Category: Baseball

The MLB Trade Deadline is less than a week away and with the team mired in a 40-game funk of mediocrity (a 20-20 record during that stretch), one of their star players openly challenging his boss to make improvements and that star player’s manager rebuffing those challenges, rumors persist the Phillies are interested in an upgrade for their infield.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Wednesday that Angels shortstop Zach Neto is high on their list of targets.

In his report, Passan mentioned an acquisition of Neto, who is just 25, would require moving Bryson Stott to third base and either Neto or Trea Turner to second. Passan also notes the Phils would not be the only big market teams in on the young shortstop, along with the Yankees, Dodgers and Red Sox as potential suitors.

There are a number of reasons why Neto would be appealing.

Since becoming a starter in 2024, the righty swinger has hit .248/.320/.452 with a wRC+ of 114, meaning he has been 14% better than league average at his position at the plate. His .772 OPS over that stretch would be 10th-highest among qualified shortstops over that span and is the exact same number as Turner. Turner’s wRC+ of 112 is slightly behind Neto’s. Essentially, they’ve produced nearly identical offensive production over the last three seasons. However, Turner’s fWAR of 11.2 is much higher than Neto’s 8.7, which is tied for 14th.

Neto is a right-handed hitter, a commodity in short supply across this year’s Trade Deadline. In 105 games and 471 PAs this season, Neto is batting only .234, but his .325 on-base percentage is decent thanks to a dramatic increase in his walk rate, from 6.0% in 2025 to 10.2%. He has been good, but not spectacular, against left-handed pitching, with a .255 batting average and an .832 OPS against southpaws this year. For his career his OPS against them is .868.

Neto’s also a solid base stealer, with 14 bags swiped this year and seasons in which he’s stolen 30 and 26 bags the two previous years. And he’s tallied 2.0 fWAR in 2026 thanks, in part, to solid defensive metrics.

In terms of Defensive Runs Saved, his +2 mark ranks 7th among 18 qualified shortstops. That position has been a black hole defensively all year, with Turner’s -13 DRS dead last. He’s also started the 4th-most double plays at shortstop (28). Turner’s 15 is second-lowest.

He would also be an inexpensive addition contractually. He’s under team control for four additional years after this year, becoming a free agent after the 2030 season. He’s making $4.15 million in ‘26 and, while he will see raises in arbitration each of the next three off-seasons, he’d be far more affordable than a free agent signed over the winter.

There are areas of concern, however.

Why are the Angels giving up on a player with this much team control and a salary this low? One would think this is a player even a struggling team like Los Angeles would build around. What’s going on there?

In addition to seeing his walk rate improve, he’s also seen his strikeout rate take a jump as well. It was 23.3% in ‘24, 26.9% last year and 31.4% this season. He’s swinging at a career-high 36.5% of pitches outside the zone (30.0% in 2025). His Baseball Savant page has more “blue” on it than one would like.

Here’s what it looked like a season ago.

The addition of Neto would almost certainly result in either Alec Bohm being dealt or moving Bohm to first base and shifting Harper to right field full-time, a switch that would improve the Phillies’ outfield production, even with Harper slumping in July.

Neto isn’t the only Angel Dombrowski could target. As one of MLB’s clear sellers at the deadline, outfielder Jo Adell is almost certainly available. He has failed to follow up last year’s 37-homer season with a similarly productive power performance, slugging just 16 HRs with a .695 OPS and .291 OBP, although his .941 OPS against left-handers would be a dominant feature in a platoon role.

There is the yearly trade deadline speculation of Mike Trout being willing to waive his no-trade clause, but there has never been any indication the Phils are as interested as the fanbase in bringing the 34-year-old outfielder home. Trout’s had a solid season, with an .852 OPS in 90 games, but lugs around another four years at $37 million a season and a constant worry of injury with him.

Starters Reid Detmers (4.03 ERA in 22 starts) and Jose Soriano (3.29 ERA) are starting pitchers who could interest Dombrowski, as could left-handed relievers Brent Suter (4.26 ERA) and Sammy Natera (2.08 ERA in 21.2 innings), could be added in any potential Neto deal, too.

Acquiring Neto would almost certainly require them giving up their top prospect, pitcher Gage Wood. So Dombrowski needs to ask himself one main question.

Is he the guy to go all-in on at the Trade Deadline?

Another article – another Marlins’ trade target. This time slugger Kyle Stowers.

You can view our larger trade deadline piece here as we discuss a wider pool of options the Guardians may consider. To make my position clear, I expect the Guardians to make smaller moves, like trading Bo Naylor and getting a castoff/undervalued reliever. But, in the interest of exploring potential larger moves, we are doing a series looking at some of those bigger names. So far, we have discussed Spencer Steer, Luis Arraez, Shea Langeliers, Taylor Ward, Heliot Ramos, Jo Adell, Ty France, Tyler Soderstrom and Heriberto Hernandez. Although the Guardians’ greatest need is hitting, the market is aflush with starting pitching so it also may make sense for the Guardians to see if they can find a good value there, as we wrote here and looked at specifically with Jose Soriano.

Stowers broke out in 2025 and has a 131 wRC+ with a .503 slugging percentage over the past two years, 29.5/9.9 K/BB%. He does not hit left-handers well. Ok, well, we don’t have anyone hits right-handers particularly well right now. Stowers grades out as a below average left-fielder and an average right-fielder. He has a career 106 wRC+ as a DH so seems to be figuring out how to make those rhythms work. He is 28 years old and under arbitration control through 2029, making him a piece the Marlins should consider moving.

I think Stowers is one of the few true sluggers who could be available because he looks like a platoon bat with a 71 wRC+ against LHP over the past two years and because he is having a bit of a down year from last year’s breakout. Stowers has been increasing his pulled-fly-ball rate over the past two years and should be able to maximize the production in that ability in Progressive Field with the short right field corner. This would be a gamble on finding a true slugger who can actually punish the 75% of right-handed pitchers the team sees, and, for that, I’d be willing to part with one of the Genao/Velazquez/Doughty/Chourio/Ingle bunch to get him as well as an additional valuable prospect.

The resulting lineup could be:

1. Kwan CF
2. Jose 3B
3. DeLauter DH
4. Stowers RF
5. Bazzana 2B
6. Martinez LF
7. Manzardo 1B
8. Bailey C
9. Rocchio SS

What are your thoughts about targeting Stowers as a potentially available slugger? Let us know in the comments below.

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (53-50) won 7-5 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on a Whitcomb 3 run home run. McPherson got the start for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 4 runs over 3.1 innings. Sugar Land took the lead in the 4th inning on a Sacco solo home run and Ferreras RBI single. After the Bees tied it in the 6th, Sugar Land took the lead again in the 7th scoring 2 runs on a Meyers 2 run double. The pen closed it out with scoreless innings down the stretch as Sugar Land won 7-5.

Note: Whitcomb is hitting .277 in Triple-A.

• Cavan Biggio, 1B: 0-for-4, R, BB
• Pascanel Ferreras, 2B: 2-for-5, RBI
• Joey Loperfido, DH: 0-for-4, R, BB
• Shay Whitcomb, RF: 2-for-3, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB, SB
• Ray Delgado, 3B: 1-for-3, R, BB
• Jake Meyers, CF: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
• Tommy Sacco, SS: 2-for-3, R, HR, RBI, BB, 2 SB

• Brandon McPherson, RHP: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Kai-Wei Teng, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Christian Roa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (WIN)
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (SAVE)

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (45-53) lost 13-12 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got on the board in the first inning on Sisneros and Whitaker RBI singles. Hertzler got the start and went 3 innings allowing 1 run. Santos allowed a run in the 4th inning but the Hooks got 2 runs in the 5th on an Austin 2 run home run. The pen struggled in the 6th allowing 9 runs as Frisco opened up a big lead. The Hooks rallied in the 9th scoring 8 runs on 8 hits but the comeback fell short with a man on second as the Hooks fell 13-12.

Note: Austin has a .840 OPS this season.

• Yamal Encarnacion, 2B: 2-for-6, 2 R, 2B
• Jason Schiavone, 1B: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI
• Will Bush, C: 2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, RBI
• Trevor Austin, LF: 3-for-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI
• Cameron Sisneros, DH: 1-for-4, R, RBI, BB
• Tyler Whitaker, RF: 1-for-5, R, RBI
• Max Holy, SS: 2-for-5, R, 2 2B, RBI
• Kenni Gomez, CF: 3-for-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI
• Alberto Hernandez, 3B: 1-for-5, R, 2B, RBI

• Cole Hertzler, RHP: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Alex Santos, RHP: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Jose Guedez, RHP: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Jack Dashwood, LHP: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Ramsey David, RHP: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (33-63) lost 13-1 (BOX SCORE)

Santos started for Asheville but struggled allowing 4 runs retiring just 2 batters. He was relieved by Ogando who allowed 2 runs over 2 innings. The offense got on the board in the 3rd inning on a Thomas solo home run. The pen continued to struggled with Steinbaugh allowing 6 runs as the Drive extended their lead. The offense was quiet the rest of the way as Asheville fell 13-1.

Note: Thomas has 13 home runs this season.

• Justin Thomas, CF: 1-for-5, R, HR, RBI
• Xavier Neyens, 3B: 0-for-2, 2 BB
• Anthony Huezo, DH: 1-for-4

• Yeriel Santos, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 1 K
• Joan Ogando, RHP: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Conor Steinbaugh, RHP: 1.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Michael Cuevas, RHP: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• Colby Langford, LHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Francisco Frias, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (49-47) won 5-4 (BOX SCORE)

Forcucci started for the Woodpeckers but struggled allowing 4 runs, 2 earned, over 1.2 innings. The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on an Alvarez RBI single. In the 4th, Sierra connected on a 2 run home run to cut into the lead. In the bottom of the 6th, Alvarez hit a solo home run to tie the game. Verdugo pitched in relief and pitched well tossing 6 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 9th, the Woodpeckers won on a walk-off walk to Diaz.

Note: Alvarez is hitting .330 over his last 27 games.

• Waner Luciano, 3B: 1-for-4, R, 2B
• Kevin Alvarez, DH: 2-for-2, 3 R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB
• Jadyn Fielder, LF: 1-for-4
• Juan Sierra, RF: 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI

• Ryan Forcucci, RHP: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 2 K
• Grayson Saunier, RHP: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Ryan Verdugo, RHP: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K (WIN)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Jason Alexander – 7:05 CT

CC: Brett Gillis – 7:05 CT

AV: Kellan Oakes – 4:05 CT

FV: TBD – 5:35 CT

Good morning A’s fans!

The trade deadline is nearly upon us and with the Athletics where they are in the standings it’s time for them to begin getting rid of anything not nailed down. That means it’s time to start saying our likely goodbyes to guys like Jeff McNeil and Jeffrey Springs, two veterans on expiring contracts. Neither of whom are going to be on the next A’s playoff team and it’s time for the A’s to make room for younger players who could be on the next playoff squad.

After those two veterans though there’s not much in the way of rental players for the Athletics to offer on the trade market. New starting catcher Jonah Heim could be of interest to catchy-needy teams and there’s a larger than usual number of contenders seeking help behind the plate this year. Considering he’s also a free agent at season’s end it makes sense to trade him, but then that saddles the club with Brian Serven as the starter for the final two months of the year. Heim’s glove alone could be worth more to the Athletics’ young pitchers over the final two months than a small-time prospect in the lower minors.

It’d be a major shock to see any other position players traded by the A’s this deadline season but there could be more action in regards to what little pitching we do have. Lefty Jose Suarez has been a solid option for Mark Kotsay over the past couple months after starting the year in Atlanta. He’s got a tough 4.63 ERA on the year but a much more respectable 3.79 mark in 29 games with the A’s. More importantly, the 28-year-old is controlled for one more year after this season wraps up. That should boost the prospect cost to acquire his services.

The other two bullpen arms other teams might be considering are Hogan Harris and Luis Medina, who are both now into the arbitration years and getting raises this offseason. Medina, once considered a building block for the starting rotation, has settled into a bullpen role this year and adapted well to the new spot on the team. His 3.70 ERA is the second-best mark in the A’s bullpen and he’s also under contract for three more years. That extra team control gives the A’s options in regards to the right-hander. If a team wants his services they’ll need to pay a decent package for the three-plus years they’ll have him.

The left-handed Harris has been often mentioned by other fans and pundits as a dark-horse trade candidate and it’s easy to see why. Like Medina, outside of a tough June the 29-year-old has been one of the few consistent arms for Kotsay out of the ‘pen. His 61 appearances are the fourth-most in the American League and his nine saves leads the team. He’s a lefty but he’s actually been more effective against right-handed hitters this year. And, again like Medina, he’s got lots of club control after this year so teams will need to pay up.

The squad will be finding out soon enough how far the A’s go this deadline season, but all indications are we shouldn’t expect any massive swaps. First pitch is at 6:40 again tonight. Until then, have a great day everyone.

A’s Coverage:

• Red Sox Edge A’s 4-2 in Extra-inning Heartbreaker
• A’s Squeak by Red Sox 4-3
• Grand Slam Sinks A’s Against Red Sox
• Parity (Mediocrity) Could Make For An Interesting Trade Deadline
• Sources: A’s star Langeliers may miss rest of ‘26
• A’s Lose Finale (And Series) To Twins 11-8
• A’s Prevail 2-0 in Tightly Contested Pitching Duel
• Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko says feeling in his legs returning
• Cuban’s investment group purchases minority stake in Athletics
• Chan Ho Park joins A’s group; 1st Korean to buy stake in MLB club
• A’s place rookie Joshua Kuroda-Grauer on injured list with ruptured testicle
• Another ‘step in the right direction’ for Lopez in hunt to regain rookie form
• Blogfather Saves The Day With Pearls Of Most Excellent Advice
• What will the Athletics do leading up to Trade Deadline after cold streak?
• A’s Add Next Wave of Prospects in 2026 Draft
• Athletics Get Hitting Help by Claiming Hot Bat off Waivers

MLB News and Interest:

• Top prospect Max Clark — No. 13 overall — summoned by Tigers (source)
• With questions about Ohtani, are Dodgers preparing big push for Skubal?
• Cubs Considering Tarik Skubal
• Rangers acquire catcher O’Hoppe, reliever Silseth from Angels
• Twins’ Byron Buxton returns to 10-day IL with hip injury
• Royals put Vinnie Pasquantino on 10-day IL with sore wrist
• Ideal trade destinations for 7 Deadline targets
• Nationals To Activate Jake Irvin
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Not good news in the slightest:

Mason Barnett getting the start tonight:

A leader in the clubhouse:

As the Tampa Bay Rays sit in a strong position in the American League standings in late July 2026, the organization faces a familiar but critical decision point.

With the trade deadline set for August 3, speculation has intensified around potential moves to bolster the major league roster. Yet, recent reporting from Ken Rosenthal underscores a compelling reason for caution: the Rays’ exceptionally deep farm system, headlined by top prospect Theo Gillen, represents a foundation that should not and cannot be compromised lightly.

Theo Gillen, the Rays’ No. 1 prospect and a top-10 talent across Major League Baseball, has delivered a breakout 2026 campaign. The 20-year-old outfielder has excelled at Double-A Montgomery, showcasing plus power from both sides of the plate, speed, and a polished approach that has produced multi-home run games and extended hitting streaks. Ranked as high as No. 9 overall by MLB Pipeline, Gillen embodies everything a seller would want at the trade deadline: high-upside and a controllable timeline.

Accordingly, Gillen is also the type of player the Rays need — unless the new owners want to drop top dollar on expensive veterans alongside a new ballpark — to have sustained competitiveness over the coming years.

The Rule 5 Imperative

Compounding the value of retaining top-end talent is the impending Rule 5 Draft. With a dozen or so quality players from the Rays’ organization eligible next offseason, Erik Neander and the front office must weigh the risk of losing developed depth against any short-term gains from trades. If you’ve been reading the site over the last month, this is nothing new, as Ben Whitelaw has been mapping such prospects into proposed trades in his articles over the last few weeks with a similar reminder.

Protecting these assets typically means prioritizing additions to the 40-man roster or strategic retention over aggressive selling of future value. In a market where the Rays are positioned more as buyers than sellers given their playoff odds, the calculus favors measured moves that supplement the current roster without mortgaging the years ahead.

Said more plainly: if the Rays are going to make a move, these are the players they need to prioritize in their trade discussions.

The Goodman Inquiry and Setting Boundaries

Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic reported the most recent Rays rumor when discussing the potential availability of breakout young catcher Hunter Goodman in Colorado:

How badly do you want him?

The staring contest between the Rockies and teams seeking to trade for Goodman is on.

Three AL East clubs — the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees — are among the teams expressing varying interest in Goodman, according to people briefed on the Rockies’ conversations but granted anonymity to speak freely. The Rockies, however, face no urgency to move Goodman, who is under club control for three additional seasons. So, they’re asking for multi-player packages led by teams’ No. 1 prospects — outfielder Theo Gillen from the Rays, Franklin Arias from the Red Sox and so on.

[The Athletic]

This highlights the problematic market dynamics at play. The Rockies, seeking a substantial return for Goodman, have reportedly inquired about Gillen as the centerpiece of any package from the Rays. Goodman, as a productive power bat at home and on the road with years of control remaining, understandably appeals to contending clubs. However, the Rockies’ high asking price—centered on a top prospect—aligns with their lack of urgency to move a player under club control through 2029 and the realities of a sellers market.

For the Rays, this inquiry should serve as a firm boundary. Asking for Gillen can — and should — slam the door shut on any trade negotiations.

Trading Gillen, even in a package for an established major leaguer, would represent a significant departure from the model that has sustained contention. While the Rays have demonstrated willingness to move prospects in the past when they feel the return justifies the cost, both team history — typically waiting until the offseason for such moves when leverage is neutral — and the current depth and Rule 5 considerations tilt strongly toward preservation.

A Sustainable Path Forward

Rays fans understand the franchise’s philosophy around trades is rooted in avoiding the boom-and-bust cycles that plague other markets. The current farm system offers an opportunity to extend the team’s success.

As the August 3 deadline approaches, the expectation is that Neander and company will have explored upgrades, but also while remaining disciplined. The goal remains building a roster capable of not only reaching the postseason this year, but one that ensures relevance for years to come.

Let me finish by acknowledging the devil (rays)’s advocate: Is there a scenario where the Rays could move the likes of Gillen? Yes, of course! But such a deal would be unreasonable, and thus the return must also be one you might consider unreasonable. It would need to be a Godfather offer, one you cannot refuse. There are players that could fit that bill: shortstops Bobby Witt Jr. or Konnor Griffin come to mind. But it’s hard to imagine either being for sale, and even typing it out feels foolish.

It’s not all doom and gloom. Perhaps the Rays will still add a player here or there before August 3rd, a backup catcher and/or a reliever, but at this point I’d rather promote Brayden Taylor to the majors to give him a whirl at second base than trade him alongside Brody Hopkins for the likes of JJ Bleday.

Tampa Bay’s strength has always been foresight. In this moment, it might mean recognizing that the best deals are sometimes the ones not made — especially when they involve the future stars who will define the next era of Rays baseball.

Hi there!

As you know, Thomas Smith is away on vacation.

To keep this feature going, I’m going to post simply the WPA numbers and plays of the game, and a poll so you can vote on your choice for Player of the Game. Thomas will update the Rizzo Award standings when he returns.

Game 108, July 29: Cardinals 3, Cubs 2 (61-47)

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

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Matthew Boyd (.438). 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 5 K
• Hero: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.302), 1-5, HR
• Sidekick: Caleb Thielbar (.135). 1 IP, 2 K

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Trent Thornton (-.806). 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER)
• Goat: Dansby Swanson (-.259). 0-4, R
• Kid: Ian Happ (-.136). 0-4, 2 K

I’ll let Thomas weigh in when he returns from vacation, but I’d guess that -.806 WPA score for Thornton is not only the worst of the year for a Cub, but one of the worst in the history of our Heroes and Goats feature.

WPA Play of the Game: Ivan Herrera’s game-winning two-run double in the 10th (.670).

Cubs Play of the Game: PCA’s two-run homer in the top of the 10th (.415).

The two plays above were the top two WPA plays of the entire game.

Up next: The series finale, with Javier Assad facing Andre Pallante. The Cubs still have a chance to win the series.

As Thomas would say: Keep stacking wins.

I had the pleasure of writing one of these birthday profiles for legendary Yankees manager and the head honcho for the late 90s dynasty, Joe Torre. There aren’t many who can match Torre’s managerial career, and even fewer can live up to what he did as a player in the major leagues. Now, we get the opportunity to do remember the man who inspired Torre, beginning his career with the men in pinstripes nine years after Torre’s birth in Brooklyn.

Charles Dillon “Casey” Stengel
Born: July 30, 1890 (Kansas City, MO)
Died: September 29, 1975 (Glendale, CA)
Yankees Tenure: 1949-1960

Charles Dillon Stengel was born a Midwest kid in the late 1800s, where he would go to sandlots around his home turf and play baseball with his friends and anyone who wanted a game. By the time he was 20, his time playing in the sandlot was gone, but his dream for Major League Baseball remained after a few years in the semi-pro ranks. Thanks to the Kansas City Blues of the American Association, he began his professional baseball journey.

Stengel began his time as a pitcher, but when he made it to Double-A, his pitching skills were not up to par. So, he was moved to the outfield, where he still needed some work to be done. Kansas City optioned Stengel to the Class C team in Kankakee, Illinois, where he batted .251. Around this time, he did consider other options and even began school to become a dentist. Fortunately for the sport, those dalliances didn’t pan out.

The young Stengel was in the minors for three seasons before he began his major league career with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1912. He played 17 games with a slash line of .316/.466/.386 playing center field. He made his debut on September 17, 1912 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he went 4-for-4 with two RBI’s and two stolen bases. He would play with the Dodgers from 1912 to 1917 (with Ebbets Field opening in 1913), amassing 676 games played with a slash line of .272/.346/.393 for an OPS+ of 119 — so well above average for the era. Brooklyn was the organization that Stengel played the most with, so, naturally, he gathered his most walks, RBI’s, stolen bases, and more there as well.

Of course, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Stengel with Brooklyn. In 1915, at the age of just 24, he dealt with illness as early as spring training, showing up 20 pounds weaker than he was the previous year. And as a result of the illness, which was addressed as venereal disease (after the thought was typhoid fever), he had the worst full season of his playing career. He was also consistently stuck in contract disputes with Charles Ebbets, co-owner of the Dodgers, despite teammate Chief Meyers in the book The Glory of Their Times saying his play was key to the Dodgers’ 1916 pennant win prior to their World Series loss to the Boston Red Sox — and 21-year-old pitcher Babe Ruth.

Stengel was traded to the Pirates after another contract holdout with Dodgers ownership and played for Pittsburgh in the 1918 and 1919 seasons, but he seemed to have little interest in playing for the club. In his first year, he only played in 39 games while working and running Brooklyn Navy Yard’s baseball team. After another contract dispute and a bit of antics from Stengel on the field in 1919 involving a sparrow that was released from his cap when he tipped it after the crowd booed him, Bucs ownership had had enough, and he was moved to Philadelphia.

After one season in 1920 with the Phillies, he was moved again in 1921 to the New York Giants, where he finished that season and played two more, winning back-to-back Fall Classics in two all-Polo Grounds series against a Yankees team that now starred Ruth. He also faced his future club in a third in 1923, memorably hitting an inside-the-park homer in the ninth inning of Game 1 to key a Giants victory during the very first World Series game at the original Yankee Stadium. Another Stengel homer in a 1-0 win in Game 3 put the Giants ahead in the series 2-1, but Ruth’s Yankees rallied for three-straight victories to secure their first championship.

Following a two-season stint in the Boston Braves organization, Stengel hung up the playing spikes, after he was hitting only .077 and was sent to Worcester as player-manager and president for their minor-league squad. He played in 100 games, batted .320, and led the team from last place to third. His legendary managerial career began when an opportunity to take over as manager of the Toledo Mud Hens came out of the woodwork; Stengel released himself as a player, since he was player-manager, and then, as president, he fired himself as manager.

Stengel was manager of the Mud Hens for six seasons, and in 1931 he was hired as a first base coach for the Dodgers by former Pittsburgh teammate Max Carey. The former Dodger had a reputation that preceded him, which gave managers a reason not to hire him for any job, but Carey’s call to allow Stengel into the fold ended his absence from MLB and set him on the road to new heights as a manager. After Carey would not respond to a jab at the Dodgers in the press, he was fired, and Stengel took over for the first time as a manager of a major league ball club. He managed until 1936 and was fired due to poor team performance and not getting enough out of the talent he had at his disposal. After sitting out entirely in 1937, the owner of the Braves, Bob Quinn, offered Stengel the manager chair in his organization, and he took it.

From 1938 to 1943 — Stengel’s tenure at the helm — the team never finished in the top half of MLB and finished seventh four straight years between 1939 and 1942. And while he did see some excellent names come across his lineup card (including Warren Spahn, whom Stengel eventually sent down because he viewed him as not having any “heart”), the progress wasn’t nearly enough to constitute a longer tenure. So, Casey was fired.

Stengel returned to the minors for another four seasons, not sure if or when his major league managing career would ever restart. But after enough work to win Minor League Manager of the Year with the powerhouse Pacific Coast League’s Oakland Oaks, he was finally hired as the manager of the Yankees (eventually bringing along one of his favorite Oaks players, a firestarter named Billy Martin).

Yankees brass were not keen on bringing Stengel in at first. While he had his name tossed around in conversations years before his hiring, those who had a stake in the club knew of Stengel’s reputation and didn’t feel like it was worth pursuing. Like Torre decades later, Casey was also perceived as someone who had never won much of anything as a manager and was undeserving to manage this already-prestigious franchise led by Joe DiMaggio. However, after those who opposed his hiring were either fired or sold their stake, there was no way to block the move.

While Stengel tried to keep a low profile, it was almost impossible for the newest Yankees bench boss. It was hard for Stengel at first to fit in, but he did after a while. Early in his first season, he criticized players heavily, including in one players-only meeting held after a doubleheader loss to Philadelphia. Still, he also made sure to tell them that he knew everything was going to work. He believed they could win. And after DiMaggio returned from injury, that’s exactly what they did.

The Yankees of 1949 finished the season with a plethora of injuries plaguing them, but also a 97-57 record, good enough for the American League pennant and a chance to win a World Series. But it came against Stengel’s former team, the Dodgers, just as it would through most of Stengel’s time as manager. And after five games, the last three of which the Yankees won despite some antics from Stengel in Game 4 that got him reprimanded by the commissioner, Happy Chandler, he won his first championship as a manager — again like Torre in his first year.

In wake of his championship in 1949, Stengel went back to being the man who earned himself the reputation that preceded him: talkative, forceful, brash, you name the adjective, and he was probably that. He knew the job he still had to do, but when you win it all, you have a bit more leeway to do as you see fit. He and DiMaggio had their battles, especially with the Yankee Clipper being in the back end of his career, but Stengel also did an excellent job with the younger players. Names like the already-ascendant Yogi Berra, lefty Eddie Ford (soon to be famous as Whitey), the versatile Gil McDougald, the aforementioned Martin, and others came to the forefront, and Stengel found a player before the 1951 season who could take the franchise’s reins: 19-year-old Mickey Mantle.

The 1950 and 1951 Yankees finished with the same record (98-56), and both came out of the season as world champions, both against two of Stengel’s old teams, the Phillies and Giants. Three seasons, three championships for Stengel as manager of the Bombers, and it had only just begun.

DiMaggio retired from baseball in 1951, and the Yankees continued their reign as kings of Major League Baseball, defeating the Jackie Robinson-led 1952 Dodgers in seven games. The Yankees won another World Series in 1953 against Brooklyn with Martin walking it off in the Game 6 clincher, making that five championships in a row for the Stengel-led pinstriped men. And he felt the love, as the charismatic man dubbed “the Ol’ Perfesser” grew to become a national figurehead not just for the franchise but for baseball as well.

The 1954 campaign was the first that Stengel’s Yankees fell short, though oddly enough, their 103-51 mark was the best of Casey’s time with the Yankees but still eight fewer wins than Cleveland. They quickly bounced back in 1955 with a record of 96-58 and another pennant win. They lost to the Dodgers in the World Series in seven games, but from there, it flip-flopped, with the Yankees winning the World Series over Brooklyn in 1956 (keyed by Stengel’s gutsy call to start Don Larsen in Game 5 mere days after he was dreadful in Game 2), only the pennant in 1957, and a seventh title in 1958, avenging the previous year’s loss to the Milwaukee Braves. Over that period, there were issues within the organization and how Stengel managed the players off the field, with rumors leading to a media circus when players stayed out too late or even were involved in a brawl at the Copacabana nightclub — leading to Martin’s ouster. But as long as they were winning, Stengel did not mind one bit.

By the time he won his seventh World Series as manager, Stengel was 67 years old and was seen falling asleep in the dugout. According to his players, he had also grown significantly more irritable. He needed a new contract and was visibly wearing down. Still, management decided to keep him involved anyway because of that 1958 triumph, even though his contract was set to expire.

Casey was given another two-year deal set to expire in 1960. A 79-75 record and distant third-place finish in 1959 was a clear example of the problems within the Yankees dugout. Despite winning his 10th pennant in 1960, the decision to not renew Stengel as Yankees manager had effectively been made, and it was only secured by strange decisions during that last Fall Classic. Stengel’s ace, Ford, was incensed that his skipper refused to start him in Game 1 against Pittsburgh, which Art Ditmar lost, 4-2. It was a strange series, as the Yankees outscored the Pirates by more than any team in World Series history across seven games, but New York lost three close games along the way to force a Game 7 — which Ford could not start because he wasn’t used until Games 3 and 6 (blowout wins).

Bill Mazeroski’s series-winning homer off Ralph Terry was the last moment of Stengel’s Yankees career. Overall, he finished with a 1149-696 record with the Yankees, along with seven World Series championships and 10 AL pennants. Stengel went on to manage the New York Mets from 1962 to 1965, where he finished with a record of 175-404 for the expansion club that was still finding their identity — though he remained a beloved figure in the media for everything he did to stir up interest in his otherwise-subpar Metsies.

While he was a brash character both during his playing days and during his time as a manager, Stengel will always be remembered for the effect he had on his players and his leadership during the best years in Yankees history. He was blessed with great players, but some of the best seasons in MLB history came under his tenure. For that, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966 alongside legendary Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams.

Stengel helped build and foster some of the best teams and players the game will ever know, making his mark permanently on the sport’s history. His No. 37 was retired in 1970, allowing him one more moment in the Bronx sun prior to his passing five years later at age-85.

Happy birthday, Casey!

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

Morning, all!

The Rangers addressed two needs last night after a 3-0 loss to Tampa Bay, sending prospect Angel Arredondo to Anaheim for reliever Chase Silseth and catcher Logan O’Hoppe.

O’Hoppe will be headed to Round Rock, as he has seen a dramatic decline in his offensive production over the last year and the Rangers are hoping they can return him to form.

Skip Schumaker says the Rangers have a plan to get O’Hoppe back to where he used to be.

Corey Seager is expected to rejoin the club in Houston this weekend after a lengthy stay on the IL.

Sebastian Walcott stole the show during Seager’s rehab start last night, perhaps highlighting the Rangers’ present and future.

The Detroit Tigers' season may have flatlined with July 29's brutal loss to the Orioles in extra innings, but on July 30 the team broke out the defibrillator in the form of No. 1 team prospect and the No. 13 MLB prospect (per MLB Pipeline) Max Clark.

According to Baseball America's Emily Waldon, the Tigers are calling up Clark for the weekend series against the Athletics and the ensuing West Coast road trip, where he is expected to make his MLB debut.

Clark, 21, was drafted third overall by the Tigers in 2023. He played alongside former 2023 pick Kevin McGonigle, who went 37th overall, in the 2025 All-Star Futures Game at Globe Life Field, where he went 1-for-1 with a single, a walk, and a stolen base.

REQUIRED READING: Tigers must trade Tarik Skubal after gut-punch loss. They have no choice | Opinion

With the Toledo Mud Hens this season, Clark is hitting .276 with an OPS of .802. He has 11 home runs on the year, including two in his past three games. He will join a Tigers outfield badly in need of a reshuffle, and will give a glimpse of the Tigers' future with its present very much in flux.

With the loss to the Orioles, the team is facing down what to do with super-ace Tarik Skubal, the two-time defending Cy Young winner who is on an expiring contract. It is six games back in the AL Central and 4.5 games back in the crowded AL wild card race.

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Thursday is here, and our betting experts have you covered with MLB picks throughout the slate.

Find out what teams you should back on July 30.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Josh Inglis: KC/MIN - Under 9.5	-109
Jon Metler: CIN ML	+108
Joe Osborne: LAD ML	-148

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Josh Inglis' expert pick: Royals vs Twins - Under 9.5

Price: 52¢ (-109) at Polymarket

It's a getaway game for both clubs, and let's face it, neither offense has looked good out of the break — especially in this series.

The Minnesota Twins have scored four or more runs in just three of their last 10 games. In the other seven, they have combined for only 11, including last night's 4-0 shutout loss.

The Bobby Witt-less Kansas City Royals haven't been much better offensively, but they did get seven strong innings from Randy Dobnak last night — leaving the bullpen fresh.

Minnesota also hasn't needed its high-leverage relievers since the weekend. Even if neither starter goes deep, the late innings should feature the A arms on both sides.

These are two of the coldest offenses in baseball right now, and with fresh bullpens, an afternoon getaway game, and an inflated total, I'm betting the Under 9.5 down to 9 at -110.

The wind blowing in at 11 mph is the cherry on top.

• Time: 1:40 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Royals.TV, Twins.TV

Jon Metler's expert pick: Reds moneyline

Price: 48¢ (+108) at Polymarket

I usually break these games down from a baseball perspective, but for Thursday's matchup, I think the biggest edge comes from the price itself.

I like the Cincinnati Reds on the moneyline, but what really stands out is how far Polymarket's number is from the rest of the market. The Reds are trading at 48 cents against the Pittsburgh Pirates, while most sportsbooks and prediction markets have them closer to a 51-cent favorite. 

That alone makes Polymarket's price attractive, but I think the value runs even deeper because I make Cincinnati closer to a 54-cent favorite.

In other words, I believe there's value in backing the Reds, but that edge becomes even greater if you can lock in the 48-cent price at Polymarket.

• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Reds.TV

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Dodgers moneyline

Price: 59¢ (-148) at Polymarket

The Seattle Mariners send Bryan Woo to the mound, and he's been horrendous away from home — posting a 6.52 ERA while allowing five or more earned runs on five occasions. 

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been hammering right-handed pitching, ranking fourth in OPS over the past two weeks.

Roki Sasaki is trending up after surrendering just one earned run across his last two starts and now draws a Mariners lineup that ranks a brutal 27th in OPS vs. righties during that two-week span.

Seattle's 15 losses in its last 20 road games only strengthen the case.

• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: SportsNet LA, Mariners.TV

More MLB best bets for today

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.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, who has been on the injured list since the beginning of the month, is expected to be activated tomorrow when the Rangers start their series in Houston against the Astros, per the beats. In addition, Jordan Montgomery, who has been on the injured list all season as he returns from Tommy John surgery, will make another rehab start on Sunday.

Seager has had a difficult season, going on the injured list in mid-May due to back spasms, returning in June, playing five games, and then going on the concussion injured list and missing two weeks after a home plate collision. He returned and played four games before going back on the injured list due to more back issues. He has played shortstop the past two days for Frisco on a rehab assignment.

Seager is slashing just .182/.292/.374 on the season, but when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best players in baseball, and getting him back in the lineup would provide a shot in the arm for the Rangers — at least, if he can stay in the lineup. Josh Jung, who went on the injured list with a calf issue, is eligible to be activated on Saturday, August 1, though there’s no word yet on whether he’s expected to be ready to go.

As for Montgomery, there was some thought that he could be activated and start a game in the Houston series. The Rangers are instead leaving him out for another rehab outing, and are going with a bullpen game in today’s series finale in Tampa, allowing the team to go with Nathan Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom and Kumar Rocker in Houston. Rangers are 4-6 against Houston so far this season. The Rangers need to sweep Houston to have the tiebreaker over the Astros, who are currently just a game back in the division. Texas, by virtue of winning three of four against Seattle last weekend, hold the tiebreaker over Seattle.

Montgomery, one of the heroes of the 2023 championship team, signed a two year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on the eve of the 2024 season. He had an awful year, putting up a 6.23 ERA in 117 innings, and then needed Tommy John surgery early in 2025. He signed a one year deal with the Rangers for 2026, with the idea being he would be a major league option at some point in the second half of 2026.

Montgomery has made seven rehab appearances, most recently throwing 75 pitches in 4.1 innings for Round Rock on the 25th. His velocity has been down, which is a concern — in his most recent appearance, he averaged just 90.6 mph with both his fastball and his sinker, down a little over one mph from where he was in 2024, and down 2.5 mph from 2023. He has stated that he thinks the velocity will be back when he’s back in the majors and the adrenaline kicks in, but until he shows that, the loss in stuff has to be a concern.

Good morning friends!

The Mariners had yet another underwhelming offensive performance last night, dropping the middle game to the Dodgers 4-2.

Given the complete inevitability of the Dodgers, is there any team you hate watching the Mariners play more than them?

In Mariners news…

• Chris Towers at CBS Sports marveled at how Dominic Canzone became a legitimate threat against left-handed pitching.

Around the league…

• In a major AL West trade, the Rangers acquired right-hander Chase Silseth and catcher Logan O’Hoppe from the Angels for infield prospect Angel Arredondo.
• Tarik Skubal seems to think he just pitched his last game in a Tigers uniform yesterday, tipping his cap to the fans as he walked off the mound — a game in which he also recorded his 1,000th career strikeout.
• Twins outfielder Byron Buxton is back on the injured list with the same hip ailment that has been nagging him for much of the season.
• In case you missed it, the Dodgers activated closer Edwin Díaz from the injured list. It’s his first time back on the active roster in over three months after getting surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow.
• The Rangers have re-signed Jarred Kelenic to a minor league deal after releasing him just three days ago.
• The City of Vancouver has selected a prospective owner to pursue an MLB expansion franchise.
• Jeff Passan at ESPN unveiled his final major trade deadline preview with under a week to go until the the big day.
• Ashok Selvam reviewed the White Sox’s brand new sushi menu item in their concessions stand.
• Chandler Rome at The Athletic told the story of Steven Okert, the 35-year-old left-hander for the Astros who has suddenly become an extremely lode-bearing piece of the Houston bullpen.
• With Curtis Mead hitting the IL just one game into his Red Sox tenure, Mike Carlucci at Over the Monster remembers some of Boston’s greatest one-game wonders.

Diamondbacks News

(Arizona Sports) Diamondbacks going back to closer-by-matchups

The Diamondbacks are going to play the matchups with a bullpen that has been deeper than in previous seasons.

“I’ve made an adjustment,” Lovullo told Diamondbacks broadcaster Todd Walsh on the postgame show. “I’m going to mix up some roles a little bit and get Paul back on his feet. … We’re going to have roles, matchups to get it done.”

(SI.com) Evaluating All 6 D-backs Closer Options After Paul Sewald Demotion

Manager Torey Lovullo did note that, for now, the D-backs would likely go based on matchups. But a closer-by-committee tends to be more successful when there is one or two primary closers.

Arizona currently carries eight relievers. They’ve all had some level of success this year and have overperformed as a group.

With the exceptions of Sewald and of right-hander Gerardo Carrillo — who is a rookie, and currently the long man of the bullpen — let’s take a look at the potential closer committee members

(Arizona Sports) Diamondbacks will not make a trade that leads to luxury tax penalties

The Diamondbacks are only $6-7 million away from facing luxury tax penalties for the first time in franchise history, Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported.

The club will not set off those penalties, which include an increasing tax rate and the loss of money it receives from redistribution.

MLB News

(Yahoo! Sports) Angels deal Logan O’Hoppe, Chase Silseth to Rangers ahead of trade deadline as struggles continue

The Angels struck a deal to send both starting catcher Logan O’Hoppe and relief pitcher Chase Silseth to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, just days ahead of the MLB trade deadline. In return, they’ll acquire minor-league infielder Angel Arredondo. 

The move was announced minutes before the Angels and Houston Astros were set to start the third game of their series in Anaheim. O’Hoppe, who started behind the plate in the Angels’ 3-2 loss on Tuesday, was not in the lineup.

(CBS Sports) Tarik Skubal gets standing ovation in possible last Tigers start as trade deadline looms

Skubal made history early in his start on Wednesday. He entered the game with 999 career strikeouts and fanned Taylor Ward, the game’s first hitter, to join the 1,000-strikeout club. Skubal got there in 857 career innings, far and away the fewest in Tigers history. The previous franchise record holder, Max Scherzer, recorded his 1,000th strikeout in 944 ⅔ innings.

(NBC Sports) CC Sabathia: Detroit Tigers “have to trade” Tarik Skubal at deadline

As the Tigers (51-58) fade in the AL Central and Wild Card races, Sabathia believes now is the ideal time for Detroit to acquire “all the pieces” it needs to replenish its farm system and MLB roster. A potential deal for Skubal could see the Tigers “run through” a team’s farm, with multiple top prospects and MLB-ready talent likely coming back to Detroit in any deal for the two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner.

That’s why Sabathia is adamant about the rare opportunity Detroit has in front of it, saying it “makes no sense” to keep Skubal when the chance to re-tool on the fly is on the table.

(Yahoo! Sports) Curtis Mead reportedly expected to miss most if not all of the remaining regular season due to wrist fracture sustained in first game with Red Sox

Boston Red Sox infielder Curtis Mead is tentatively expected to miss 6-8 weeks due to the wrist fracture he sustained in his first game with the team, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported Wednesday.

The timeline threatens to sideline Mead for most if not all of the remainder of the regular season.