Category: Baseball

The MLB 2026 trade deadline of Monday, August 3 at 4:00 p.m. MDT is fast approaching.

Rumors suggest that in addition to trading Seth Halvorsen to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Colorado Rockies plan to be very active this year. Here’s what Bob Nightengale wrote yesterday:

The Colorado Rockies will be popular at the trade deadline. They are letting teams know that pitchers Antonio Senzatela, Kyle Freeland, Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano are available, as well as position players Mickey Moniak, Jake McCarthy and Willi Castro.

Historically, we’ve limited trade-deadline discussion threads to just prior to the deadline, but this is a new front office that appears to be in the mood to deal, so we thought we’d try a daily thread this year in the week leading up to the deadline.

As the day progresses, we’ll keep this tracker updated with the most pertinent rumors and the biggest deals that come to fruition. We’ll also post a new thread daily through Monday.

The Colorado Rockies have an off-day, but there will (hopefully!) be plenty of action off the field.

Rumors of the day

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Welcome back to Monday Stat Party, a weekly series showcasing some of the most curious and nostalgia-inducing statistical developments from the past week of Mets baseball. What unites each entry is the sense of intrigue which they aim to spark, and the unbridled love of the game’s anomalies from which they arise. Without further ado, let the stat party begin.

MONDAY

Freddy Peralta made his 85th start at American Family Field in Milwaukee, marking the third-most all-time at the ballpark behind Ben Sheets (113) and Yovani Gallardo (108).

The homecoming didn’t quite go as planned, as Peralta surrendered five or more earned runs for the fourth time this season. That’s already the most such games Peralta has had in any season of his career.

Jacob Misiorowski fired 26 pitches at 100+ mph against the Mets. That’s the second-most 100+ mph pitches the Mets have seen from a single pitcher in a single game in the Statcast era (since 2015), trailing only Hunter Greene’s 30 in Cincinnati on September 7, 2025.

TUESDAY

Zac Thornton has now thrown 18 consecutive scoreless innings, the most by a Mets rookie since Steven Matz’s 19 from May 20-May 31, 2016, a streak that began against the Brewers. (credit: Jolly Olive)

After returning from the IL on Monday, Luis Robert Jr. wasted no time showing off his talents, crushing a homer with an exit velocity of 112.2 mph and a Statcast-projected distance of 451 feet. That’s the Mets’ hardest-hit homer of the season, and tied for their longest with Brett Baty’s homer off Jake Irvin in Washington on May 18.

The Mets earned just their second regular-season win at American Family Field since September 21, 2022, having gone through a 1-10 stretch at the ballpark. Their other win also came via a shutout started by a left-handed pitcher, when David Peterson went seven scoreless to save the bullpen during Game 160 on September 29, 2024.

WEDNESDAY

Logan Henderson generated nine whiffs against the Mets via his changeup. That’s the most whiffs the Mets have had on an opposing pitcher’s changeup since whiffing nine times facing Cristopher Sánchez’s changeup on September 15, 2024.

FRIDAY

Francisco Alvarez hit his 60th career home run, tying John Milner for the fourth-most by a Met before their 25th birthday behind Darryl Strawberry (108), David Wright (97), and Ed Kranepool (62).

Roki Sasaki racked up 21 whiffs against the Mets. Only three other pitchers have recorded 21+ whiffs in a game against the Mets this season. Two of them are fellow Dodgers, Yoshinobu Yamamoto (23 on April 14) and Shohei Ohtani (22 on April 15), while the other is Logan Gilbert (21 on June 2).

SATURDAY

Nolan McLean posted his fifth consecutive quality start, the most by a Met since David Peterson (5) from July 3-August 1, 2025, and the most by a Met right-hander since Kodai Senga (8) from August 7-September 20, 2023. It was also McLean’s seventh consecutive start in which he completed at least six innings, the longest such streak by a Met since Sean Manaea (8) from August 16-September 21, 2024.

McLean registered eight whiffs via his curveball. No Met right-hander has recorded that many whiffs on pitches classified as curveballs since Noah Syndergaard on August 19, 2015, in Baltimore.

Freddie Freeman seventh-inning single marked his 250th career hit vs. the Mets, ranking ninth all-time behind Pete Rose (396), Lou Brock (289), Jimmy Rollins (281), Chipper Jones (265), Tony Gwynn (263), Willie Davis (256), Andre Dawson (256), and Larry Bowa (254). Freeman would record his 251st and 252nd hits against the Mets on Sunday.

Freeman also recorded his 75th career multi-hit game against the Mets, the sixth-most all-time behind Pete Rose (113), Jimmy Rollins (84), Tony Gwynn (81), Chipper Jones (81), and Lou Brock (78). Freeman would record his 76th multi-hit performance against the Mets the next day.

SUNDAY

Tyrone Taylor hit a three-run homer in the sixth, while Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer in the seventh. It’s the first time the Mets hit multiple three-run homers or grand slams in the same game since August 29, 2025, when Brandon Nimmo and Luis Torrens each hit three-run shots in a 19-9 rout over the Marlins at Citi Field. It was the first time the Mets hit a three-run homer or grand slam in back-to-back innings since April 28, 2025 in Washington, when Brandon Nimmo hit a three-run homer in the sixth and a grand slam in the seventh.

Only two Mets have hit multiple three-run homers this season. One is Juan Soto, who has two three-run shots out of 21 homers overall. The other is Tyrone Taylor, who has three three-run shots out of just eight homers overall.

Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week:

Zac Thornton ranks second on the Mets’ all-time strikeout leaderboard among pitchers with his homophonic first name:

Zack Wheeler (726)
Zac Thornton (17)
Zach Muckenhirn (3)

Honorable mentions to Pat Zachry (391) and Anthony Swarzak (31).

The Atlanta Braves' grip on the National League East loosened as they weathered the absence of Ronald Acuña Jr. Now, the former NL MVP is back, just as they started to flourish without him.

The Braves activated Acuña from the injured list ahead of their Monday, July 27 game at the New York Mets, ending his 38-game absence from the lineup while he recovered from a left hamstring strain.

Acuña was hurt June 9, and the Braves held a nine-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the East. The Braves dropped 12 of their first 16 games without their leadoff hitter, and the Phillies cut the lead down to two games on multiple occasions.

But Atlanta has won 13 of its past 22 and steadily built its East margin back up to 5 1/2 games. The club is expected to pursue pitching upgrades and perhaps explore shortstop options as the Aug. 3 trade deadline approaches.

Twelve years ago today:

The Blue Jays acquired Colby Rasmus in a multi-player deal.

The transaction unfolded in two distinct acts.

Act One:

Toronto sent veteran reliever Jason Frasor and prospect Zach Stewart to the White Sox in exchange for pitcher Edwin Jackson and Mark Teahen—who was nearly Canadian, given his father’s Ontario roots and his stint with Team Canada in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Teahen finished the season with the Blue Jays, posting a .190/.261/.286 line over 27 games, which marked the end of his MLB career.

Frasor returned to Toronto for the 2012 season, then played for the Rangers, Royals, and Braves before retiring after 2015. He still holds the franchise record for most games pitched, with 505 appearances—a mark unlikely to be challenged soon (Yimi Garcia is our active leader at 185 game).

Stewart struggled in the majors, pitching 103 innings with a 6.82 ERA.

Act Two:

A few hours later, Jackson, Octavio Dotel, Corey Patterson, and Marc Rzepczynski were traded to St. Louis in exchange for Colby Rasmus, Trever Miller,Brian Tallet, and P.J. Walters.

The Cardinals wanted to strengthen their bullpen, and manager Tony La Russa had grown weary of Rasmus. Colby was, for lack of a better word, unique. His personality couldn’t have been more different from La Russa’s. La Russa was outspoken about Colby, and Colby wasn’t one to ignore criticism.

For GM Alex Anthopoulos, the trade was an opportunity to buy low on a talented player.

Jackson went 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 12 starts for the Cardinals post-trade. In the playoffs, he started four games, posting a 1-1 record and a 5.60 ERA over 17.2 innings. After the season, Edwin signed with the Nationals as a free agent and went on to pitch for numerous teams—including the Cubs, Braves, Marlins, Padres, Orioles, Nationals (again), Blue Jays (briefly), and Tigers—before concluding his 17-year MLB career.

Dotel posted a 3.28 ERA in 29 games with the Cardinals. He signed with the Tigers for 2012, had a strong season, but was out of baseball after struggling early in 2013.

Rzepczynski—or ‘Scrabble’—had a 3.97 ERA in 28 appearances for the Cardinals in 2011. He stayed with them through 2012 but was traded to Cleveland after a rocky start in 2013. Marc later pitched for the Padres, A’s, Nationals, Mariners, and returned to Cleveland, last appearing in the majors in 2018.

Patterson wasn’t among my favourite Blue Jays. He struggled offensively (.287 OBP at the time), had questionable defense in left field, and wasn’t a strong base runner (13 steals, caught 8 times). He often swung at pitches over his head—occasionally connecting—but, surprisingly, many preferred him to Edwin Encarnacion at the time. After the trade, Corey hit .157/.189/.235 in 44 games for the Cardinals, marking the end of his MLB career.

As for Colby, he never became a star, but he was a solid contributor. Over four seasons, he played 408 games for Toronto, hitting .234/.295/.433 with 66 home runs. His best year came in 2013, when he hit .276/.338/.501 with 22 homers.

I was a fan, perhaps because I appreciate players who don’t quite fit the mold. I’ll always have a soft spot for him. He sometimes struggled with the pressures and relentless criticism of MLB life, but he was a good person.

After the trade, DanUpBaby, from Viva El Birdos, sent us an operating manual for Colby. I found this to be true:

Your COLBY RASMUS comes equipped with HOME RUN ACTION, INTERMITTENTLY IMPRESSIVE DEFENSE ACTION, and DEBATABLY USEFUL SPEED ACTION. Please do not expose your COLBY RASMUS to direct sunlight, fans of MAKING THINGS HAPPEN on offense or TONY LA RUSSA.

Over time, we got small glimpses into his personality, which I found entertaining. His changing hairstyles, however, I enjoyed less.

After leaving Toronto following the 2014 season, Colby spent two years with the Astros, started 2017 with the Rays but left mid-season, then began 2018 with the Orioles before retiring in July. This retirement appears final, and I hope he’s happy now.

He finished his career with a .241/.310/.436 slash line, 166 home runs, and a 20.2 bWAR across 1,092 games.

It is also Max Scherzer’s 42 birthday.

And he’s also starting tonight. Generally I say, if you are a gambler, bet on the team with a pitcher having a birthday. But, Scherzer has had a rough time of it, and he’s just back from the IL. Add in that he’s 42, and I don’t think he’d be a great bet.

He is also Shea Hillenbrand’s birthday. He’s 51.

He’s mostly famous for writing ‘sinking ship’ on the clubhouse chalk board and getting in a fight with John Gibbons. As a Jay he hit .294/.342/.460 with 30 home runs in 233 games. Not bad, not good enough for the headache he was for each organization that he played for.

Career he played in 943 games, hit .284/.321/.440 with 108 home runs across six teams.

Two years ago:

The Jays traded Nate Pearson to the Cubs for Josh Rivera and Yohendrick Piñango. Piñango, you know about. Rivera is playing in Buffalo this year, hitting .216/.289/.385 as an utility infielder.

Pearson has bounced from team to team, Cubs, Royals, Astros and back to the Royals now. He’s basically the pitcher we traded, throws hard, but walks too many.

And we traded Danny Jansen to the Red Sox for Gilberto Batista, Cutter Coffey and Eddinson Paulino

Batista is a pitcher who is having a rough time in Vancouver (8.22 ERA). Coffey is an infielder who is hitting .223/.307/.335 for the Fisher Cats. Paulino is in the Mets organization now, playing in the low minors.

Jansen? He’s gone from the Red Sox to the Rays, to the Brewers and now he’s with the Rangers. He’s hitting .171/.277/.309 in 41 games for Texas.

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The Cincinnati Reds head into tonight's series opener against the Cleveland Guardians as a deserving -150 moneyline favorite behind their ace, Chase Burns. 

With Slade Cecconi in poor form, my Guardians vs Reds predictions are eyeing Cincy to grab a victory here. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Monday, July 27. 

Who will win Guardians vs Reds today: Reds moneyline (-155)

Slade Cecconi is struggling lately for the Cleveland Guardians. The righty owns a 5.48 xERA across his last four appearances, allowing 1.40 HR/9 and an alarming 47.8% hard-hit rate. 

As for Chase Burns, he continues to shove. The Cincinnati Reds stud has a 3.66 FIP over the last month, limiting opponents to a 37.7% hard-hit rate.

Also, more than half of Cleveland's lineuphas a run value of one or fewer against the four-seam fastball, which Burns throws over 57% of the time. 

I'll play this pick up to -160. 

COVERS INTEL: The Guardians have produced just a 28.7% hard-hit rate over their last seven games, well below their 34.4% season average. That gives Burns a strong path to control contact with his four-seamer-heavy approach.

Guardians vs Reds Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-112)

The Under is the better angle here. While Cecconi is vulnerable, Cincinnati’s offense has not shown enough recent form to suggest they'll explode offensively. The Reds have posted a 59 wRC+ and .131 ISO over the last week.

Cleveland has been better but still not elite, carrying a 96 wRC+ and .169 ISO over its last seven games. Burns also has a strong matchup against a Guardians lineup that has not made much loud contact lately.

The bullpens support a lower-scoring script, too. Cincinnati’s relief corps owns a 3.65 xERA over the last week, while Cleveland’s bullpen has posted a 3.16 FIP during that span.

I'll play this pick up to -130. 

Guardians vs Reds weather

Conditions should be warm and humid in Cincinnati tonight, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures falling from 89°F at first pitch into the low 80s later in the game. Winds look light around 5–7 mph, and rain chances stay low. Weather should have minimal impact on scoring or ball carry.

Guardians vs Reds odds

• Moneyline: Guardians +144 | Reds -150
• Run line: Guardians +1.5 (-144) | Reds -1.5 (+133)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-100) | Under 8.5 (-108)

Guardians vs Reds trend

The Under is 7-0 in the last seven meetings in Cincinnati. Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Reds.

How to watch Guardians vs Reds and game info

Guardians vs Reds latest injuries

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

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It's a fairly full MLB slate this Monday, July 27, featuring some of the best teams in baseball.

Before you dig in and make your predictions, be sure to consult our MLB expert picks, featuring the New York Yankees moneyline vs. the Chicago White Sox.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Jon Metler: NYY ML	-138
Joe Osborne: ARI ML	+101
Jason Wilson: CHC/STL o9.5	-103

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Yankees moneyline (-138)

Price: 58¢ (-138) at Polymarket

Noah Schultz may be a towering 6-foot-10 left-handed starter for the Chicago White Sox who throws from an uncomfortable three-quarter arm slot, but I think his size and delivery could actually work against him on Monday.

The New York Yankees will likely stack the lineup with right-handed bats like Jose Caballero, Anthony Volpe, and Jasson Dominguez, all of whom can create problems on the basepaths. They're also far from the only speed threats in the lineup, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. has already swiped 27 bases this season. 

Pitchers who stand 6-foot-10 don't always get the ball to home plate quickly, and I think this version of the Yankees' offense is built to take advantage. If New York can get runners on base early, it has the speed to pressure Schultz, force mistakes, and ignite the running game.

The Yankees are trading as a 58-cent favorite on Polymarket, but I make them closer to a 63-cent favorite in this matchup.

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• How to watch: YES, CHSN

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Diamondbacks moneyline (+101)

Price: 49.8¢ (+101) at Polymarket

The Arizona Diamondbacks are in a great spot to open the week with a win as a small underdog in Pittsburgh.

Merrill Kelly has looked like a top-line starter in July, allowing two earned runs or fewer in each of his four starts this month. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates' offense has gone ice-cold, ranking 29th in OPS over the past week.

Arizona's bats are trending in the opposite direction, sitting second in OPS in that same span, and they should capitalize on Mitch Keller, who owns a bloated 5.68 ERA at home.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• How to watch: DBacks.TV, SNP

Jason Wilson's expert pick: Cubs vs Cardinals Over 9.5 (-103)

Price: 50.7¢ (-103) at Polymarket

Despite the St. Louis Cardinals' recent team-wide slump, Chicago Cubs left-hander David Peterson and his 5.97 ERA (5.23 xERA) is the perfect cure for what ails them. 

Jordan Walker and Ivan Herrera have both excelled against left-handed pitching all season, and outfielder Nelson Velazquez has shown off his power stroke with four longballs off southpaws in 59 plate appearances. 

The Cardinals haven't announced an official starter, but it's Matthew Liberatore's turn in the rotation, and that could go poorly. The lefty has had a disappointing 2026, ranking in the 12th percentile in expected ERA and in the 24th or lower in barrel rate and hard-hit rate. He doesn't miss a lot of bats and is getting walloped when opposing hitters make contact.

The Cubs boast the second-best team wRC+ against lefties (119) this season, with Seiya Suzuki (.321/.416/.571, six home runs) leading the charge, and Pete Crow-Armstrong bucking traditional lefty-lefty splits by hitting .285 with five homers of his own in these matchups. 

Double-digit scoring is on tap at Busch Stadium tonight.

• Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
• How to watch: MARQ, Cardinals.TV

More MLB best bets for today

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Three times over the past 25 years, the New York Yankees have spun a trade for one of the best young hitters on the planet, made available by his former team in order to dump his salary, despite the fact that their team captain played the same position. Most recently, it was Juan Soto, acquired for one magical season from the San Diego Padres prior to the 2024 season. Before that, it was Giancarlo Stanton, brought in to give the Yankees arguably the two best power hitters in the game in 2018. But the original version of this story took place 22 years ago this past February, when the Bronx Bombers — in desperate need of a third baseman after the incumbent, Aaron Boone, was injured playing basketball in the offseason — reeled in arguably the best player in the game of baseball, Alex Rodriguez.

Now nearly a decade since he last stepped in the batter’s box at Yankee Stadium, the legacy of A-Rod continues to spark debate, as fans question whether the otherworldly performance in his prime was worth the controversy of his decline.

Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez
Born: July 27, 1975 (New York, NY)
Yankees Tenure: 2004-16

Born in Washington Heights and raised in the Dominican Republic and Miami, Rodriguez put himself on the map at Christopher Columbus High School (freshman year) and Westminster Christian School (sophomore, junior, and senior years), playing shortstop for the baseball team and both wide receiver and quarterback for the football team. While it was his prowess on the diamond that would earn him international acclaim and numerous accolades — he played for Team USA in the 1992 World Junior Championship — his performance on the gridiron was so impressive that, when the University of Miami offered A-Rod a baseball scholarship, the football team stepped in with the goal of turning him into a two-sport athlete.

Unfortunately for Miami, however, the Seattle Mariners had other ideas, selecting A-Rod as the first overall pick of the 1993 MLB Draft. That would prove to be the right decision, as just thirteen months later, Rodriguez made his Major League debut against the Boston Red Sox — the first player to debut at the age of 18 in fifteen years. While he was unspectacular in his first cup of coffee that year, or in his limited time on the roster during the strike-shortened 1995 season, he had done just enough to be penciled in as the starting shortstop to start the 1996 season. And that year, he began to craft the legend of A-Rod. In a lineup that featured future Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez, the 20-year-old Rodriguez was arguably the best player on the team, posting an absurd .358/.414/.631 slash line to become the third youngest player to win the batting title in AL history (and on top of that, he hit 36 home runs, too!).

Rodriguez spent the next four seasons on the Mariners, over which span he posted a .304/.372/.560 slash line, hit 148 home runs, won three silver sluggers, went to three Midsummer Classics, and joined the 40/40 club. Despite his performance, and despite having a stacked lineup, Seattle failed to even reach .500 in two of those seasons, and would lose to the Yankees in the 2000 ALCS.

During the 2000-2001 offseason, everyone assumed that Rodriguez would return to New York and sign with his childhood team, the Mets. But a host of demands from agent Scott Boras spooked Mets general manager Steve Phillips, who feared that Rodriguez’s presence would turn the club into a 24-player team, that also had A-Rod. And so, instead, the superstar shortstop inked a record-breaking, 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers, a deal that doubled the previous record for the largest contract in American sports, Kevin Garnett’s $126 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

To this day the contract ranks 19th in Major League history according to Baseball-Reference (and that’s without adjusting for inflation!).

For his part, Rodriguez certainly held up his end of the bargain for Texas. From 2001 to 2003, he slashed .305/.396/.615, hit 156 home runs, went to three All-Star Games, received two Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers, and won the 2003 AL MVP despite playing on a last-place team. Even so, the Rangers struggled to put a team around him, and after three seasons, decided that investing a full quarter of the payroll in one player wasn’t good roster-building. Immediately after the 2003 World Series, they put him on the trade block, spinning a deal with the Red Sox that the MLBPA ultimately vetoed because it would set the precedent that players could return guaranteed money. Once that deal fell through, the Yankees — suddenly in need of a third baseman, and upon learning that A-Rod was willing to switch positions — swooped in and acquired him, sending a package headlined by Alfonso Soriano the other way.

The baseball world, to say the least, was shocked.

Despite a 2004 postseason that we will ignore in all aspects, Rodriguez proved immediately why the Yankees made the right decision trading for him. Over his first four seasons in the Bronx, he posted a .303/.403/.573 slash line, blasted 173 home runs, went to four All-Star games, won two AL MVPs, and accrued an absurd 30.9 rWAR. He piled on highlight after highlight, hitting three homers and driving in ten runs in one night, recording his 2000th career hit and 500th career homer (becoming the youngest player to do the latter), and walking it off twice early in 2007. Nonetheless, cracks began to appear in the foundation, as the player whose contract was so famous that Night at the Museum would make a joke about it, earned himself a reputation as a postseason choker, as he had just seven hits in 54 plate appearances across 13 postseason games after 2004.

All of that would pale, however, in comparison to the two major controversies about to hit A-Rod, both of his own creation. On October 28, 2007, during Game 4 of the World Series, Boras announced that Rodriguez had opted out of his deal and would become a free agent. The announcement angered literally everyone, from the league that felt A-Rod was trying to upstage the World Series, to the Yankees who felt betrayed after Rodriguez had spent the year telling them he intended not to opt out, to (allegedly) A-Rod himself, who to this day blames Boras for acting contrary to his wishes (for what it’s worth, the Rodriguez/Boras relationship fell apart after this — perhaps some evidence that he’s telling the truth). At the end of the day, though, Mariano Rivera patched things up between Rodriguez and the Yankees, helping bring the two sides together on a new 10-year, $275 million deal that would keep him in pinstripes for the rest of his career.

Had that been the end of the controversy, we would look back at it as just a weird quirk in a career full of them. In February 2009, however, Sports Illustrated released a report identifying A-Rod as one of the 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, news that shook the baseball world and, indeed, even the nation — recently-elected President Obama even commented on it! For his part, Rodriguez owned up to the mistake, acknowledging that, although it was a different era, he was “stupid” and “naïve.” Perhaps, again, if this was the end of the controversy, he could have rehabilitated his reputation, gotten his number retired by the Yankees, and ended up in Cooperstown — especially since the 2009 season saw Rodriguez finally shake the “postseason choker” reputation, as he went 19-for-52 with six home runs and 12 walks, including a massive two-run homer in Game 3 of the World Series and a game-winning double in Game 4.

Things began to crumble around Rodriguez following the 2009 season, even as he passed the 600-homer threshold. While he was still a good hitter, injuries began to sap his power at the plate and his range at the hot corner, and limited him to just 137 games in 2010, 99 in 2011, and 122 in 2012. Joe Girardi famously benched him in favor of Raúl Ibáñez and Eric Chavez at critical moments in the intense ALDS matchup with the Baltimore Orioles. Then, as the Yankees were swept by the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS, he was spotted flirting with fans during the game.

Somehow, it got even worse. That December, it was revealed that Rodriguez needed hip surgery that would sideline him for the first half of the 2013 season — prompting the Yankees to acquire former Red Sox first baseman/third baseman Kevin Youkilis, which to this day feels like a crime against The Rivalry. Days afterwards, the Biogenesis scandal broke, and Rodriguez began to pick fights with literally everybody, including the players’ union and the Yankees organization.

Despite the threat of legal action against his own ballclub, though, and appealing a 211-game suspension, A-Rod returned to the Yankees lineup on August 5, 2013, giving a sluggish Yankees lineup a jolt and crafting some memorable moments — such as the time Girardi melted down at the umpire for refusing to eject Ryan Dempster, only to see Rodriguez get his vengeance later in the game.

Following the 2013 season, Rodriguez went off onto his year-long sabbatical, during which time Rodriguez went and enrolled in classes at Miami, and for most of us, that was that. I mean, how often does a 39-year-old infielder with a bad hip return to the Majors after missing an entire season? The answer, as it turns out, is exactly once. Rodriguez turned back the clock a little bit in 2015, blasting 33 homers, joining the 3,000 Hit Club, and putting together his best season since 2009 as the Yankees’ full-time designated hitter.

Unfortunately, Father Time came for Rodriguez the following season. The team worked with the struggling 41-year-old on as soft a midseason departure as one could’ve likely hoped given the circumstances. They announced his forthcoming departure a week in advance, honored him in a pregame ceremony before his final game on August 12th, and he got a double against the Rays for his final career hit. He played third base in the ninth one last time, and walked off the field to a very nice hand. The Yankees then designated him for assignment and promoted one of their prospects, outfielder Aaron Judge. Good move.

Since his retirement, Rodriguez has stayed in the game of baseball, most often serving as an analyst for ESPN and Fox — mixing in the occasional nugget with some bizarresoundbites. While his No. 13 remains in circulation, and he has yet to receive even a plaque in Monument Park, A-Rod’s apology tour has arguably been his greatest achievement: in fact, I know multiple Red Sox fans who have told me that they hate how much they enjoy A-Rod these days. And that is, itself, a pretty cool legacy.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

The plan entering the season may have been to trade CJ Abrams at this deadline. However, I just don’t think that is a move you can do at this point. Abrams has become too important for this ballclub to ship off. The Nats need to keep Abrams, at least through this season and make a major push towards an extension.

Abrams has been a nice player over the last three seasons prior to this year. He has taken things to another level in 2026. With the help of the Nats new hitting coaches, Abrams has become the best offensive shortstop in all of baseball. He is on pace for 42 home runs, 127 RBI and 26 steals. That is historic production from the shortstop position.

This is not something you can trade unless you get a package that rivals the Soto haul. Unless I see a Kade Anderson, Ryan Sloan or Seth Hernandez type of arm headlining a package, I am honestly not that interested. Sure, Abrams is getting closer to free agency, but the Nats are also getting closer to winning.

When the Nats traded Juan Soto with 2.5 years of control, it was clear that this team was years away from relevancy. Right now, the Nats are on the cusp of being a relevant force in the National League. Heck, they have a chance to make the playoffs this year, being a game out of the third Wild Card spot. An Abrams trade would just kill all of the momentum from this season.

Right now, I am seeing Anthony Volpe and George Lombard Jr. packages. I am sorry, that just does not get the job done for me. Despite all the hate he gets, I actually think there is a decent player in there with Volpe. He seems like a prime change of scenery candidate. Lombard is a very good prospect, who should be a quality starting shortstop for a long time. However, neither of those guys have the superstar upside Toboni should be looking for.

If the Nats don’t get a package headlined by a top 10 prospect in baseball, it is not worth considering. I know the Yankees are interested, but Abrams has played his way out of their price range in my opinion. He is already a 4 win player with a wRC+ over 150. That is rarified air, and the type of player you need to build around.

An extension for Abrams will not be easy, but it is not impossible either. Without the Scott Boras factor, the window is open. It will take a lot of money, and I doubt ownership will be comfortable with it. However, at a certain point, ownership needs to get out of their comfort zone and prove their commitment. Nats fans need to see one of their star players actually stick around in DC for the long haul.

Right now, the Nats have a great thing going. Abrams and Wood are probably the best duo in all of baseball at the moment. They have grown up together and now they are just hitting their stride. Breaking up this duo right as they enter their prime will take an insane offer.

Given Abrams’ proximity to free agency and the Nats pitching woes, he should not be truly untouchable. However, the bar should be at a place where most teams simply won’t go. If a team does meet the bar, you can trade him, but it has to be for a godfather offer.

Getting “fair value” for Abrams is not good enough for Nats fans. We have to be getting 125 cents on the dollar here. Nats fans are getting tired of rebuilding. Making another move for 3 to 5 years from now would be a tough pill to swallow. It feels like the window is finally starting to open up.

That window should include CJ Abrams. Whether it is the deadline or the offseason, the Nats need to be aggressive in the pitching market, both in trades and free agency. Picking up Connelly Early is a good start, but the Nats still need a couple more starters and a rebuilt bullpen heading into 2027.

The Nats have a truly special offense that can carry this team for years to come. Wood and Abrams are the pillars of the attack, and they need to stick together. The Nationals finally have an identity after years in the wilderness. Paul Toboni would have a lot of explaining to do if he broke up that identity after just a few months. 

Unless someone truly overpays you like the Padres did for Soto, Abrams needs to stay. If the Nats were 15 games under .500 or if Abrams was just having a good year, things would be different. However, the window is opening for the Nationals and CJ Abrams is too dang good to trade.

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David Peterson's results have improved with the Chicago Cubs, but his underlying numbers remain poor.

I don't think the Chicago Cubs deserve to be -120 favorites with Peterson on the mound, and my Cubs vs. Cardinals predictions and MLB picks on Monday, July 27, reflect that.

Who will win Cubs vs Cardinals today: St. Louis Cardinals (+100)

David Peterson owns a 5.57 ERA, 5.60 SIERA, and 12.6 K% over the last 30 days. He is in horrendous form.

The St. Louis Cardinals have not hit lefties consistently of late, but I’m not sure it matters. They faced Peterson twice recently and combined for 16 runs while knocking him out before completing four innings on both occasions.

Matthew Liberatore has started pitching a little better, conceding three runs or fewer in three of his past four starts — including against the Chicago Cubs.

Back the Cardinals to -110.

COVERS INTEL:Peterson sits at the 19th percentile in K%, playing into the hands of a Cardinals lineup with the second-lowest K% vs. lefties.

Cubs vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (-110)

Opponents are hammering Peterson to the tune of a 44.1% hard-hit rate over the last month, which is the second-highest output among today’s starting pitchers.

Peterson is having a miserable time striking batters out, and the Cardinals excel in avoiding punchouts, making a perfect storm for plenty of good contact.

Liberatore’s 30.2% line-drive rate the past 30 days is alarmingly bad, and doesn’t bode well for his chances of slowing down a Cubs offense sitting in the Top 10 vs. lefties during that stretch.

Bet the Over to -120.

Cubs vs Cardinals weather

Temperatures are expected to approach 100 with slight winds blowing out.

Cubs vs Cardinals odds

• Moneyline: Cubs -120 | Cardinals +100
• Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+130) | Cardinals +1.5 (-150)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-110) | Under 9.5 (-110)

Cubs vs Cardinals trend

Chicago has hit the Game Total Over in 18 of the last 30 games (+4.85 units, 15% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Cardinals.

How to watch Cubs vs Cardinals and game info

Cubs vs Cardinals latest injuries

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Happy Monday, everyone!

A new week brings a ton of opportunities, and tonight's MLB moneyline predictions are no exception. 

Let's dive into the full slate with my MLB picks on Monday, July 27!

MLB moneyline picks for July 27

Matchup	Pick
Mariners vs Rangers	+122
Orioles vs Tigers	+108
Diamondbacks vs Pirates	+111
Phillies vs Marlins	+170
Blue Jays vs Nationals	-115
Guardians vs Reds	-153
Braves vs Mets	+106
Yankees vs White Sox	-135
Cubs vs Cardinals	+106
Astros vs Angels	-106
Red Sox vs Athletics	+160
Brewers vs Giants	-125

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 7-27.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for July 27

Mariners vs Rangers: Rangers (+125)

Rangers win probability: 44%

I get to back an offense with a 135 wRC+, .365 wOBA, and .837 OPS over its last six games against one with a 93 wRC+, .108 ISO, and .674 OPS, all at plus money? Yeah, give me the Rangers in this spot.

The Mariners have posted a wRC+ below 100 for more than a month now, while the Rangers have been on an absolute tear offensively.

Kumar Rocker has shown flashes throughout the season, and he'll do enough to keep Seattle's lineup in check. With the way Texas is swinging the bats right now, plus money is too good to pass up.

Orioles vs Tigers: Orioles (-111)

Orioles win probability: 52%

Keider Montero has been solid for the Tigers over his last few outings, but so has Kyle Bradish. I think this one comes down to which offense I trust more, and that's Baltimore's.

Over their last 12 games, the Orioles own a 113 wRC+, .334 wOBA, and .745 OPS, while continuing to swing the bats at a much more consistent level.

As for the Tigers, they've been one of baseball's most inconsistent offenses all season. I want no part of trying to time when that lineup is going to break out, especially against a pitcher like Bradish. Give me the better offense in what I expect to be a tightly contested game.

Diamondbacks vs Pirates: Diamondbacks (+111)

Diamondbacks win probability: 48%

It's a battle of mid-tier starters as Merrill Kelly and Mitch Keller square off this evening. Similar to the rest of the teams I'm backing today, I want the hotter offense, and that's Arizona. The Diamondbacks have completely flipped the switch over the last few weeks, swinging the bats with confidence.

Meanwhile, the Pirates have gone ice cold over their last six games, posting a 68 wRC+, .262 wOBA, and .092 ISO.

I'll gladly take the plus money underdog in a matchup where I trust the hotter lineup to make the difference.

Phillies vs Marlins: Marlins (+170)

Marlins win probability: 37%

The Phillies are coming off an 11-run outburst against the Yankees last night, and I have a rule to fade teams immediately after massive offensive performances. Sure, the Marlins haven't been the sexiest team to back since June, but I have no interest in laying money with a team that just scored nearly two touchdowns worth of runs.

I'll take my chances fading the offensive regression in this spot.

Blue Jays vs Nationals: Nationals (-115)

Nationals win probability: 54%

The old man is on the mound against one of the hottest lineups in baseball, and I want the Nationals in this spot.

Not only have the Blue Jays' bats gone ice cold, but they're also sending Max Scherzer to the mound to stop the bleeding. That hasn't gone well this season. Scherzer owns a 10.23 ERA, 5.58 xERA, and 1.73 WHIP, and he hasn't looked like the pitcher he once was.

Andrew Alvarez hasn't exactly been lights out for Washington either, but the Nationals offense has been swinging it well, while Toronto's lineup has looked lifeless. I'll gladly back the hotter offense at plus money in this matchup.

Guardians vs Reds: Reds (-156)

Reds win probability: 61%

Not a fan of laying this much juice with a team like the Reds, but when Slade Cecconi is on the mound, it's tough not to fade him.

The Guardians right-hander owns a 7.43 ERA and 2.02 WHIP over his last three starts, while allowing a 55% hard-hit rate and 12% barrel rate. That's a recipe for disaster, especially in a hitter-friendly park like Great American Ball Park.

On the other side, Chase Burns has done an excellent job protecting his home field this season, posting a 2.32 ERA and 1.15 WHIP at Great American Ball Park. I don't love the price, but this is a matchup where I'll happily side with Cincinnati.

Braves vs Mets: Mets (+104)

Mets win probability: 49%

With Martin Perez posting a 5.40 ERA, 6.46 xERA, and 1.57 WHIP over his last three outings, I was already leaning toward the Mets. Then I looked at how sustainable Zac Thornton has been, and it only strengthened my confidence in backing New York at home tonight.

Neither offense has been setting the world on fire lately, but the Mets have been generating much more hard contact while also drawing significantly more walks. I think those extra baserunners, combined with the pitching edge, make the Mets the right side in Queens tonight.

Yankees vs White Sox: Yankees (-135)

Yankees win probability: 57%

The White Sox exploded for 12 runs on Sunday afternoon against the Astros to avoid the series sweep. Now they welcome the New York Yankees to town.

Chicago will send Noah Schultz to the mound, and he has been hit hard all season. Over his last three starts, Schultz owns a 6.59 ERA, 6.89 xERA, and 1.83 WHIP.

Neither offense has been lighting it up, especially if you take away Chicago's 12-run outburst. Max Fried should give the Yankees a significant edge on the mound, and I also like fading the White Sox after such a massive offensive performance. That's enough for me to lean with New York in this spot.

Cubs vs Cardinals: Cardinals (+106)

Cardinals win probability: 48%

David Peterson is not a pitcher I'm willing to back as a favorite, especially while posting a 6.46 ERA, 6.29 xERA, and 1.44 WHIP over his last three outings. This isn't me saying Matthew Liberatore is some elite arm, because he isn't, but I do think he's the better pitcher in this matchup.

The Cubs offense has been humming over the last month, but I'm not willing to trust Peterson to keep any lineup in check for five innings right now. At this price, I'll gladly take my chances fading him. 

Astros vs Angels: Astros (-106)

Astros win probability: 52%

I am aware that Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai has been a bit rocky, but he's still a strikeout machine, and we all know the Angels love to swing and miss.

On top of that, Houston's offense has started to heat up over the last few weeks. After getting embarrassed by the White Sox, who hung two touchdowns on them Sunday, I expect the Astros to bounce back in a big way.

I like Houston to respond with a much better performance tonight.

Red Sox vs Athletics: Athletics (+160)

Athletics win probability: 38%

Price-wise and straight up, I want the Athletics. Sure, the Red Sox have been one of the best stories in baseball over the last month, but they simply have not been scoring runs consistently. If the Athletics can jump on left-hander Payton Tolle early, they have a great chance to come away with the win.

On top of that, I have no interest in laying -163 with an offense that owns an 80 wRC+, .291 wOBA, and .138 ISO over its last week. At this price, I'll gladly take the value with the A's.

Brewers vs Giants: Brewers (-125)

Brewers win probability: 56%

Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat hasn't been particularly sharp over his last three outings, posting a 5.60 xERA and 1.71 WHIP. On the other side, Tyler Mahle has been solid enough, but nothing that really moves the needle.

Tonight in the Bay, I want to back the far better offense, and that's Milwaukee. The Brewers have been seeing the ball much better lately, while the Giants have posted a wRC+ below 100 with a strikeout rate north of 26% over their last six games.

Getting the Brewers at -125 feels like a steal in my book.

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Baseball is a cruel business. Tsung-Che Cheng will always be remembered as one of the spark plugs of the Sox’ historic 15-game win streak. Cheng appeared in 9 of the 15 wins and started 8 of them, putting up an OBP of .407 during the stretch and stabilizing the middle infield defense. But with the arrival of Curtis Mead, the Red Sox needed a roster spot and it was Cheng who was sent to Worcester… on his birthday. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)

The demotion of Cheng is a reminder that every time a team adds someone new and exciting, there’s always going to be someone else who is disappointed about the old players who are sent packing. Those mixed emotions were prevalent throughout the clubhouse with respect to the departure of Connelly Early. “There’s a lot of guys in there that are very close with Connelly, and he’s been a huge part of this,” said Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy. “I think at the same time, it sends a message like, ‘Hey, we’re trying to do some things to fill some gaps, with the run scoring and things like that, and we added a power bat.” (Matty Wasserman, Boston Globe)

Craig Breslow himself also described the trade as “incredibly uncomfortable,” but felt he had to do it anyway. “A lot of front offices are looking at very similar information, so trying to find an opportunity to win a trade is not nearly as easy as it maybe it would have been at another point,” Breslow said. “Instead, in this position, I’ve tried to shift to our goal not (being) to win the trade. Our goal is to make our major league team better. Sometimes, the most straightforward way to do that is a need-for-need-type trade.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)

And by all accounts, the Sox aren’t done with the trade market. So who could be heading out the door next? Here’s a breakdown of the minor leaguers who are most in demand. “The Sox were willing to discuss Arias last year in deals for Twin hurler Joe Ryan or Arizona slugger Ketel Marte. His value has gone up since those conversations, but if the Sox want one of the potential jewels of the trade market such as Angels shortstop Zach Neto, Arias would be a necessary price.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)

The fact that Arias is just about untouchable is a big reason why the Red Sox don’t land all that high on this ranking of teams most likely to land Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. (The Athletic)

And with the return of Ranger Suárez, the Red Sox rotation may not need much of an upgrade. (Scott McLaughlin, WEEI)

Hunter Goodman is also being viewed as a potential big game price, with the Sox, Yankees, and Rays amongst other teams all being mentioned as looking for a catcher. (Ken Rosenthal, Will Sammon, The Athletic)

The San Diego Padres entered the top of the eighth inning trailing the Miami Marlins, 3-1. By the time the inning was over they held a 5-3 lead thanks to home runs from two of their big bats. Manny Machado, the Miami native, stepped the plate with no outs and Jake Cronenworth on first base after a leadoff single to open the frame. Machado battled Marlins reliever Lake Bachar for six pitches, but he won the at-bat and tied the game when he connected on a fastball at the top of the strike zone. The ball left Machado’s bat at 106 mph, and it landed just beyond the wall in center field to tie the game, 3-3.

Ty France grounded out for the first out in the top of the eighth inning. Jackson Merrill followed and connected on a pitch that was up and out over the plate. Merrill hit the ball out to right field to give the Padres their first lead of the game at 4-3. San Diego tacked on another run thanks to a Luis Rengifo one-out double. He advanced to third on a groundout which gave Luis Campusano a chance to add the lead. The Padres catcher came through with a single to left field that allowed Rengifo to score to give the Padres a 5-3 lead en route to the win and the sweep of the Marlins.

Adrian Morejon came on for the eighth inning and while it was not as sharp as the Friar Faithful have come to expect from the left-hander it did result in a scoreless inning. Mason Miller came in the for the bottom of the ninth inning and locked down the win while earning his 27th save of the season.

Walker Buehler started the game and delivered a solid start for San Diego. The veteran right-hander worked into the sixth inning and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. It was the kind of start the Padres needed after back-to-back bullpen games. Yuki Matsui, Wandy Peralta, Morejon and Miller combined to work the remaining 3.2 innings and allowed just one hit and one walk with three strikeouts.

Cronenworth was the table setter for San Diego. He finished his day at the plate 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Machado was the benefactor of Cronenworth’s solid offensive day. Machado finished 2-for-5 with a run scored and three RBI. France, Merrill and Rengifo all finished with two hits in the game, with Merrill providing the go-ahead run on his solo home run in the eighth.

San Diego has an off day today before hosting the Colorado Rockies for two games and the San Francisco Giants for four games heading into the trade deadline. The Padres have played themselves back to .500 and how they perform in the upcoming homestand will determine the deadline approach for the front office.

Padres News:

• Rosman Verdugo helped the Fort Wayne TinCaps get a win.

• San Diego’s recent approach to starting pitching was born out of necessity, but it’s not the first time MLB has seen this approach.

Baseball News:

• Jacob Misiorowski opened the game with seven strikeouts to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a win.

• Munetaka Murakami had a huge game and led the Chicago White Sox over the Houston Astros.

• The Boston Red Sox traded Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals for Curtis Mead.

• CJ Abrams powered the Nationals past the Arizona Diamondbacks.

• The Pittsburgh Pirates got a one-run win over the Chicago Cubs.

• The New York Mets took down the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The thing about the 2026 Orioles is that they can always manage to fool you for a little while into believing that they might be able to turn things around. The best version of this team really is good enough. Mike Elias wasn’t wrong to assess that. The problem, as was unfortunately demonstrated in increasingly ridiculous ways over the last week, is that they aren’t the best version often enough, and when they’re bad, they’re embarrassingly bad.

There is a tragic element to it all, tragic in the Greek sense that is fresher on many people’s minds since Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey is proving to be a popular sensation. It’s got me thinking about how frequently the gods of Greek myth were known to punish mortals for their hubris, and wondering just how much Elias’s roster-building philosophy embodies that hubris.

This takes on a variety of forms, which I get into in this episode, but the real hubris seems to be thinking that a team where nearly every hitter is one of his precious high draft picks is going to be able to be good enough to be a winner, even though they have now spent the past three seasons demonstrating to us that this is not the case.

Listen to this week’s episode here:

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This is my weekly podcast about whatever is going on lately with the Orioles. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to subscribe. You can get the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to access your podcasts.

How are you feeling about the way things are going with the Orioles right now? Answers could make it into the mailbag section of a future episode of the podcast.

As the week flips over into Monday, I will take care of some housekeeping where hopefully all interested eyes will see it. I’m flying out for a trip Tuesday evening. I won’t return home until Saturday, Aug. 8. It’s a safe bet that I will write up the Saturday 8/8 game on Sunday 8/9. I believe I’ll write up 7/27 on 7/28 and the following game. But I make no promises. After that, Al will do the heavy lifting on the Heroes and the Goats. I do not know how much Wi-Fi access nor how much time I will have on this trip. I may be largely MIA. Y’all be good to Al while I’m gone. I suspect I’ll chime in with at least occasional thoughts on an important stretch of baseball on and off of the field.

On to the Sunday game. Working for Al is super easy. He has never told me to write about this or not write about that. Very occasionally I go off the rails and he reels me back in. But other than that, I don’t have to do anything special here. I could literally just post the numbers from the game and get a daily byline. But, I like to use this as Tom’s therapy space. That’s why you see things like perspective check. I too want to keep from getting carried away in either direction. I too want to be able to enjoy the yearly roller coaster ride without losing my sanity.

That’s a long way of saying that though I’ve chosen the voice of this space to be the high level view of that roller coaster ride, it isn’t always easy. Along with taking that high level view, I try very hard to keep this space very positive. If you were a professional athlete, you could expect over time to read some of the most vile awful comments about you somewhere over the course of your career. From everything I know to be true, nearly 100 percent of the people who have ever worn Cubbie Blue try hard, work hard and very badly want to succeed.

No one player ever costs his team a game, unless there are some scenarios I’m not thinking of, where you forfeit a game because of the actions of one player. Once a team takes the field, a number of players have roles, some small and some large that contribute to winning and losing. I’ve always thought it garbage to pin it all on one guy. Even to the extent that one performance was so bad, there were almost always opportunities for teammates to overcome the adversity and win. Certainly, there are coaches and front office people involved with putting that player in that situation to fail. Teams win and lose together or they fall part.

That’s all a very, very long way of saying Jameson Taillon had a very bad start on Sunday. It’s one in a long string of bad to awful starts. We try to deal in reality here. In that reality, we’re pretty sure this team is likely to be a playoff team. Once they get there, they have a decent chance of winning one series and a small chance of winning two. Losing every fifth day or having to dig out of a massive hole to win is going to diminish all of those chances. You hate to see it, but this team needs to move on. I’m not even sure you could send him to the bullpen and get value there. I don’t wish ill on anyone. I really hope the Cubs cut bait on him, he regroups and has 3-5 good years for someone else. It happens. There are guys that end up being a better fit with your team than others and guys that end up being a worse fit. In being fair, he did provide a fair bit of value to this team over the life of the contract that brought him to Chicago.

The positive out of the game? The team never stopped fighting and took the game all the way down to the wire. This game certainly was nowhere near as close as a one run loss. The team has scored 57 runs in nine games since the All-Star break. That’s a blistering pace and it is kind of incredible that they have only won five of the nine games. They’ve scored 16 in the four losses and 41 in the five wins. That speaks to some of the struggles the pitching has had. 16 runs in four losses isn’t bad at all. 41 runs in the five wins shows that this team is clobbering the opposition when things go well.

Hopefully the bats stay hot in St. Louis and the pitching settles down a little. Let’s hit that perspective check. Four teams with more wins than the Cubs. One with as many wins as the Cubs. A 2.5 game lead on the first Wild Card spot in the NL. On a pace for 91 wins. 2-1 to start this 17-game stretch.

Three Positives and Pete:

• Michael Busch had a single a double, a walk and a run scored to wrap up a very good weekend.
• Michael Conforto had a double and drew a walk and scored twice.
• Pedro Ramirez had a pair of singles, drove in a run and scored a run.
• Pete was relatively quiet, with a triple and an RBI.

Game 105, July 26: Pirates 8, Cubs 7 (59-46)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Dansby Swanson (.123). 2-4, RBI, R
• Hero: Nico Hoerner (.051). 2-4, RBI, R
• Sidekick: Aaron Civale (.018). 2 IP, 7 BF, H, 3 K

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Jameson Taillon (-.376). 4 IP, 19 BF, 6 H, 2 BB, 7 ER, 3 K (L 2-6)
• Goat: Carson Kelly (-.108). 0-4, RBI
• Kid: Ian Happ (-.078). 1-5, DP

WPA Play of the Game: Shawn Ross’ two out, two-run homer in the second gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead. (.183)

Cubs Play of the Game: Dansby Swanson batted with runners on first and second and two outs in the second. He singled and ultimately he and the runner from first ended up on second and third. (.118)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 104 Winner: Pete Crow-Armstrong 42-37 over Shōta Imanaga.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Pete Crow-Armstrong +22
• Carson Kelly/Ben Brown +13.5
• Shōta Imanaga +12
• Trent Thornton +11.5
• Dansby Swanson/Phil Maton -10
• Nico Hoerner -11
• Jameson Taillon -13
• Caleb Thielbar -14

Up Next: The trip moves to St. Louis. The Cardinals are 53-52 and have themselves played 10 straight games coming out of the break (3-7) and don’t have a day off until Aug. 6. So their stretch is 19 in a row and it isn’t going well. These stretches handcuff the team. You can’t attack a game with your bullpen the same way and you have to be careful to keep the team fresh as the dog days of summer drag on.

David Peterson (5-7, 5.97) gets the opener for the Cubs. He picked up a win in his last start, throwing 6.2 innings and allowing no runs. Hopefully David is getting things back on track and heading in the right direction. The Cardinals hadn’t announced a starter at the time I wrote this, but this should be Matthew Liberatore’s spot. Liberatore is 5-7 with a 5.18 over 20 starts. The former 16th overall pick of the Rays in 2018 allowed five runs in 5.1 innings against the Angels in LA last week. The Cubs beat him on July 5, scoring three runs in five innings against him.

The Cardinals are reeling a bit. Hopefully the Cubs can pounce and get at least two and maybe three.

Ozzie Albies is having a fun season. I’m not sure it’s unequivocally a good season, but it’s been fun. His wRC+ is back in triple digits (now sitting at an even 100) while falling short of that mark in 2024 and 2025. His ISO is higher than both 2024 and 2025, and he’s already hit 17 dingers after finishing with 16 last year. His defense has been a positive for the first time since 2022, muffling the alarm bells going off about his aging with regard to that particular skillset.

And, of course, there’s the ever-present “Wizard of Ozzie” thing — though Albies generally outhit his xwOBA in every year from his debut through 2023 — he’s never done so by quite as much for this long. Seriously, he’s got a .320 wOBA and a .285 xwOBA as of me looking this morning. Only Pete Crow-Armstrong has a bigger outperformance with as many or more PAs; Albies is in the top 20 if you set the cutoff to 200-plus PAs this season.

But, there was yesterday’s game. Albies went 0-for-6 with a terrible defensive misplay that essentially turned what could have been a regulation win into a wacky, drawn-out extra innings affair that nonetheless gave the Braves a “W.” But, Albies didn’t even help in the extra innings portion, as he popped out with the bases loaded and one out after the Braves had taken a lead in the 11th. His xwOBA in the game was a sad .106. He had one meh liner that turned into a double play because of where it was hit, and four worst-in-class bits of contact to go with his strikeout.

Even without the error, it was his worst WPA game of the season. He had a few worse offensive WPA games, including his worst game ever in that regard in a one-run loss to the Padres in 2023, but when you combine the terrible stuff at the plate with that really bad error, it was a rough one.

Do you think, personally, this was has nadir as far as how he feels about his own contributions? If so, that’s kind of comforting, because the Braves won and everyone survived. Or, do you think there’s another game that felt worse from his perspective?