Category: Baseball

There was a time in Colorado Rockies’ history when it was normal to expect a miraculous late-game rally, particularly at Coors Field, because of the offense’s power. They could strike fear in the heart of an opposing pitcher because of the certainty that no lead was ever truly safe.

However, over the years of losing since 2021, there were instances of incredible comebacks, but they seemed few and far between as the offense’s inconsistencies and ineffectiveness ruled above all.

The ineffable phenomena of “LoDo Magic” appeared to have waned into nothingness, a mere casualty of the frailties of the offense. However, the 2026 Rockies appear to have tapped into something from the past and may have found a way to conjure the vibes of that late-game magic.

Don’t count me out

The Rockies have proven to be one of the best late-game hitting teams in baseball this season.

In the eighth inning or later entering Tuesday, the Rockies are first in team batting average (.295), third in on-base percentage (.358) and first in slugging percentage (.481). They have also scored the most runs (114) and have the most hits (189). Those two stats aren’t particularly close either, as the Milwaukee Brewers rank second with 106 runs scored, and the Toronto Blue Jays are second with 164 hits. While their efforts haven’t necessarily always resulted in wins, it’s clear that the Rockies’ offense never knows when to quit.

The split between the eighth and ninth innings is rather similar, but the team is much more successful in the former. The Rockies are slashing .298/.366/.485 with 63 runs scored in the eighth inning while slashing .288/.375/.500 with 44 runs scored in the ninth. They also have 15 home runs in the eighth and 11 in the ninth, both of which rank near the top in baseball.

What is even more impressive is that this Rockies team could end up being one of the best late-game hitting teams in franchise history. Since the installation of the humidor at Coors Field in 2002, the 2026 team’s AVG ranks first in franchise history, ahead of the .268 AVG of the 2004 Rockies. Halfway through the season, the Rockies are at 107 runs in the late-game regulation innings, which may only rank ahead of the shortened 2020 season at the moment, but the top mark since 2002 is 163 by the 2004 team. The current trajectory as the 2026 club has a chance to take the top spot in runs scored, among several other categories, when all is said and done.

We’ve focused most only the eighth and ninth innings, but it’s worth mentioning their performance in extra innings. The Rockies have played five games that went into extras, so it’s a rather small sample size. Still, they are batting .296/.424/.370. They are 8-for-27 with two doubles and seven runs scored. That places them in the bottom half of the league in most things, but they can at least hang their hat on a good stat line, even if the runs aren’t coming.

Home and away

“LoDo Magic” is often reserved for games at home. Coors Field lends itself to offensive rallies because of the elevation and the expanse of the outfield. The 2026 Rockies have taken full advantage of their home confines in the late innings to keep up pressure and even pull off a few miracles.

A slashline of .308/.361/.492 places them roughly in the top-five Rockies teams at home in the eighth and ninth innings. Their average is notable as the second-best at home, behind the 2010 team, which batted .314 at Coors. Surprisingly enough, the 2024 and 2025 teams rank fairly high in runs scored, home runs, and hits. As mentioned, there were hints of that “LoDo Magic” over the years, but nothing that seemed to matter much or was too little, too late.

As for their place among teams across the league, the Rockies are first in AVG and SLG at home, while they rank second in runs scored at home in the later innings (64) as well as hits (80). Teams will typically play better at home, but the Rockies have excelled more than most with the clock running out, and that’s a major testament to fighting until the very last out.

The truly incredible outcome is that the Rockies aren’t just doing it at home. They also lead the league with a .286 AVG and .482 SLG on the road, alongside leading the league in hits (101) and runs scored (61). Add in their 14 home runs, which rank 14th in baseball. Somehow, the 2026 Rockies have done something unimaginable: carrying that “LoDo Magic” on the road.

A .286/.350/.482 slash on the road leads every Rockies team since 2002. To put that in context, the previous highs were a .247 AVG by the 2008 Rockies, a .321 OBP by the 2004 Rockies, and a .400 SLG by the 2020 Rockies. They already have the 10th most runs scored (61) and are on their way to overtaking the hits, runs, and home runs in the later innings.

Being able to consistently hit at home and on the road is a massive step forward for a team that has historically done well in one area and poorly in the other. There is a balance that has never been there before and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Late game heroes

The definitive figure of late-game heroics in franchise history has to be Mr. Late Night himself, Seth Smith. He had a penchant for delivering a clutch hit, often a home run, late in games, and you knew good things would happen late in the game at Coors Field. So, who are the heroes of the current Rockies?

As you’d expect, the Rockies’ late-game statistics are as good as they are because a greater number of players have found success late in the game. The Rockies have 10 players batting at least .280 in the eighth inning or later, eight of whom are batting over .300. Eight players are also slugging over .500, and six players have an OPS of 1.000 or better.

The main breadwinners late in games are names that have been exceptional all season. Hunter Goodman and TJ Rumfield have excellent slash lines, with Rumfield’s .365 AVG leading all qualified hitters. Both had six home runs late in the game and have combined to drive in 32 runs. Jake McCarthy has 12 RBI and 11 runs scored, both of which rank third on the team. Kyle Karros may be a surprise as he is slashing .308/.368/.558 with three home runs, four doubles, eight RBI, and 12 runs scored.

What’s great to see is that rookie newcomer Cole Carrigg has proven capable in the final innings of a game. Through 15 games, he is 5-for-12 with two doubles and a home run as well as four walks against one strikeout.

I believe in magic

A talking point for manager Warren Schaeffer, dating back to his tenure in 2025, has been about fighting to the very end. There was also something mentioned on a Rockies broadcast recently that the team isn’t just hoping to come back and win games, but actively believes they can and will win games. That mentality shift is emblematic of the progression from one of the least productive offenses in baseball to one of the better offenses in baseball. There is growth, and I find myself excited and confident that the Rockies will manage to tap into that “LoDo Magic” on any given night.

On the farm

Triple-A:Round Rock Express 9, Albuquerque Isotopes 8

An eighth-inning collapse proved the difference maker as the Albuquerque Isotopes dropped their opener for the week. Leading 6-5 heading into the bottom of the eighth, reliever Blake Adams ended up being responsible for three runs and the loss after he loaded the bases and was replaced by veteran reliever Jordan Romano, who gave up a grand slam. The Isotopes scored two runs in the top of the ninth on a Sterlin Thompson home run, but the rally ended there. Charlie Condon also hit another home run in the game as part of a three-hit day, while Zac Veen hit his 14th home run of the season. Jordan Beck also contributed a three-run homer for his first of the year in Triple-A.

Double-A:Somerset Patriots 5, Hartford Yard Goats 2

It was a slower night for the Hartford Yard Goats as they dropped the opener to the Somerset Patriots. Hartford collected just five hits, utilizing a pair of solo home runs to score all of their runs. Jack O’Dowd slugged a home run in his very first Double-A at-bat to lead off the third inning. Roc Riggio had a great night against his former club, going 3-for-4 with a solo home run in the ninth inning. Jackson Cox made the start for the Yard Goats and fired six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, including two home runs. He also struck out eight and walked two. Michael Prosecky followed with two innings of relief, allowing a run on three hits, with two strikeouts.

High-A:Spokane Indians 2, Hillsboro Hops 0

It was a rather uneventful night for the Spokane Indians, but they managed to squeak out the win nonetheless. The Indians scored two runs on three hits with Tommy Hopfe going 2-for-3. Roynier Hernandez drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth to drive in the first run of the game and Ethan Hedges had a sacrifice fly to bring in the second run. Yujanyer Herrera started on the mound and fired six shutout innings with six shutouts and allowing just three hits. Francis Rivera followed with two scoreless innings to get the win while Hunter Mann shut the door for the save.

Low-A: Ontario Tower Buzzers 7, Fresno Grizzlies 4

The Fresno Grizzlies scored all their runs early, but couldn’t muster much else after the third inning as they had just five hits in the loss. Jesus Freitez led the way with three hits and two RBI, but the team went 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position as they drew 12 walks against nine strikeouts. Riley Kelly made the start for Fresno, giving up five runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings with five strikeouts. Bryson Van Sickle followed with three solid innings, giving up one run on five hits with six strikeouts. Manuel Olivares closed things out with 1.1 innings, allowing one run. In total, Fresno gave up 15 hits while Ontario went 5-for-10 with RISP.

Affected by Altitude Episode 216: He’s pretty good, man | Rocky Mountain Rooftop

In this episode, Evan Lang and I talk about Hunter Goodman’s incredible play of late, talk trade deadline ideas, and talk late game hijinks for the offense.

Jack O’Dowd turns independent league breakthrough into Colorado Rockies organization success | The Spokesman Review

Jack O’Dowd has been a fun story in the minors this season for the Rockies. Signed after a great season in independent ball last year, O’Dowd has ascended quickly through the system to Double-A. However, he participated in a Q&A session in Spokane recently to talk about his season so far.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Good morning, baseball fans!

Phase two of voting for the 2026 All-Star Game has begun, and unfortunately the San Francisco Giants have zero players among the top vote getters this year. I’d say it’s a shame, but given the way the team has…well, done everything this season, it’s not that big of a surprise. But it is a bummer, because I really wanted to Luis Arraez to at least be in the mix.

However, that doesn’t mean there is no reason to still vote. Because the Los Angeles Dodgers currently have players in almost every category. So maybe go support their competition instead. You can vote here for the next couple of days. Phase two ends on July 2nd, but you can cast up to five votes per day.

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants conclude this three-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight at 6:40 p.m. PT.

Happy Wednesday, everyone, and a very happy Canada Day to any of my fellow Canucks out there! In today’s news breakdown, we’re still looking at the fallout from the big shakeup with the Angels ousting Perry Minasian and the Mets booting Carlos Mendoza.

We also take a look at what’s going on with Aaron Judge, and which AL players might now stand a chance to be the AL MVP because Judge has missed a good chunk of playing time.

Along with all that, we take a look at the unexpected boost baseball is getting with the influx of soccer fans all over Canada and the US, and how it’s creating a whole new fanbase for the sport.

All that and more, so let’s get right into it.

• Jay Jaffe looks at how Carlos Mendoza is paying the price for the Mets’ lacklustre season.
• Dan Szymborski explains what the new CBA offer would mean for free agency.
• What are the biggest needs at the trade deadline for all the playoff contenders? Story by Mark Feinsand.
• Nicholas Selbe looks at the six bad decisions that sunk Perry Minasian with the Angels.
• While we’re at it, Tom Verducci explains how Minasian made the Angels even worse.
• Ken Rosenthal talks to the Angels’ new interim manager on what comes next. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• A Tale of Two Max Muncys…

• Michael Baumann looks at the joyous experience that is international soccer fans discovering baseball.
• Cody Stavenhagen looks at whether MLB is actually getting an attendance bump thanks to soccer fans. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Sonja Chen reports that Shohei Ohtani’s next start has been bumped back to Friday.
• With Aaron Judge missing a good chunk of time due to injury, the AL MVP race is suddenly much more open to a new contender. Story by Tom Verducci.
• Zach Meisel looks at the long and dramatic saga of Josh Naylor that led to some heated interactions recently with the Guardians. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• You don’t often see an inside-the-park home run that is quite this messy.

• Jay Jaffe breaks down which teams have the best defense so far this season.
• Davy Andrews wonders how the Nationals manage to have such good hitting and such bad pitching.
• Having a superb season, Junior Caminero has announced his participation in the Home Run Derby. Story by Adam Berry.
• Ken Rosenthal explains that the Boston Red Sox being on track to potentially make the postseason is more of a statement about how bad the AL currently is. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Michael Rothstein shares that MLB has lost out in its efforts to trademark “Play Ball.”
• Bryan Hoch looks at the latest potential timeline for Aaron Judge to return.
• And it’s not even the most money one of his cards has sold for.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

The first day of July marks Bobby Bonilla Day, an annual celebration of one of the strangest deals in the history of Major League Baseball.

Bonilla, a six-time All-Star who played his last game in 2001, has been receiving a $1.19 million check from the New York Mets every year since 2011, the result of a decision 25 years ago to delay paying the $5.9 million they owed him.

Looking to dump Bonilla after the 1999 season, the Mets opted to defer his payment — with 8% interest — giving him $1,193,248.20 annually on July 1 from 2011-2035 — adding up to nearly $30 million.

“It’s bigger than my birthday," Bonilla told USA TODAY Sports. “When that day comes, I get texts all day long, and couple of days after and maybe a day or two before. Everybody just seems to love that day and have fun with it. It’s become a pretty big thing."

BONILLA DAY: How infamous contract helped Mets draft a franchise icon

Contract deferrals weren't new in baseball at the time and have been deployed heavily in the 25 years since Bonilla left the Mets, but the fact that he will be getting seven-figure checks until he's 72 years old is what most captivates the baseball world.

“There’ll be plenty of other deferred contracts," Bonilla's former agent Dennis Gilbert told USA TODAY Sports in 2023, “but for a guy to be paid that long into his life, into his 70s, I don’t think we’ll ever see that again. 

“That’s why Bobby Bonilla Day should be celebrated."

Bobby Bonilla Day contract

Bonilla signed a four-year, $23.3 million contract with the Marlins prior to the 1997 season and helped the team win its first World Series that year, but was traded to the Dodgers in 1998 as part of the club's infamous fire sale.

Before the 1999 season, the Dodgers traded Bonilla to the Mets, who were looking for a new right fielder at the time — with New York assuming the remaining two years and $11.65 million on Bonilla's contract.

Then 36 years old, Bonilla played just 60 regular season games for the Mets in 1999, batting .160. He was constantly booed by fans and clashed with manager Bobby Valentine over his playing time and was relegated to the bench for the team's postseason run.

The Mets released Bonilla after the 1999 season but still owed him $5.9 million for 2000. The team worked with Bonilla's agent (Gilbert) to defer the $5.9 million – with 8% interest – to annual payments of $1,193,248.20 on July 1 from 2011 to 2035.

“It’s funny how the Bobby Bonilla thing has blown up," agent Nez Balelo told USA TODAY Sports in 2023, months before negotiating Shohei Ohtani's historic $700 million deal with $680 million deferred. “I just think it’s because someone has been out of the game for so long, making that much money every year, it fascinates people."

When does Bobby Bonilla Day end?

The Mets' final "Bobby Bonilla Day" payment is set for 2035, when the six-time All-Star will be 72 years old.

Though Bobby Bonilla Day remains something of a punchline and opportunity to laugh at the Mets, the team has embraced the situation since Steve Cohen bought the team. New York's new owner immediately joked about holding a Bobby Bonilla Day celebration at Citi Field, complete with an oversized check.

Atlanta Braves right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver returned to the lineup card and made a rehab appearance for the Augusta GreenJackets on Tuesday evening. He underwent Tommy John surgery a little over a year ago and is ramping up just in time to contribute to the struggling Braves’ rotation. 

During Tuesday’s outing, Smith-Shawver threw three innings of one-run ball. He gave up three hits, one of them a homer, and recorded four strikeouts. 

Overall, it was an encouraging first step back for Smith-Shawver, who could factor into Atlanta’s rotation later this season if his rehab continues to go smoothly.

More Braves News:

The Braves ended the month with a 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. 

MLB News:

The Miami Marlins placed reliever Anthony Bender on the 15-day injured list with a stress fracture in his right shin. Zach Brzykey has been called up to take his place in the bullpen.

Washington Nationals lefty Mitchell Parker has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 UCL sprain and will likely require Tommy John surgery. 

From the Feed:

Ronald Acuña Jr. continues to work his way back and had a full workout ahead of Tuesday’s contest.

Do you think July will shape up to be better than June? 

A more definite set of attributes, traits, and countenance has emerged after half a season of Cardinals baseball in 2026. It is surely not definitive, as this mercurial team arises from the ashes of the past. It is halfway set and halfway emerging out of the fires of change and progress like an Apollonian fever dream. Is Chaim Bloom our agent of change? It sure appears so… but, this team also has a lot of players from the wiles of John Mozeliakian machinations. What is it that they do well?

It is Monday at 7:30PM, no game on, half the season gone, A/C cranked. I worked yesterday, and it was plenty hot enough. Not tonight after a full shift of work. But I will probably have to venture out into the wall of steam tomorrow night, possibly. We will see how I feel. I’m a jack of all trades, master of none. But I’m pretty good at a lot, I’d like to think. Rennaissance man? I think not. Polymath? I hope not. Just some middle aged dude writing about baseball and other miscellany.

The Cardinals don’t have the fortune to be able to work from home. They have to go to Atlanta next. Is that even hotter than playing in StL? I would think so! But I really don’t know. Atlanta and Houston are my last two big cities to go to, and Phoenix but I’ve been to Mesa. I’d love to go to Seattle again. I know the other big cities well enough, for now. June ends with a new beginning.

The Cardinals go on their toughest stretch of the season leading up to the All-Star Break. There is no doubt about that, with a road trip to Atlanta and Chicago’s northside, and then turning around and hosting the Brewers for 4 games. And then… the Braves again. This first series at Atlanta will definitely set the tone for this stretch more than anything. As a whole, the 4 series amount to around a .590 winning percentage foe vs our 5 over guys.

How could the Cardinals possibly beat the Braves? This might come as a surprise (it was for me) the Cardinals have a little better position players. Cardinals have a better defense, no question. On offense, StL position players are batting 102 wRC+ as a group, while Atlanta is a hair below league average. Why are the Braves so good? Actually, I’m not sure. Their pitching is definitely quite a lot better than the Cardinals, but they’re not one of the best teams at pitching, either.

The Cardinals top 5 hitters by xwOBA are, you guessed it, Alec Burleson, Ivan Herrera, Jordan Walker, and JJ Wetherholt. After that it drops off a cliff. But with a solid 4 above .350 xwOBA, that’s going to win some games. Winn, Church, and crew are not yet pushing this team over the top. Except newcomer Nootbaar (everything new is old again) has brought the offense a new aspect with his top notch but newly minted 2026 baseball savant page. That’s mostly bars of red there. So how does that change this offense?

For one, it appears to be insurance if Jordan Walker isn’t as good in the second half. But what if Walker truly has become one of the National League’s best hitters? That is then over half the lineup of damage-doing hitters, with the rest of them either likely to do a little better or at least have a chance of being an improvement over Scott and Pages. With a strength of schedule that seems to be relatively soft after the all-star break, I find it quite an interesting topic. If Nootbaar is not traded away, all that has to happen is Walker and Wetherholt keeping up the good work, and for the pitching to be able to not crumble under the pressure of innings and summer heat.

While looking through the lens of xwOBA, I can see a better lineup than what fangraphs wRC+ described. So, I suppose it’s a toss-up on the offenses. We will find out after these next two series are in the books. Luckily for the Cardinals, the Braves best hitter, Acuna, is currently injured. So that could be the real difference maker.

But I should add, as a team, once again, the Cardinals are better at xwOBA and are #3 in MLB as a team stat. I guess what I’m saying is, both teams offenses could heat up at any moment. This should be interesting.

Of course, when it comes to pitching, the Braves are top 5 by xwOBA and the Cardinals are bottom 5. Therein lies the big difference. St Louis pitching has been the worry all along.

Since the Cardinals are actually doing a lot better than what most people would’ve predicted at the halfway point, how are they bucking the odds? What are they doing to win games while keeping a negative run differential?

What are the Cardinals good at?

The St Louis Cardinals have a pitching staff that lead MLB in inducing groundouts, and also a middle infield defense that leads MLB in turning the double play. So, naturally, the pitching staff is leading the Big Leagues in ground into double plays. So that is our best stat. If they get on, there’s a good chance they’ll get erased through our defensive machine up the middle. Burleson has been good enough to scoop a lot of plays that no one would ever think either JJ Wetherholt or Masyn Winn would execute. Burly has been on his toes at first base.

You know what the Cardinals are also good at? Getting on base through hit-by-pitch! They are boosting their offense the toughest way possible. The Cardinals are ahead of the Angels, Mariners, and White Sox in total HBP. That’s one way to make an abundance of baserunners! Along with a good walk rate of course.

So the Cardinals are best at inducing ground balls into double plays on defense and getting hit by the pitch. Is the latter sustainable? Who knows! Kind of hope not, but if that’s a built-in trait for this team, maybe it helps just enough.

Beyond those two top tier traits, the Cardinals’ offense doesn’t strike out a lot… and xwOBA think they’ll do better. They’re rather average or mediocre at everything else.

June is over

It sure has felt like people have been a little down on the Cardinals during their recent play, so let’s take a look at the last month. The Cardinals position players have been top 10 in MLB by fWAR, tied with Detroit and just ahead of the White Sox. So the promotions and changes to the bottom of the order certainly have not hurt.

In June the Cardinals got on base at a rather beneficial .339 clip, top 5 in MLB… but ended up bottom five in HR. There was definitely a power outage, not that they were ever a huge home run threat, but they were much better than expected prior to June. So they hit less home runs in the humidity, I guess? And regressed, I digress.

Not to worry though, the Cardinals were a top 10 offense by wOBA. They should be ok, and go through different phases. As long as they gel after the All-Star Break, I think they’ll always be a strength. How much of one, we will find out. Defensively they seem to be a little worse off in June.

It is difficult to say what the better setup is: optimizing defense as we did earlier in the year, or optimizing offense as we seem to be doing now. Things will sort themselves out.

The Cardinals pitching was not a disaster in June. But they were below average, about the same as NY Mets pitching and SF Giants pitching, two other ballclubs who are struggling but not sinking to the bottom. They are above replacement level, but only by a game and a half in June.

If the Cardinals want to continue their strengths, they need Masyn Winn and JJ Wetherholt to stay healthy, and to continue run preventing center field defense. Pedro Pages may see more playing time if Jimmy Crooks III doesn’t steal his spot. That would play back into that defense that actually takes runs away from the other team.

Maybe part of that plan was Ramon Urias but he’s doubly hurt and not a big part of this team, and wasn’t really the elite defender that was advertised anyway. Blaze Jordan or Nolan Gorman types will be fine at third base, but they aren’t going to steal runs away, or be a huge difference maker with the bat either. Hahahaha just trying to rile up Blaze, Blaze Jordan fans.

These two Braves series will be more interesting than most think, and I think we can take the Cubs if they are slumping again. Wrigley can be a bad place to play sometimes, but it can also provide the long ball. It is the Brewers series that is most worrisome, we need to avoid the sweep and if we are to have any hope of beginning to catch up to them (I don’t), you just gotta win that series. But most of all, just don’t get swept while hosting the Brewcrew! Get into the All Star Break with a decent record and the rest of the season doesn’t seem so formidable.

Ok, I’m sorry, I could talk about Cardinals baseball all day. Here is the music portion of the broadcast.

1992 Music Extravaganza (Part 1)

Ok I have been reminiscing about my high school years and 1992 is where things really hit a turbo charged cultural take off. Already huge genres like hiphop and metal are absolutely on fire, fledging genres like shoegaze and industrial really begin to take off, and the overall quality of albums and how they are produced really pushed the envelope taking sounds to new heights.

1992 was a year that meant a lot to me, both when I was in high school and later in life, when I figured out I missed out on bands like Kyuss, Polvo, and many more on the list. I did have a good collection of tapes and CDs in high school though! And many of them I still love.

• Faith No More – ‘Angel Dust’ their absolute best, words cannot describe experiencing hearing this album the first few times, and living with it your whole life. Its own dimension of sound to visit when you need a good mental shakedown, it will take you to another place and that place is 1992. But it is also rather timeless, sounding still fresh today due to a crisp production and excellent songwriting with a full band and one of the best singers of all time at the top of his game.
• Polvo – ‘Cor-Crane Secret’ Chapel Hill genius guitar duo debuts with Polvo’s first official full length and it’s all of what you want in an album: creative, fun, innovative, emotive, and absolutely one of a kind. Reinventing the wheel and rewriting the script. Both catchy and devastating, but not extremely heavy in a conventional sense, they’re just more emotionally impactful and absolutely absurd. There’s no way to explain, you just have to hear it multiple times before it even starts to make sense. Then it grows…
• Kyuss – ‘Blues For The Red Sun’ an absolutely stunning wall of sound with the only rocker to be in the same territory as Chris Cornell on vocals, but sounding more like what I would call a male Janis Joplin. More raw and over the top. And that goes for the whole band. That California desert sound was put on the map by this band, and it is the precursor to the more popular and well known Queens of the Stone Age. I love both bands, but I’d rather hear Kyuss, to be honest. Regardless, 1992 is the beginning… they started to become famous because of “generator parties” out in the desert. They never quite got behind cult status, but one of the best American bands. And this sounded like nothing else before or since!
• Sonic Youth – ‘Dirty’ NYC was always on the map in the 90s, since they had Sonic Youth and the Beastie Boys in the prior decade. And a gazillion more, but …this album changed my thinking about music. I found this one before Helmet, another NYC band, before Polvo, they were some article in a magazine and sounded so cool I bought this CD. And I still love it a whole bunch. Extremely influential to bands who will never make it big. The 1990s were a whole different dimension.
• Helmet – ‘Meantime’ so far on the list we have seen heavy being reinvented in new rock n roll ways that aren’t really heavy metal per se, but I could see why you might say this is a heavy metal album. If anything it sounds like it influenced nu-metal years later, but I find it ultimately an alt rock thing melding hiphop and jazz college knowledge with punk and a new approach to presenting heavy riffs and vocals, as well as solos. I wouldn’t blame you if you filed this under heavy metal, but most true metalheads would be mad at you. Maybe it was their short hair and hipster clothing.
• Medeski Martin And Wood – ‘Notes From The Underground’ these guys were real good from the beginning, and this might be their most unnecessarily overlooked album by me and many fans. They made both avant garde and classic jazz more accessible to the 90s and the 00s. And after this small stage jazz phase they got super funky and then blossomed out into the jam band big stage scene. I much prefer their first two stages, but they have always been a damned good band and always will be. I absolutely love them. And in case you didn’t know, it’s a keyboards (Medeski), drums (Martin), and bass (Wood) trio, for the most part!
• Thinking Plague – ‘In This Life’ this won’t be on the playlist, sadly enough, but it is America’s answer to the Rock In Opposition movement that started around a decade before. If you like prog rock or just straight up weird music with amazing musicianship, , or even classical, you must check this out! From Denver.
• Alice In Chains – ‘Dirt’ the crowning achievement of grunge? You decide! I was more into this album than even ‘Badmotorfinger’. Unbelievably catchy for how heavy it is, it’s alt rock having a meeting with heavy metal, with a dual vocal attack and very creative solos and song structures. Layne Staley was on the same level as Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell, one of the all time great rock vocalists.
• Beastie Boys – ‘Check Your Head’ the Beastie Boys show their full scope on this one; it’s an all-time hip-hop and alt-punk classic with top-notch production. This has got to be a part of your 1992 soundtrack unless you have a bias against the Beasties. This is them at their peak, with a lot of variety filtered through experience and focus. They took their past success to the next level here!
• Rage Against The Machine – self titled this album had a big effect on me as a teenager, but the riffs and music stand up over time and embarrass the naysayers with good, inspirational music. Catchy as fuck and sounds more like 1992 than most of the albums on this list! I truly love the whole band as musicians and I don’t see what all the talk is about with them as people. They spoke their mind and made a good band about it… it just so happened to blow up to international levels. And yeah, they were college-educated people.
• Ministry – ‘Psalm 69’ this album is one of the best party albums of all time, throw it on and everyone is gonna get energized somehow, for better or worse. It also crystallized Ministry’s sound into a perfect form that won over a ton of new fans (for better or worse). They went full industrial metal hybrid on this one, but it’s also catchy as hell, until it (d)evolves into some disturbing, nightmarish soundtrack sounds to round out the experience. When grunge was hitting in Seattle, Chicago had Ministry, the Jesus Lizard, and Smashing Pumpkins (and plenty more). Al Jourgensen is a Chicago legend for all the wrong reasons, but his musical genius remains.
• The Jesus Lizard – ‘Liar’ A wild ride start to finish, Steve Albini production, a noise rock classic, it will even grow on you the more times you hear it, even though it’s good upon first listen. And their best album cover! Deranged insanity, presented artfully. But also a real ripper, with monster bass sounds and amazing riffs, with many a trick up its sleeve, and tight shifts contrasted with musical abstractions… equals a perfect album.
• Stereolab – ‘Peng!’ I love me some Stereolab and yes even this early stuff is quite good! an all time classic.
• Medicine – ‘Shot Forth Self Living’ Cali shoegaze champs Medicine before their big spot on the Crow soundtrack. They’re one of my favorite bands ever so I’ll just leave it here, check out how the guitarist processed his guitar sound on this. https://tapeop.com/interviews/116/brad-laner I would describe Medicine as America’s answer to the UK’s My Bloody Valentine (although sometimes I gotta say the Swirlies are ultimately the only band to compete with MBV for world crown).
• Lush – ‘Spooky’ and to round out my top 15 albums of 1992 (at this time) I must include the super awesome Spooky album by noise-popsters Lush. There are certain songs on here that are my favorite songs ever. “Tiny Smiles”, “Superblast!”, “Laura”, and “Starlust” would all make my best songs of all time soundtrack, but the rest of the album ain’t bad either.

I’ll have another whole 15 (non-metal) albums from 1992 next week, I have severely run out of time! But it’s been fun, VEB. Hopefully the Cardinals will get this pre-ASB stretch started off right and they can just go on a good run. Starting off on the right foot despite a bad performance by JoJo Romero and Ryan Fernandez. I think the reinforcements can only help the team, and platooning for Burleson will yield even more results.

1905
White Sox pitcher Frank Owen won both games of a doubleheader at St. Louis, 3-2 and 2-0. In both games he went the distance, and only allowed the Browns seven total hits for the afternoon.

It was the first time in American League history that this milestone was accomplished, and Owen remains one of only 10 pitchers in baseball history to accomplish the feat of two complete-game wins in a single day.

1910
The White Sox opened the original Comiskey Park and lost, 2-0, to the St. Louis Browns. Within three days of the first game, three Sox players were sidelined with injuries, thus beginning in the minds of some a “Curse of the Comiskeys” or “White Sox Curse.”

Owner Charles Comiskey himself believed he had cursed the franchise because the stadium was opened on a Friday — in Irish lore, always a bad omen, “Never of Friday” being the watchword.

Infielder Lena Blackburne stroked the first two Sox hits in their new park, both singles coming off of Barney Pelty.

1920
Future Hall of Fame catcher Ray Schalk was honored with his own Day. The ceremony took place before a doubleheader with the St. Louis Browns. The White Sox split the two games, winning the opener, 3-2, in 11 innings, and losing the nightcap, 4-1. Schalkwent 1-for-4 in the twin bill, with an RBI.

1962
The White Sox set the AL record for sacrifice flies in an inning, as they got three straight in the fifth as part of a 7-6 win over Cleveland at Comiskey Park. It was the second game of a doubleheader, with the Sox winning both contests. Juan Pizarro, Nellie Fox and Al Smith did the honors. The Sox were able to accomplish this feat because Cleveland outfielder Gene Green committed errors on two of the fly balls. Chicago took that first game, 5-4.

1972
The Twins scored just once in a 5-1 loss at Comiskey Park, but what a run it was: Harmon Killebrew hit a ball over the roof in left field. The blast came off of Dave Lemonds, who pitched eight innings for his first win of the season. Ed Herrmann went 3-for-3 with an RBI and runner caught stealing to help fuel the win for the 40-27, second-place Sox.

1977
Although they had been flirting with first and second place all season long, a 5-2 win over Minnesota marked the start of a five-week run atop the AL West Division for the White Sox.

Richie Zisk clubbed two homers, including a three-run shot in the bottom of the first that put the White Sox in front for good. Chris Knapp went the distance to earn his seventh win of the year.

For the Twins, Rod Carew singled and tripled in five at-bats to keep his incredible pursuit of .400 at his season-high mark of .411.

1990
On the 80th anniversary of the opening of Comiskey Park, New York’s Andy Hawkins threw a no-hitter.

There was for one small problem … he lost the game, 4-0! The White Sox got all their runs thanks to back-to-back fly ball errors courtesy of Jim Leyritz and Jesse Barfield in the eighth inning. Leyritz’s error was the back-breaker, as it came on a fly ball off the bat of Robin Ventura with the bases loaded and two outs, enabling three runs to come home.

Greg Hibbard matched Hawkins pitch-for-pitch in the early going, as he also had a no-hitter through the first 5 1⁄3 innings. 

1991
Thanks to a Carlton Fisk home run in the 10th inning, the White Sox beat Minnesota at the Metrodome, 5-4, for the franchise’s 7,000th victory. Bobby Thigpen, the fifth Sox pitcher of the game, picked up the win. 

2006
Just six weeks after “The Punch” win over the Cubs at Sox Park in which A.J. Pierzynski played a central role, the rapscallion struck again. With the White Sox trailing, 6-5, with two runners on and down to their last out, Pierzynski clubbed a home run onto Sheffield Avenue to put the White Sox up, 8-6. Bobby Jenks closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth for his 25th save.

An unheralded role in the stunning comeback was authored by Ross Gload, who was down to the final strike of the game before singling. A Jermaine Dye walk followed, and A.J. took it from there.

Also notable, Cubs fans delaying the game after A.J.’s homer by tossing garbage onto the field, like three-year-olds having a tantrum.

2007
Honoring the legacy of the Negro Leagues, the White Sox wore full Chicago American Giants jerseys in a game for the first time (on May 2, 1992 the White Sox honored the American Giants as well, but only by wearing the club’s caps during the game). Led by seven strong innings from Jon Garland and a powerful, 2-for-3 game (double, homer) from Paul Konerko, the White Sox won in Kansas City, 3-1.

The Mets have signed first baseman Christopher Morel to a minor league deal, according to a report by Will Sammon. And Jorge Castillo adds that the deal contains three opt-outs, the first of which is on July 15.

Now in his age-27 season, the right-handed hitter is several years removed from his best years in the big leagues. His first two seasons in the league in 2022 and 2023, which he spent with the Cubs, were his best, as he hit .241/.311/.471 with 42 home runs and a 115 wRC+ in 854 plate appearances.

Since then, however, Morel has hit just .201/.283/.351 with 32 home runs and a 79 wRC+ in 989 plate appearances. After his struggles at the plate began in the 2024 season, the Cubs traded Morel and two other players to the Rays for Isaac Paredes. And following the 2025 season in Tampa, Morel was non-tendered and became a free agent before signing with the Marlins ahead of the 2026 season. In 73 plate appearances with Miami this year, Morel has hit just .162/.219/.206 with zero home runs and an 18 wRC+.

Etowah baseball coach Greg Robinson still remembers the first time he laid eyes on Kansas City Royals outfielder Drew Waters.

Robinson was umpiring a middle school game when Waters stepped up to the plate.

“I'm behind the plate when he's coming to bat and I'm watching him and he barrels a ball into center field,” Robinson said. “And I'm like, ‘This guy's going to be special.’”

Years later, Robinson sat at Waters’ MLB Draft party as the then-18-year-old received the call from the Atlanta Braves – a moment that Robinson saw coming for a long time.

Over his 32 seasons as a high school head coach, Robinson has watched numerous other stories like Waters’ unfold. From Dexter Fowler to Sawyer Gipson-Long and now Trevor Condon and Matthew Sharman, Robinson has coached plenty of stars along the way.

But in just a few short years, those moments might be delayed.

On June 18, MLB proposed the elimination of high school draftee eligibility, stating players wouldn’t become draft-eligible until the completion of their sophomore year of college, encouraging athletes to attend college.

Robinson believes the change could strengthen college baseball but also take opportunities away from certain players who are prepared to begin their professional careers. 

“It's a maturity level thing that these guys are ready for mentally,” Robinson said. “So, I think those guys ought to be rewarded with the opportunity to go ahead at the next level.”

However, this could also be an opportunity for continued growth at the college level. With more elite prospects on hand, college baseball would become even more competitive.

“There's a lot of value in a kid going off to college for a couple of years and playing 60 games,” Robinson said. “Look at these facilities. Look at the competition.”

Good morning Birdland,

It’s officially July, which means trade season will soon be open. Last year, the Orioles traded away reliever Bryan Baker on July 10, when they were 10 games under .500. and seven games back of the final wild card spot. While dealing away a middle reliever isn’t necessarily a sign of surrender, that’s exactly what it would be for the 2025 Orioles.

Right now, the 2026 version of the Orioles are 9 games under .500, five games back of the final wild card spot, and in the midst of a four-game losing streak. This year’s AL is worse than it was a season ago, so perhaps there is some reason for optimism in the organization. More likely, there is pressure within the front office to just make this roster work, no matter what. The team’s on-field play is making that a tough case to prove.

The Orioles 9-3 loss on Tuesday night was just the latest disheartening performance. Some of that was another tough start for rookie Trey Gibson, which is frustrating but understandable for such a young player. More annoying was yet another weak offensive showing. They had nine hits, but scored just three runs, and did not hit any home runs. It’s just not good enough, and while their have been moments of brilliance, and some good weeks mixed in, the squad has just generally been a disappointing. There are no signs to indicate that will change.

That doesn’t mean the Orioles need to get to selling right now. Maybe a miracle happens, they forget who they are, and they string together a bunch of wins by the end of the month. That would be fun to see. But we shouldn’t hold our breath. And considering the times that Mike Elias has given up on solid-but-not-great teams, it would be pretty frustrating to see him pick THIS team as one worth doubling down on come the deadline.

Stay cool out there today, Baltimore. It’s gonna be a hot one. And we have an Orioles game right in the middle of it. First pitch is 12:35 from Camden Yards. Stay in the shade. Drink water. And get inside when possible.

Links

‘They have every right to boo’: Albernaz, Orioles confront struggles as Deadline looms | Orioles.com
The thing is that Orioles fans do NOT have championship expectations for their baseball team. These guys don’t need to be the Dodgers or Yankees in order for fans to be pleased. But they should be competitive and in the mix for a playoff spot. Instead, they are a nightly disappointment.

This, that and the other | Roch Kubatko
Some Mike Elias quotes from over the weekend are in here. He spoke about injuries, how they have impacted the team, and the upcoming trade deadline. It is fair to say that injuries have been a problem for the Orioles, but come on. The team doesn’t stink because Jordan Westburg and Zach Eflin have been out. They should have been able to absorb those losses and still been an 85-90 win team. The issues go deeper.

Jon Meoli: If the Orioles even give Mike Elias a trade deadline choice, buying is the only one | The Baltimore Banner
Eh, I’m not sure I agree with the premise. The roster is flawed and hasn’t shown the sort of upside that, to me, feels worth doubling down on. They do have a few weeks to go on some sort of magical run. We’ll see.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

• Nelson Cruz turns 46 today. The slugger spent just one season in Baltimore, but it was a good one. He led the league with 40 home runs and helped the Orioles capture the 2014 AL East title.
• Jamie Walker is 55 years old. He pitched out of the Orioles bullpen for parts of three seasons from 2007 through ’09.

This day in O’s history

1957 – Orioles pitcher George Zuverink and catcher Frank Zupo form the first “Z” batter in major league history in a 3-2 loss to the Yankees.

1967 – Orioles pitcher Mike Adamson makes his major league debut, becoming the first draftee to bypass the minors and go straight to the majors. However, he will play in the minors in 1968.

1982 – Orioles manager Earl Weaver moves Cal Ripken Jr. from third base to shortstop.

1994 – The Orioles and Angels combine to hit a major league record-tying 11 home runs in a 14-7 win for the O’s.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (38-37/4-3)

WORCESTER 15, SYRACUSE 5 (BOX)

The Woo Sox creamed Syracuse. Nick Morabito concluded his red-hot June with three more hits- one of which was a double- but there really isn’t anything positive to say about this drubbing. Luis Robert Jr. went 1-3 while Jorge Polanco went hitless in three trips to the plate.

·  REHAB ALERT CF Luis Robert Jr.: 1-2, BB

·  CF Cristian Pache: 0-2, R

·  REHAB ALERT DH Jorge Polanco: 0-3

·  PH-DH MJ Melendez: 1-2, R, HR (3), 2 RBI

·  LF Nick Morabito: 3-5, 2B

·  1B Ryan Clifford: 0-5, 3 K

·  RF Jared Oliva: 1-4, R, BB, 2 K, SB (3)

·  2B Vidal Bruján: 1-3, R, HBP

·  PR-2B Yonny Hernández: 0-1

·  3B Grae Kessinger: 1-3, R, 2B, RBI, BB, E (1)

·  C Hayden Senger: 1-3, BB

·  SS Zack Short: 0-3, RBI, K

·  RHP Daniel Duarte: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Jack Weisenburger: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

·  RHP Adbert Alzolay: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

·  RHP Ofreidy Gómez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Dylan Ross: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

·  LHP Matt Turner: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, WP

ROSTER ALERT: New York Mets sent CF Luis Robert Jr. on a rehab assignment to Syracuse Mets.

ROSTER ALERT: Syracuse Mets activated SS Zack Short.

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (27-42/2-5)

BINGHAMTON 5, CHESAPEAKE 3 (BOX)

It took a while thanks to a two-and-a-half hour rain delay, but the Rumble Ponies took the opener in their series against the Baysox, their second win of the second half. Binghamton scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, but before they could take their next turn at bat, the rain came. Jonathan Santucci initially took the mound for Binghamton, but because of the torrential downpour, only ended up throwing 29 pitches over two innings. After things cleared up, the Rumble Ponies plated three more runs. The Baysox scored a pair of runs in the top of the third and one more in the top of the fourth, but Felipe De La Cruz, Gabriel Rodriguez, and Saul Garcia held things down in the later innings.

·  C Chris Suero: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, K, SB (21)

·  CF Jose Ramos: 1-4, R, K, SB (7)

·  3B Nick Lorusso: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K, SB (5)

·  1B JT Schwartz: 0-3, RBI, BB, 2 K

·  DH Matt Rudick: 1-4, 2 K

·  SS Wyatt Young: 0-3

·  LF Jaylen Palmer: 0-3, 2 K

·  2B Kevin Villavicencio: 0-3, K

·  RF Nick Lucky: 0-2, R, BB, K

·  LHP Jonathan Santucci: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, E (2)

·  RHP Jordan Geber: 0.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 K

·  RHP Danis Correa: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

·  LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, W (1-1)

·  LHP Gabriel Rodriguez: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, H (4)

·  RHP Saul Garcia: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, S (2)

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Danis Correa assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Syracuse Mets.

ROSTER ALERT: LHP Felipe De La Cruz assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Syracuse Mets.

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (25-40/6-4)

BROOKLYN 5, FREDERICK 3 (BOX)

The reigning, defending, undisputed Pitcher of the Week Daviel Hurtado instantly put himself in the running for a repeat, following up one his six scoreless inning, two-hit performance with one walk and six strikeouts by throwing six scoreless innings, allowing a single hit, walking one, and striking out eight; Acknowledge him. Ronald Hernandez put Brooklyn on the board just before Hurtado left the game with a solo homer, and in the top of the seventh, the Cyclones scored three more. Gregori Louis almost ruined things for the Cuban left-hander by allowing three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the bullpen settled after his blip of an inning.

·  SS Mitch Voit: 2-5, R, HR (9), 3 RBI, 2 K

·  CF Yonatan Henriquez: 1-5, K

·  1B Ronald Hernandez: 1-4, R, HR (7), RBI

·  DH Corey Collins: 1-3, BB, K

·  C Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-4

·  LF John Bay: 0-4, K

·  RF JT Benson: 0-3, BB, K

·  3B Colin Houck: 2-4, 2 R

·  2B Jamari Baylor: 2-4, R, RBI, K

·  LHP Daviel Hurtado: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, W (4-1)

·  LHP Gregori Louis: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Parker Carlson: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, H (1)

·  RHP Ryan Dollar: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, S (1)

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Parker Carlson assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones from Syracuse Mets.

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Tanner Witt assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones from Syracuse Mets.

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (33-33/2-6)

TAMPA 6, ST. LUCIE 0 (BOX)

Emilio Obispo contained the Tarpons once though the order, but in the middle innings, they tagged him for four runs. Zack Mack allowed two more, but ultimately those and every other run outside of Tampa’s first were meaningless, as the Tarpons blanked the Mets. St. Lucie managed only three hits, doubles from Antonio Jimenez and Taylor Darden and a Jack Scanlon single.

·  SS Elian Peña: 0-4, K, 2 E (15, 16)

·  2B Trey Snyder: 0-4, K

·  3B Antonio Jimenez: 1-4, 2B, 3 K

·  DH Julio Zayas: 0-3, K, HBP

·  RF Branny De Oleo: 0-3, K, HBP

·  C Chase Meggers: 0-3, K

·  CF Simon Juan: 0-3, K

·  1B Jack Scanlon: 1-3, K

·  LF Taylor Darden: 1-3, 2B, K, E (1)

·  RHP Emilio Obispo: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

·  RHP Zack Mack: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, BLK, HBP

·  RHP Tyler McLoughlin: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

·  RHP Luis Alvarez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, WP

ROSTER ALERT: St. Lucie Mets released RHP Joe Charles.

Rookie: FCL Mets (16-24)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Daviel Hurtado

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Adbert Alzolay

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Mike Montgomery, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 1958 – The Cubs’ Tony Taylor hits a ball inside the third base line that falls into the rain gutter in fair territory at Wrigley Field. San Francisco rookie OF Leon Wagner chases the ball, but is fooled by Cubs relief pitchers staring intently under the bench. Wagner does not look for the ball in the gutter 40 to 50 feet further down. Taylor reaches home on the hit, and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

• 1916 – At age 42 years and 4 months, Honus Wagner is the oldest player to hit an inside-the-park home run. 
• 1920 – Washington Senators pitching legend Walter Johnson no-hits Boston Red Sox 1-0 at Fenway Park, the only no-hitter of his illustrious career.
• 1941 – Joe DiMaggio has two hits in the first game and one in the second to tie Willie Keeler‘s major-league hitting streak of 44 games.
• 1951 – Veteran Bob Feller pitches the third no-hitter of his career, tying the record of Cy Young and Larry Corcoran, as he beats Detroit’s Bob Cain, 2-1.
• 1972 – Roberto Clemente‘s fourth and fifth (out of six) career home runs off Ferguson Jenkins provide the Pirates with a 4 – 3 walk-off win against the Cubs at Three Rivers Stadium. Clemente hits Fergie’s first pitch in the 7th inning over the left field fence to tie the game. After the Bucs fall behind, 3-2, his second homer is a game-ending blast with none out in the ninth.
• 1973 – The Twins’ Jim Kaat fires a one-hitter to beat the Angels, 2-1. Frank Robinson‘s home run in the 2nd is the only hit. This is the second time in his career that Robby hits a home run to break up a no-hitter.
• 1973 – Luis Aparicio of the Red Sox steals the 500th base of his career in a 9-5 loss to Milwaukee. It is the highest total in the American League since Eddie Collins retired in 1930.

Today in Cubs history:

• 1906 – Righthander Jack Taylor, 8-9 with the St. Louis Cardinals, returns to the Cubs in exchange for second-string C Pete Noonan, rookie P Fred Beebe and cash. Taylor will help the Cubs by going 12-3 the rest of the year.
• 1912 – At Pittsburgh, Chicago’s Wildfire Schulte breaks up a scoreless pitching duel between Marty O’Toole and Jimmy Lavender by legging out an inside-the-park homer in the 12th inning. Lavender and the Cubs win, 1-0.
• 1950 – The Reds’ Ewell Blackwell has to go ten innings but finally beats the Cubs, 5 – 3, striking out 14 and allowing just two hits. One of the hits is Andy Pafko‘s three-run home run in the 9th.
• 1973 – At Wrigley Field, the Mets edge the Cubs, 6-5, in the first game of a doubleheader. Then it is the Cubs’ turn, as Randy Hundley bangs a ninth-inning three-run homer to give Chicago the 6-5 edge. Ron Santo has seven hits for the afternoon, five in the nightcap.

Cubs Birthdays:Chris Flexen, Colin Rea, Mike Montgomery*, Dick Drott, Frank Baumann, Hersh Freeman, Fred Holmes, John Clarkson HOF. Also notable: Ben Taylor HOF. Roger Connor HOF.

Today in history:

• 1200 – Sunglasses are invented in China [approx. date].
• 1731 – Benjamin Franklin and members of his ‘Junto’ community improvement club draw up articles of agreement to found the Library Company of Philadelphia, the first public library in British America.
• 1776 – First vote on Declaration of Independence for Britain’s North American colonies.
• 1863 – Battle of Gettysburg begins in Pennsylvania, Union forces halt Confederate General Robert E. Lee‘s Army of Northern Virginia.
• 1898 – Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders charge up San Juan Hill during US’s successful assault on the city of Santiago.
• 1963 – ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) Codes are introduced for United States mail.
• 1967 – The Beatles’ album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” goes to No. 1 in the United States and stays there for 15 weeks.
• 1997 – Nevada Athletic Commission suspends Mike Tyson indefinitely and withholds $20 million purse for biting Evander Holyfield‘s ear during their heavyweight title fight 28 June.

*pictured.

The Detroit Tigers clinched their first series win since sweeping the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park with a 9-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night. Tarik Skubal had his best outing since returning from the injured list and the Tigers’ offensive onslaught continued, having now scored 35 runs over their last five games.

AJ Hinch’s squad will go for the sweep on Wednesday afternoon with right-hander Troy Melton on the mound looking to continue his recent dominance, which has seen him string two straight quality starts together. Over that stretch spanning across 12 innings of work, the 25-year-old posted a sparkling 1.50 ERA along with a less-impressive 4.43 FIP, allowing just a pair of earned runs — both on solo home runs — while striking out 11 against three walks.

Melton missed the Yankees in Detroit when they played last week.

Opposite him is fellow righty Will Warren, who has been solid so far in his third major league campaign. The 27-year-old struggled in June, however, recording a 5.49 ERA and 4.68 FIP over four games stretching across 19 2/3 innings, serving up a pair of home runs while striking out 14 against 10 walks.

Warren also missed the Tigers in Detroit in last week’s series.

Here is a look at how the two match up on Wednesday afternoon as Detroit goes for the kill.

Detroit Tigers (37-49) vs. New York Yankees (48-37)

Time (ET): 1:35 p.m.
Place: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
SB Nation Site:Pinstripe Alley
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 87: RHP Troy Melton (4-1, 2.39 ERA) vs. RHP Will Warren (7-3, 3.75 ERA)

MELTON

WARREN

The Yankees are officially reeling as they jump into July, losing their sixth straight game in lackluster fashion. The Tigers took ace Cam Schlittler to task from the get-go, scoring four runs in the first inning and six by the time he exited after just three innings. New York did get another home run off of Tarik Skubal, this one from Ben Rice in the bottom of the first, but that was also the only hit they’d collect off the two-time Cy Young winner for six innings in what quickly became a rout.

With that, there’s another chance for the Rays to gain some ground in the AL East and unfortunately, when it rains it pours.

Tampa Bay Rays (49-33) 10, Kansas City Royals (35-51) 4

Despite a fantastic day from Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals were out of this game in a hurry. The Rays staked them a 1-0 lead on a Carter Jensen home run in the first inning, just to turn around and put up a six-spot in the third. It started on a Nick Fortes bunt single that drew an errant throw allowing him to move to second, and then Yandy Díaz walked ahead of a Jonathan Aranda single that tied the game up. Junior Caminero turned it into a big rally in a hurry, crushing a three-run homer 438 feet to left-center that made it 4-1, and Ryan Vilade went back-to-back with him to push the lead to four. Two more singles followed that before Noah Cameron finally recorded the first out of the frame via a pickoff, but Ben Williamson brought one more across on yet another single.

Witt did get involved, getting two of those runs back immediately via a two-run shot, but there was little else the Royals got done on Tuesday. Fortes singled home two more runs in the fifth, and a wild pitch plus a bases-loaded walk allowed two more Tampa baserunners to cross home plate in the sixth to make it a 10-3 romp. Witt made it a two-homer day for himself with a solo shot in the eighth, the 12th of his MVP-caliber season, but there was little else he could do as the Rays rolled.

Other Games

New York Mets (36-50) 3, Toronto Blue Jays (40-46) 0: A day after joining the 50-loss club, the Mets turned around and played a rare clean game all around. Nolan McLean delivered six strong innings, striking out seven and walking two while Francisco Alvarez gave them all the firepower they’d need with a solo shot in the fifth inning. For good measure, Luis Torrens gave them some insurance with a solo shot in the seventh and Brett Baty lifted a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams all tossed an inning of work to secure the win with a lone single in the ninth inning being the Jays’ only fragment of success against the Mets’ bullpen.

Texas Rangers (44-42) 4, Cleveland Guardians (44-42) 2: This one’s gonna be a hard one for Cleveland to live down. They got ahead 2-0 in the first inning thanks to a Kyle Manzardo two-run blast, but gave it up in the third when Joc Pederson hit a two-run blast of his own. From there the two sides were in a stalemate, as Jacob deGrom and Tanner Bibee both had outstanding outings lasting seven innings each. Unfortunately for Bibee, his defense blinked before he did — after a leadoff single, Bibee got Evan Carter to ground out and Alejandro Osuna to fly out to the left fielder Cooper Ingle. Ingle thought that was the third out instead of the second, however, and tossed the ball into the stands only to allow an unearned run to score instead. The Rangers did get an extra run in the eighth on a Josh Jung solo shot, but giving up the go-ahead run on a miscue like that has to sting.

Seattle Mariners (44-43) 8, Los Angeles Angels (36-51) 3: A scoring fest broke out in the middle of what was a pitchers’ duel. Bryan Woo and Jose Soriano were both dealing through five, matching zeroes on the scoreboard. Soriano got into trouble in the sixth though, allowing three straight singles to suddenly break the scoreless tie and chase him from the game. Chase Silseth didn’t make things much better, issuing a walk immediately followed by a pair of singles and a wild pitch that culminated in five runs scoring in the inning.

The Angels did get three of those runs back in the top of the sixth, but they watched them slip out of their grasp as the Mariners responded with three more runs in the bottom half. Those two innings were all the offense that we’d see, as the bullpens locked in and didn’t allow anyone else to advance into scoring position, but they were all Seattle needed to run away with the win.

There’s no doubt that this season has seen the ebbs and flows of the Brewers. We’ve seen stretches where the offense is unstoppable, and we’ve also seen stretches — such as the last week — where the offense can’t cash in a runner in scoring position. The same applies to the pitching staff, which, entering Tuesday night’s game, is the second-best pitching staff in baseball, right behind the New York Yankees.

Despite having the best pitching staff in the National League, pitching is still a cause for concern, particularly the bullpen, which, as we know, has always been an issue for the Brewers come playoff time. Outside of the bullpen, it never hurts to have another starting pitcher, even if the Brewers have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to that category. And of course, the left side of the infield has been a cause of concern since the departure of Willy Adames in free agency two years ago.

Today, in no particular order, we take a look at five former Brewers players that Matt Arnold could potentially reunite with at the trade deadline come August 3.

RHP Grant Wolfram – Baltimore Orioles

The first player we recognize as part of bringing back to the Brewers is a guy who never appeared in a uniform but was on the roster. Grant Wolfram was traded to the Orioles in April 2025 for Daz Cameron, and his second season has been better than his first. Through 31 games this season, he has posted a 3.96 ERA, striking out 29 batters. The Orioles find themselves 11.5 games back of first place in the American League East division and could be sellers at the deadline.

LHP Bryan Hudson – Chicago White Sox

Our first left-handed pitcher on the list goes to the arm that got away. Matt Arnold has done a great job of trading away players, and wherever they go next, they aren’t quite the same as they were with the Brewers. Hudson is maybe the worst of the ones he didn’t hold onto.

Selected off waivers by the White Sox in August 2025, Hudson has been having a great bounce-back season. In 2024, Hudson broke onto the scene with the Brewers and pitched to a tune of a 1.73 ERA in 43 appearances. Last year was a year to forget, as he had a 6.00 ERA between the Sox and the Brewers, returning to the version of himself we saw the year prior. However, he has since reverted to a similar version of himself this year, as in 38 games, he has a 2.13 ERA, striking out 35 and walking just 16. With the need for left-handed pitching and the White Sox holding onto a one-game lead in the AL Central, this could be a bit of a costly pickup for the Brewers.

UTIL David Fry – Cleveland Guardians

Another player who never appeared in a uniform for the Brewers but was drafted in the seventh round of the MLB Draft and spent quite some time in the minors is utilityman David Fry. Fry could be compared to what David Hamilton brings to the table, minus the speed. His ability to play all over the field and his clutch offense in the postseason could make him an attractive trade candidate.

There’s no doubt, looking at his numbers, that he hasn’t been producing at the rate that he was when he was named to the All-Star team in 2024. Last year was a career-worst season, but he was dealing with injuries. This year, he has the second-best on-base percentage mark of his career, and the Brewers love guys who can get on base; Fry could be one of those. The Guardians are in a similar spot to the White Sox, as they’re the team right behind them, making Fry a player that could be a bit of a struggle to get from Cleveland, but he could be someone that would solve some bench issues for the Brewers.

SS Willy Adames – San Francisco Giants

Willy Adames is quite possibly the biggest trade target amongst Brewers fans. A staple in the clubhouse throughout the 2021-24 season, Adames could be the missing piece to the left side of the infield. While Cooper Pratt is hoping to be the answer at shortstop, perhaps he can move over to third base to make way for Adames, who has never played at the hot corner in the big leagues.

The Giants have made it clear that they are willing to move on from Adames, but he comes with serious baggage as he is in his second year of a seven-year, $182 million contract. The Brewers would almost certainly have to give up one of their top five prospects to bring him back if they wanted the Giants to eat part of the contract. But, at the end of the day, Adames brought more to the team than just clubhouse culture; he brought a top-10 MVP finish in 2024 and four seasons that featured some of the best baseball he produced in his career.

LHP Eric Lauer – Los Angeles Dodgers

With the need for left-handed pitching, what about reuniting with an arm that spent four seasons with the Brewers, featuring two of the best seasons in his career? This season, he’s off to the best start in his career with the Dodgers. He has posted a 2.88 ERA through six appearances with the defending World Series champions.

The former first-round pick is on a one-year deal with the Dodgers worth $4.4 million. The Dodgers don’t have many weaknesses, and certainly don’t want to be trading with a team they could be competing with come playoff time. But with the need for a left-hander that can give you both starts and bullpen appearances, perhaps this could be the splurge Arnold and Co. could be looking for.

Honorable Mentions:

• Brent Suter – Los Angeles Angels
• Jakob Junis – Texas Rangers
• Lucas Erceg – Kansas City Royals
• Jordan Montgomery – Texas Rangers
• Freddy Peralta – New York Mets

Who would you like to see the Brewers reunited with at this year’s trade deadline?