With a sweep, the Astros could deliver a knockout blow, finishing them off once and for all.     If accomplished, it would set the stage for a two-team race between Houston and their interstate foes who reside 250 miles north.       

Ryan Rowland-Smith has been part of the Mariners broadcast team since 2017.   He first gained notoriety by striking out Ken Griffey Jr in his MLB Debut.    Today he dishes for us, exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes.  

Q: Is it now or never for Seattle in this upcoming series in Houston? 

A: Yes, especially after these losses to the Yankees. I compare this to 2025 when the Mariners were trailing the Astros late in the year, they were coming off a tough series against the Royals but they were in a completely different place. They had offensive threats and really good pitching.

They have gotten to this stage going into Houston up against Yordan Alvarez (he was not in the lineup last year) and really struggling to score runs. This road trip, in my opinion, with decide the season for the Mariners.

Q: When it comes to Cal Raleigh, do you think it’s just a case of him pressing too much and putting too much pressure on himself to make something happen?

A: All of the above. He is carrying the weight of the entire team. He is the team leader but taking the weight of everyone’s struggles on his shoulders. I think the struggles have just layered on from the expectations to be similar to last year, the WBC and no prep, to the injury and to the team struggles. He is really going through it.

 

Q: We saw Julio Rodriguez moved to the five spot in the order.    Do you think that trend will continue?   

A: I think the Mariners are in a position where they have to try different combinations in the lineup as well and put righties in slots to break up lefties. There have been so many variations of lineups this year. Last year it was pretty set in stone, but you have to try something different until something clicks. 

Q: One bright spot has been Randy Arozarena.    What does he bring to the table for Seattle’s offense?

A: More consistency. He used to put up numbers but it was so streaky. He is wearing out the opposite field. He has always had a ton of contact to right field but not this kind of slug. He’s cut down on the chase also. He’s also a free agent at the end of the year, so good time for him to be the most complete hitter in our lineup.

Scranton/WB 5, Lehigh Valley 1

IronPigs had a bullpen game and it showed. Tucker Davidson gave up four runs and took his 5th loss of the season. The offense was held to just 4 hits on the game and 3 walks. Rafael Marchan was rehabbing the game and went 1 for 2 at the plate. His mid-game replacement Payton Henry had the lone RBI, a force-out where the bases were loaded. The IronPigs were 0 for 8 with RISP.

Reading 6, Chesapeake 4

27 year old starter Adam Seminaris has put up a nice little season with Reading this year, his first year with the organization after being a 2020 5th round pick of the Angels. He has a 3.24 EA with 131 strikeouts in 111 innings pitched. Raylin Heredia hit his 20th HR of the season, a solo shot, and relative newcomer Wuilfredo Antunez (signed back on July 17th) hit his first HR with the org and 13th overall on the season. Heredia also picked up stolen bases 18 and 19, setting himself up for a nice 20/20 soon.

Brooklyn 6, Jersey Shore 1

Sam Highfill takes the loss, his 5th of the season, and has had a very bad time since being called up to High-A. His ERA has has ballooned to 5.83 over 66.1 IP. Meanwhile, the BlueClaws offense was held to 5 hits and went 1 for 12 with RISP. Devin Saltiban had two hits among those five.

Fort Myers 10, Clearwater 4

Always fun when you outhit the opposing team 13 to 9 and still lose the game and that is what happened here. Only two of those hits were for extra-bases. Starter Sean Youngerman gave up 4 of the runs (3 earned) and took his 6th loss. Catcher Macon Winslow had a multi-hit game, the first of his young professional career and is riding a 3-game hitting streak (he also had a throwing error and passed ball…).

The Bombers took a painful 1-0 loss on Thursday at the hand of the Mariners. They mustered just one hit against Seattle, wasting a very solid effort from Max Fried, as they drop to 6.5 games out of first place in the East. As something resembling a silver lining, they were far from the only contender in the AL to be shutout on Thursday, as quality pitching was abundant around the league on a short day. With a disappointing contest for the Yankees behind us, let’s take a look at some of the other action around the Junior Circuit.

Boston Red Sox (65-56) 7, Toronto Blue Jays (59-64) 0

The Red Sox scored in the top half of the first inning on Thursday, and never looked back. Willson Contreras’ RBI double had them up early, and it was left-hander Payton Tolle’s game from that point on.

Boston’s 23-year-old lefty enjoyed one of the best starts of his season against Toronto, as he tossed eight strong shutout innings, striking out four batters and surrendering just two hits. Until the offense broke out late in this one, it was Tolle’s excellence on the mound that had Boston rolling.

The Red Sox lead remained at just 1-0 until the eighth inning, when they loaded the bases with a pair of singles and an intentional walk. Caleb Durbin made the absolute most of the opportunity, when he belted a grand slam into the Jays’ bullpen in left field.

Now up-5-0 in the ninth, Boston added some insurance thanks to a sacrifice fly from Masataka Yoshida, and another RBI off the bat of Durbin. Greg Weissert finished things off on the mound after Tolle’s eight innings of work, as the Jays a pair of hits in the scoreless affair. With the win, the Sox maintain their cushion in the wild card race.

Other Games

Detroit Tigers (60-61) 3, Cleveland Guardians (59-63) 0:

Despite all of the selling taking place at the deadline, the Tigers netted another win on Thursday, and actually have hold of the final wild card spot in the American League. They took the lead in the third inning, thanks to a timely ground out, but would later add on to their total with a homer from Eduardo Valencia and an RBI from Spencer Torkelson. Most importantly, starter Keider Montero worked 6.1 scoreless frames, while the Detroit bullpen continued that trend to keep the Guardians out of the run column for the day. With no Tarik Skubal or Casey Mize, the Tigers still find themselves very much involved in the playoff hunt.

Cincinnati Reds (58-62) 9, Chicago White Sox (62-58) 8:

Elsewhere in the Central, the White Sox dropped a tough one in a slugfest at home. The Reds jumped out early, with homers from Sal Stewart and Eugenio Suárez putting them up three runs in the first inning. The White Sox countered with help from some big hits off the bat of Randal Grichuk, whose double gave them the lead in the second inning, but the Cincinnati bats would not be silenced. The Reds plated six more runs between the third and the sixth, which included another long ball, this one from Tyler Stephenson. Chicago did what they could to stage a comeback, initially down 9-5, when a pair of big hits in the ninth cut the lead to just one, though they couldn’t ultimately complete the comeback.

Los Angeles Angels (48-74) 7, Texas Rangers (60-62) 0:

The Angels jumped on the trend of tossing shutouts, doing so against Texas late on Thursday. All nine Los Angeles hitters tallied a hit in this one, including three each from Mike Trout and Denzer Guzman, who played big roles in the seven-run output. All the while, Walbert Ureña and the Angels’ bullpen kept things in check and the Rangers out of the run column. With the Tigers winning, the Rangers drop to a half-game out of the wild card with their loss.

Good morning everyone and happy Friday!

The Mariners snapped their six-game skid yesterday in a 1-0 win over the Yankees.

The team heads to Houston today for a key three-game series against the first-place club in the AL West, with first pitch slated for 5:10 PM PT.

In Mariners news…

• In case you missed it, the Mariners optioned struggling rookie shortstop Colt Emerson to Triple-A and called up infielder Brock Rodden to make his major league debut.

Around the league…

• Reds ace Hunter Greene will receive the second Tommy John surgery of his career which will cause him to miss the entire 2027 season.
• Rosalind Adams at The City Reporter broke news that the Brooklyn Cyclones withheld tips from concessions stand employees. The Cyclones are owned by Diamond Baseball Holdings, the company that has purchased several minor league teams in recent years.
• Sami Higgins at McCovey Chronicles explained why the Giants’ handling of the Pride Night debacle has them legitimately questioning their fandom of the franchise.
• Brittany Ghiroli at The Athletic wrote about how Buster Posey’s mismanagement of the team is threatening his legacy as a beloved player. ($)
• Although Shohei Ohtani’s contract stipulates that he could opt out in the event of a sale of the Dodgers, Alden Gonzalez at ESPN reports he would likely stick with the organization in that scenario.

Diamondbacks news

(SI.com) Where Diamondbacks Rank After Newest MLB Prospect Update

On Thursday, MLB Pipeline rleeased its newest prospect rankings, including the overall top 100, as well as new top-30 rankings for each individual club.

Here’s how the Arizona Diamondbacks made out after this latest update. It’s not exactly ideal.

(Sporting News) Corbin Carroll joins Willie Mays in MLB history with latest milestone

Corbin Carroll added another extraordinary accomplishment to his growing résumé Wednesday night, even if the Arizona Diamondbacks could not give him a victory to celebrate. Carroll hit the 100th home run of his career and added his 57th triple during Arizona’s 6-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field. By reaching those marks in his 606th career game, the Diamondbacks star became the first player in MLB history to record at least 100 home runs, 50 triples and 100 stolen bases within his first 650 games.

He also became only the second player to reach all three totals within his first 700 games. The other was Willie Mays. That is rare company for any player, let alone one who is only 25 years old.

MLB News

(MLB.com) If you build it, Schwarbombs will come! Phils slugger blasts 2 HRs at Field of Dreams Game

Schwarber wasted no time making his mark on the MLB Field of Dreams Game presented by John Deere, blasting a leadoff home run into the corn beyond the right-field wall. But he wasn’t done yet — the Phillies’ slugger then went back for seconds just a few innings later in the Phillies’ 7-1 victory over the Twins.

It’s perhaps only fitting that the player who leads the Majors in home runs (37) also leads in home runs to land in a cornfield (two).

(CBS Sports) Can Pete Crow-Armstrong beat Shohei Ohtani in the National League MVP race? Pitching will be the key

On Wednesday, PCA had a game-tying RBI double and then scored on a go-ahead home run in a Cubs win, while Ohtani hit a go-ahead home run in a Dodgers win. The Dodgers are 73-48 and the Cubs are 71-50, both within close range of the best record in baseball.

It’s only August, of course, which means both players have six weeks to continue building their résumés. But there’s another interesting wrinkle in the race: does Ohtani pitch again during the regular season? And if so, how much does he actually pitch? On that front, there’s been movement. Sort of.

(Yahoo! Sports) Max Muncy, once cast off by A’s, becomes Dodger Stadium’s all-time home run leader

An underdog career on the least underdog of teams culminated in Muncy becoming the all-time leader in home runs at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, hitting his 131st in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers. He had entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Miguel Rojas and lifted a 426-foot homer off Brewers reliever Antonio Senzatela.

The Padres are 16-9 since the All-Star Break. The Guardians are 8-17. Something’s gotta give! The unstoppable force vs. The easily moveable object!

The Padres are 65-57 with a +1 run differential, 19th in team wRC+ at 97, sixth in baserunning runs above average at 5.5, sixth in Defense at -0.5, 26th in starting pitcher ERA at 4.62 (4.65 FIP), and fifth in bullpen ERA at 3.58 (3.70 FIP). Mason Miller and Adrian Morejohn are the best relievers in baseball.

The Guardians are 59-63 with a -30 run differential, 22nd in team wRC+ at 95, ninth in baserunning runs above average at 5, ninth in Defense at -6.2, seventh in starting pitcher ERA at 3.75 (3.92 FIP), and 14th in bullpen ERA at 3.98 (3.87 FIP).

GET TO THE STARTERS OR LOSE.

Matchups:

Friday, 7:10PM ET: Williams, RHP 3.55 ERA vs King, RHP 3.37 ERA

Saturday, 7:10PM ET: Probably Randy Velazquez, 4.80 ERS vs. RHP Cantillo, LHP 3.91 ERA vs.

Sunday, 1:40PM ET: Bibee RHP 3.99 ERA vs. Mize, RHP 3.38 ERA

The Padres are led by Luis Campusano 161 wRC+, Luis Rengifo 148 wRC+, Tyler France 140 wRC+, Samad Taylor 134 wRC+, Fernando Tatis Jr, 116 wRC+, and Will Wagner 113 wRC+.

The Guardians are led by… well. You know the story. Chase DeLauter, Steven Kwan, Angel Genao, Nate Lowe, And Jo Adell are about all we have to offer right now in terms of hitters getting on base. But Jose did hit the ball hard that last game. Surely some of those hits have to fall.

Have some pride, guys. Show some fight. Win this series

The Red Sox 5-game losing streak, thankfully, is over. And while I wouldn’t exactly say that Red Sox Nation was panicking this week, there certainly was a sense of “oh no, what’s going on here?” as the bats went silent and the losses piled up.

It’s hard to blame anyone for feeling that way— we were subjected to some UGLY baseball for the first third of the season. A lot of fans probably don’t fully trust this team, and for good reason. And yet the FanGraphs playoff odds remain extremely favorable for the Sox, who currently sit with a 94.2% chance of making the playoffs. (And, by the way, that number never even dropped below 90% during the mini losing streak.)

So after Payton Tolle’s heroics yesterday, how are we feeling today? Are you brushing off the losing streak as something that almost every team goes through at some point, or are you worried about fundamental issues with the roster (i.e. the lacking of power hitting) popping up again?

Talk about the streakiest team in MLB history and whatever else you’d like in this space and, as always, be good to one another.

The great divide between critics and the casual fan has never been greater, and the work of critics is under much more scrutiny than ever before.

Take a look at any movie on Rotten Tomatoes, and you'll see the disconnect between critics and fans. The same can be said about MLB stadiums. While supposed experts can give their take on a certain ballpark, nothing beats the opinions of the thousands of folks actually attending the games.

That's where Yelp comes into play. A collection full of people's thoughts and their greatest and worst experiences at each MLB park is exactly what we need to put together a true ranking of all 30 MLB home stadiums.

All 30 MLB stadiums, ranked by Yelp reviews

NOTE: If two stadiums have the same rating (out of 5 stars), preference will be given to the stadium with more total reviews on Yelp

30) Tampa Bay Rays - Tropicana Field (3.5, 488 reviews)

• Brian L. writes, "It's a little weird, but not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I can guarantee you that 90% of the "experts" making those arbitrary ballpark ranking lists online haven't even been to most of the ballparks. The seating and playing area is really swell! The concourse feels a little claustrophobic, and the food areas feel a little like a food court. No balls hit the catwalks or scaffolding, but I thought it was just fine." — 3 stars
• William S. writes, "Only a venue locals can love. Awful sound system and big screens. But, the lighting was fine. A/C was the sole redeeming value. $20 parking if paid on the day of." — 2 stars

29) Texas Rangers - Globe Life Field (3.6, 234 reviews)

• Mahnaz S. writes, "The stadium is really nice and i love that it has AC. There are multiple food/drink area with seating! People were nice and helped us to find our section. But the food is not good! We got jumbo hot dog and received two small hot dogs instead and the nachos is very disappointing." — 4 stars
• Ken F. writes, "The stadium is fine and clean, but $20 beers they have an over 2000% mark up. Yes, I said 2000% mark up. The prices is why it gets one star. I like my Rangers, but the prices are out of control." — 1 star

28) Toronto Blue Jays - Rogers Centre (3.6, 395 reviews)

• Flynn B. writes, "I mean it's a great place (and a great team), but the stadium itself is a great spot that brings Toronto's culture together." — 4 stars
• Rob K. writes, "This was my first trip to the Rogers Centre since 2006. There have been extensive renovations since my last visit. I saw a Blue Jays vs. Cubs game on a sold out Thursday 3:07 game. I purchased a GA ticket just to get inside and found a good place to stand on the left field line. I can't comment on the food, I had a good hot dog outside. I did have a beer inside which was a local option. It was cold and tasty. There seemed to be a lot of options, and plenty of large gathering places inside. Great environment to watch a game, electric crowd, very friendly employees, and plenty of pre/post-game options outside the park." — 3 stars

27) Miami Marlins - loanDepot Park (3.7, 181 reviews)

• Rob K. writes, "Not impressed at all. I was staying in Miami Beach and went to a Marlins game, the second game of the 2024 season. There is nothing immediately around the park to frequent (other than Wendy's or Subway). Parking is extremely easy, and nearby (if desired ). Bobblehead Museum in centerfield is amusing. Nothing exceptional about the concessions inside the park, or the ballpark itself. Roof was open during my visit which certainly helped the experience." — 3 stars
• Alan N. writes, "Came for another game with the roof closed. Not as great an experience as roof open, but still a decent ballpark. Parking is kind of a nightmare. I made one wrong turn and I had to circle the whole stadium to go back in the right direction. Took me an hour to leave the area." — 4 stars

26) Athletics - Sutter Health Park (3.8, 485 reviews)

• Janelle M. writes, "This ballpark is okay. Tt's small and definitely not meant for major league games at all. There is absolutely no shade so expect to get cooked if it's a hot sunny day. There is plenty of parking at the ballpark. Or you can street park in downtown Sacramento or at the parking garages. Overall, it's just okay, but I'd come back periodically." — 3 stars
• Gary I. writes, "It is truly survival of the fittest here. Watch on TV if you actually want to watch the game and have a seat. If you go solo, get here 1.5 hours early and never eat or use the restroom or you will loose your place." — 2 stars

25) Atlanta Braves - Truist Park (3.8, 683 reviews)

• Dmitry D. writes, "For a big organization like this they could do better. We came with a clear bag that we always take to every ballpark, but here and Dodgers Stadium they didn't let us in and we had to waste $20. Their food is overpriced and just left a sour taste in our mouths since we had things in that bag that we wanted to take with us." — 1 star
• Liz H. writes, "Leaving after a game is a nightmare. How is there no mass transit near a major stadium? The closest one is a bus stop a mile away. It's not feasible to walk because it's either unbearably hot out or raining. And there's gridlock traffic. The stadium has good concessions but everything is expensive." — 3 stars

24) Arizona Diamondbacks - Chase Field (3.8, 979 reviews)

• Ken R. writes, "A great venue to attend baseball games and concerts. I love the variety of food and ease of getting in and out of the park even on the busiest of game nights." — 5 stars
• Betty C. writes, "Great seat layout makes every one able to see the action at home plate. Nice scoreboard that replicates digitally what an old time park scoreboard would look like. Of course, the prices are astronomical for the food and beverages." — 4 stars

23) Washington Nationals - Nationals Park (3.8, 1.1K reviews)

• David Z. writes, "Took metro to the game, short walk to the stadium. Plenty of food or drinks options if you want to pregame outside, but also plenty of options inside as well. Stander high stadium prices here. Most vendors quick to process orders and keep the line moving. For hot days there are mister fans in various locations to cool the summer heat. Good views throughout the park to enjoy a game or event!" — 4 stars
• Juan F. writes, "Second MLB stadium I have ever been to. It's a nice arena with a good assortment of stands for food, drinks, booze and merchandise. We had no issues at security or leaving the ballpark. Drinks were easy to get as there are some self checkout places." — 4 stars

22) Los Angeles Dodgers - Dodger Stadium (3.8, 2.7K reviews)

• Gary H. writes, "As far as stadiums go, this one is really nice to watch a game, but their food choices are horrible. No cotton candy for the kids. They ran out of dodger dogs at several booths in the 3rd inning. And just in general sh*t choices for food if you want to eat somewhat healthy. $50 for a cheeseburger??! I couldn't believe. Are they trying to get us to not buy food?" — 3 stars
• Lakeshia O. writes, "One of the best stadiums we've been to! It was our first dodgers game and we had a blast! There is literally so much for you to in the stadium for both kids and adults! The food was pretty good and normal pricing for a stadium (we tried the nachos and the pizza). They have a cute experience to get your picture on a trading card! It's $25. Super cute and fun! There's tons of food right when you enter the stadium and when you're inside by your seats! And the game was good! Love Dodger fans. A really good experience!" — 5 stars

21) Houston Astros - Daikin Park (3.9, 694 reviews)

• Rebecca M. writes, "Such a great Park to experience priceless memories at, the baseball games, the concerts. This is nostalgic. Although there was a name change everything else feels familiar. Easy entry, affordable food, huge merch store! We love this classic Houston staple. We hope it's around for many more years to come!" — 4 stars
• Rob K. writes, "This was my second visit to the Astros ballpark, with my first visit coming in 2009. I'm not a big fan of the park. First, there isn't a lot around the park to visit pregame. Second, unless you're on the lower level the A/C doesn't make it up to the second deck. I've been to all the current domed stadiums in MLB and this is in the bottom tier of that group." — 3 stars

20) Los Angeles Angels - Angel Stadium (3.9, 1.9K reviews)

• Rosa R. writes, "Although I'm a Dodger fan, I love the Angels and coming to this baseball park! Brought our daughter-in-law and granddaughter to their first baseball game! Been a while since we've been here, I remember the food was better then, maybe just the chicken wasn't hitting the spot in the nachos, it was okay. Unfortunately, where we were sitting, got a little rowdy and we had to leave early, before the fireworks, bummer!" — 4 stars
• Alan N. writes, "Super mid stadium and super mid team. They increased parking to $25. That's ridiculous. The team is trash. Don't charge $25." — 3 stars

19) Chicago White Sox - Rate Field (4.0, 773 reviews)

• Alan N. writes, "Good stadium. The team is trying to turn it around so better fans in the crowd. Much better young talent on the field. Fun place to be. Food was good. Ice cream was standard." — 4 stars
• Caroline L. writes, "Get here early at least 90 minutes before the game it's no joke. It's so unorganized of where to park and they do close some small roads. I definitely recommend the CTA train instead of driving. It would've been waaaay easier." — 4 stars

18) New York Yankees - Yankee Stadium (4.0, 1.7K reviews)

• James T. writes, "From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is electric, The stadium is fairly clean, it could use some paint and cleaning in some spots, broken handrails, etc…The stadium offers excellent sightlines The food and beverage options are super pricey and full of booze (no energy drinks?) the staff is friendly and helpful." — 4 stars
• Derek A. writes, "It's always been a dream to make it to the baseball Mecca so being here felt surreal. This is more of an admiration post opposed to a review! I'll be back for another game, concert etc. The prices are NY prices so don't expect not to spend money while your here." — 4 stars

17) New York Mets - Citi Field (4.1, 1.3K reviews)

• Riki J. writes, "Citi Field is hands down my favorite stadium in the whole wide world. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is electric and there's always something to see, eat, or do. The food options are some of the best you'll find at any ballpark, the staff is consistently friendly and helpful, and the stadium itself is clean, modern, and easy to navigate. Whether you're a lifelong Mets fan or just visiting for a game, Citi Field absolutely lives up to the hype. Every visit feels like an experience, not just a baseball game. Now if the Mets could get a little good mojo going on the field, it would be the perfect place." — 5 stars
• Nadia C. writes, "Nothing like stadium chicken fingers! great selection of food choices. there is something for everybody!" — 4 stars

16) Detroit Tigers - Comerica Park (4.2, 510 reviews)

• Maya C. writes, "I really enjoy going down to the ballpark! I am a long time Detroit Tigers fan and Comerica Park has become their home over the past couple decades and I enjoy the experience overall. I would love to have more affordable ticket prices. It would be great to have more food choices on the upper levels and not just in the food court area. Those things are just on my wish list. I think the pros definitely outweigh the cons I love the beautiful setting of the stadium with the backdrop of the cityscape." — 4 stars
• Jennifer R. writes, "We loved the Tiger Den visitor experience. You have your own entrance with expedited security and ticket scanning. The access to the lounge was great for pre game drinks and to avoid the rain passing through. The usher assigned to our section was A++ - she was friendly, helpful and professional. Tons of food and drink options (and a surprisingly legit margarita to be had). The fans were into it and the post game fireworks show was incredible." — 5 stars

15) Colorado Rockies - Coors Field (4.2, 889 reviews)

• Charles R. writes, "Foods a little over priced and parking too. The stadium is great and the field crew are amazing especially on snow games or hail games. They get the field up and ready. I tend to park way up on California and just walk down not only do I beat the traffic I also get to swing by restaurants off of 16th Street. The stadium has some of the best Colorado sunsets and the fireworks from 4th July are amazing as well." — 5 stars
• James M. writes, "I had not visited Coors Field in a number of years and really enjoyed the recent experience. Located in lower downtown, the ballpark was a short, pleasant walk from our hotel. We really appreciated the clean, well-maintained facility and enjoyed the great views of the Rocky Mountains." — 5 stars

14) Seattle Mariners - T-Mobile Park (4.2, 1.1K reviews)

• Karla S. writes, "Beautiful stadium glad we were able to catch a game on our trip to Seattle. Great atmosphere, great fans, lots of food and beverages. They even have a phone charging station which I thought was super cool. The stadiums has a great set up, anywhere you sit you'll have a great view, I especially liked that you can watch the pitchers warm up. If you're ever in Seattle I recommend watching a game at T-Mobile Park." — 5 stars
• Michelle H. writes, "We had such a fun time at T-Mobile park, there are so many unique food and drink options. The playground in the outfield is great when the kids are getting restless and everyone was great. Overall great experience and would definitely come back." — 4 stars

13) San Diego Padres - Petco Park (4.2, 2.2K reviews)

• Anh-Dao T. writes, "The rumors are true. Petco Park is definitely one of the best MLB stadiums! We were shocked it was so packed on a Tuesday and the vibe was very chill and friendly. Great food stands, including Hodads and Mister Softee right next to each other. We enjoyed the barbeque burger with onion rings and my son was thrilled to see his favorite ice cream at the park." — 5 stars
• Cheryl G. writes, "Petco Park is beautiful! It's always a good time going to see the Padres play. Sometimes you even get really lucky with a killer sunset. I've been to a couple other events there and I've always thought they were well put on. The concessions are pretty good, there's a big variety of food and I love all the local craft breweries. It is crazy expensive to eat and drink there. The last time I went, I got a hot pretzel and I went into this little area where they pre-authorize my card and then I just picked up whatever food and drinks I wanted and the camera charged me the appropriate amount when I left. That was kind of cool." — 4 stars

12) Kansas City Royals - Kauffman Stadium (4.3, 387 reviews)

• David M. writes, "Going to Kauffman to see the Royals is always a great time. There isn't a bad seat in the stadium and you can typically find cheap and affordable tickets. There are plenty of food stands but the options are lacking. They are getting better options when it comes to food and beer but there is still some work to be done here. They have all of your favorite stadium eats and there are some local options as well." — 4 stars
• Dawn S. writes, "We got to see Royals vs. Padres and loved every minute of it. Yes it was hot outside but my whole family loved the experience. Can't wait to come back." — 5 stars

11) Cleveland Guardians - Progressive Field (4.3, 404 reviews)

• Cyrus A. writes, "Say what you will about the Guardians, but at least they play at a beautiful ballpark. Like other cities in the Midwest, Cleveland has the luxury of putting its stadiums in/next to downtown, making it super walkable from the city center. Very convenient. The stadium itself has a great layout, with a field below ground level that almost makes it feel like a minor league park (with better views for fans)." — 4 stars
• Emma B. writes, "This was our 25th active MLB stadium. Nice ballpark. We came early and checked out Heritage Park, met a hotdog over there! We sat behind the visitor's dugout on 1st base and seems to be in a season tickets area, which was cool to chat with them. Tried their ballpark mustard, wasn't a fan. Hotdogs and beer was on special for the weekend. Meet the mascot as well. Visited from out of town, stayed downtown near 4th street, easy walk to stadium." — 4 stars

10) Cincinnati Reds - Great American Ball Park (4.3, 505 reviews)

• Lindsay H. writes, "Easy parking, inexpensive tickets, and a great game experience, overall. Very family friendly. Best kid zone/parent accommodations I have ever encountered in a baseball stadium. Reading and sensory rooms, nursing room, playground, family restrooms, and batting cages with t-ball stands. This is near the swings and couches that overlook the river and skyline. On a lower level, there is a mini ball field where they will pitch to kids 12 and under. Kids can also try to catch/field the balls from the outfield." — 4 stars
• Tyanna M. writes, "Love GABP. Lots of parking in garage around the park. You can purchase parking when you purchase your tickets. Tickets are viable in the Ballpark app. Lots of good options in the park. Fun games to play prior to the game. Typical opening time us 1.5 hours prior to game time but if it differs it will be posted in the Cincinnati Reds website. We always have fun at this ballpark." — 5 stars

9) Philadelphia Phillies - Citizens Bank Park (4.3, 651 reviews)

• Ken J. writes, "Gates open 90 minutes the first pitch. We got to our seats right away and went shopping in the team store in section 134. The amount of Phillies gear is staggering! Our ushers were super friendly and very knowledgeable about the stadium and where to find what ever we needed. Thank you to the Phillies and staff for making our first return trip to Citizens Bank Park in nearly 20 years a great experience that our kids will never forget." — 4 stars
• Alan N. writes, "Good ballpark with great fans! Love the area behind right field where the kids can go hang out! Getting a photo with the Phanatic is one of the hardest thing to do, but I stumbled into some great luck finding him. A lot to see and a lot to take in. Ring the bell!" — 4 stars

8) Milwaukee Brewers - American Family Field (4.3, 685 reviews)

• Tracy M. writes, "I love coming to this unique ballpark. There are some nice kids activities outside to use before the game, like a playground, miniature golf, chalk drawing, and other sponsored activities. The facility itself has many other activities like batting games and ski ball for kids to play too. There is a nice variety of food and drink choices. The bathrooms are always clean and stocked. It's always an exciting fun time!" — 5 stars
• Alexander D. writes, "What an atmosphere and great pricing! I think the beauty is in the atmosphere as it is authentic to Milwaukee highlighting a lot of local favorites. My favorite is the local tap offerings as I brought a friend from out of state and he could come enjoy what Milwaukee has to offer. Also it's so accessible with all of the shuttle offerings. I have also enjoyed the tailgating experience they offer. Who also can't be mad at a ballpark with a value menu." — 5 stars

7) Minnesota Twins - Target Field (4.4, 479 reviews)

• Brian L. writes, "I'll go ahead and put this in the top five of ballparks I've visited. Indeed a surprise, but the whole experience just felt "right". The stadium is very nicely designed, incorporated into the existing city infrastructure, and the exposed limestone walls in the outfield are a pleasant touch." — 5 stars
• Rob K. writes, "My wife and I attended a Sunday afternoon game against the St. Louis Cardinals. I've been to all current 30 MLB Ballparks and without a doubt this is in the top-10. Ballpark is in a great location and everyone is extremely friendly. We were staying nearby and walked to the game. Based on the prices, seat locations, and any other variables this is a 5 star venue. We had club seats which were extremely comfortable and well priced. It's a great ballpark you don't want to miss. I'd love to return." — 5 stars

6) St. Louis Cardinals - Busch Stadium (4.4, 647 reviews)

• Brandi C. writes, "One of the best baseball stadiums to watch a game! Even if you are a passerby, you can see some of the field. The restaurants across the street even have some limited seating on their balcony's to enjoy the game. Bright and non-covered open field. Easy access to all gates." — 5 stars
• Gary K. writes, "Visited the stadium for the very first time to watch the Cardinals beat Texas...go Cardinals! Every staff member I encountered was super nice and accommodating. They were very courteous and polite to me and my party as we spoke with them trying to find our seats, getting drinks, and on the way out. Absolutely a great time at a beautiful stadium." — 5 stars

5) Chicago Cubs - Wrigley Field (4.4, 1.9K reviews)

• Debbie F. writes, "What's not to love about this ballpark??? They still have the old scoreboard being turned by hand. The location is great! Ok, getting here is a pain and takes forever. But, the ballpark is cool and so worth the experience. The surrounding area has lots to do before and after the game. Easy to make a day/evening out of cheers on the Cubs and being entertained." — 5 stars
• James L. writes, "What a field and what a fan base that is very passionate with their team. Also, what a beautiful stadium. I enjoyed it very much and the food was good and drinks were good too. Everyone here is so friendly." — 5 stars

4) Baltimore Orioles - Orioles Park at Camden Yards (4.5, 897 reviews)

• Kimberly J. writes, "It's always a good time at Camden Yards. Every seat seems to have a great view of the field. The variety of food and drink options are endless. The staff is always helpful. My only complaint is the pricing or overpriced food and drinks. Other than that, I love coming here for O's games." — 4 stars
• Chanel L. writes, "As always the best Baseball Park one can visit. The atmosphere is ways 100. The food has gotten better as well as spirited drink options. The fan interaction is awesome. Many fun activities to keep it fun as well." — 5 stars

3) Boston Red Sox - Fenway Park (4.5, 1.6K reviews)

• Thao T. writes, "One of my favorite ballparks. Fenway is smaller than most other ballparks so you get a better view. It is a very historic ballpark so a guided tour will fill in many details and provide access to the Green Monster. I was able to access the VIP suites during a collegiate football event and the food, service, and views were amazing. Definitely a must see whether you're from Boston or visiting. That surrounding area has lots of food and drink options as well as Target and Star Market which are very convenient." — 5 stars
• Robert D. writes, "This place IS amazing! Whether you are a Red Sox fan or not this is a must if you are a baseball fan. The rich history, the unique park and the "Green Monster" are things worth seeing an experiencing. We did a tour plus the game. Simply awesome and you should go!!" — 5 stars

2) San Francisco Giants - Oracle Park (4.5, 3.5K reviews)

• Nell C. writes, "Oracle Park had great acoustics and each seat had a decent view to the ball field. Park food is always overpriced but the Japanese hot dog is pretty good. Fries are nice and crispy." — 5 stars
• Lucy L. writes, "Beautiful ball park with a million dollar gorgeous view of San Francisco Bay. Easy transportation by bus, street car, train, or parking lot nearby. Very well-organized, professional, helpful and thoughtful staff here. Many food & drink options that emphasize local foods. Many seat options to choose from around the ball park. Fun to walk around the place to check out displays such as World Series trophies, the giant mitt & coke bottle slide, the cable car, and many statues and plaques to admire on many famous ball players. I've been coming here for years with my family and will keep coming back for games. I also appreciate that the park hosts many other non-baseball events. Go Giants!" — 5 stars

1) Pittsburgh Pirates - PNC Park (4.6, 714 reviews)

• Jen B. writes, "One of the best spots in Pittsburgh. We went to our first Pup Night this week and it was a blast. They had bandanas for the dogs, treats, ice cream, a litter box situation, photos…all sorts of stuff. They put you in the roof top area which is a great space." — 5 stars
• Olivia C. writes, "I would have given it 5 stars...but I'm a Mariners fan and we lost that day! It is a beautiful stadium with amazing bridges to get there. But I'm bias against T-Mobile Park!" — 4 stars

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Ranking all 30 MLB ballparks based on Yelp reviews