Well, the A’s have one final chance to get a W against the reigning champion Dodgers after dropping the first two games of the series. Neither loss was especially close so now the A’s will have to do a complete 180 if they want to salvage a single game against our Southern California rivals. Hopefully they can end the series with a win and notch their 41st of the season.

Taking the ball today for the good guys will be right-handed J.T. Ginn. The righty comes into tonight’s contest with a solid 3.15 ERA on the year, good for 7th in the American League. He hasn’t been quite as dominant his last two trips to the mound but he posted solid enough starts against the Angels that he could have earned a pair of wins. Instead he split those contests. With the All-Star Game quickly approaching Ginn probably needs a couple more strong starts to really put himself into the middle of the debate when it comes to the pitching staff for the Junior Circuit in this year’s Midsummer Classic. Can Ginn conquer a mighty Dodgers lineup that has put up 18 runs in the first two games against our A’s?

Here’s how the A’s will lineup for tonight’s series finale:

Typical top of the order for the A’s right now; DH Shea leadoff, Kurtz behind him, followed by Colby Thomas and Jonah Heim (tonight’s catcher).

Infield prospect Joshua Kuroda-Grauer gets his first start at the hot corner tonight in place of Max Muncy, who heads to the bench. And he’ll also rise up the batting order to the fifth spot. Butler and Bolte are behind him, followed by the middle infield duo of Jeff McNeil and Alika Williams.

The A’s are getting a bit lucky tonight regarding the Dodgers’ starting pitcher plans. It was originally going to be superstar Shohei Ohtani on the bump for Los Angeles this evening, but with them cruising to the postseason they’ve decided to push his start back, giving him an extra breather during the course of a long season he has double duties. Instead it’ll be a bullpen game for the Dodgers, so hopefully A’s batters have done some homework on the LA relief corps. Lefty Jack Dreyer will start things off for LA, likely only for the first inning.

And the Dodgers’ starting nine this evening:

Looks like the A’s are getting another break. After originally being penciled into tonight’s starting lineup Mookie Betts will instead head to the bench, giving veteran Miguel Rojas the start at shortstop in the series finale. Still plenty of dangerous hitters in the lineup but at least Ginn will have one less bat to worry about.

Getting desperate. Can we finally end the skid and get a big bounce back victory to wrap the series? Time to find out. Let’s go A’s!

Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA

Listen:
Talk 650 KSTE, KVMX 92.1/105.5, A’s Cast

WEST SACRAMENTO — Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts was scratched from the team’s lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Athletics shortly before first pitch because of right wrist soreness, manager Dave Roberts said.

However, Roberts said the issue is believed to be minor, and that Betts should be back in the Dodgers’ lineup on Thursday.

Betts arrived at the ballpark Wednesday dealing with soreness and a lack of strength in his wrist, prompting the Dodgers to “err on the side of caution,” Roberts said, and remove him from the lineup.

The setback came at an inopportune time for Betts, who was just starting to rediscover his swing after missing a month earlier this year with an oblique strain.

Entering Wednesday, Betts was hitting .373 over his last 16 games with five home runs, four doubles and 11 RBIs.

During that time, he had raised his season batting average from .181 to .244 and his OPS from .591 to .744.

He had also been playing standout shortstop, ranking second at the position with eight defensive runs saved.

With Betts out Wednesday, Miguel Rojas was inserted into the lineup in his place.

That wasn’t the only discouraging injury news out of the Dodgers on Wednesday, with Roberts also saying that catcher Will Smith is unlikely to return before the All-Star break. Smith has been out since June 5 with a neck injury that was initially expected to be short term but is now set to sideline him for well over a month.

Roberts maintained the Dodgers’ belief that Smith’s issue — which the catcher described as an inflamed disk in his neck when he first went on the injured list — won’t be too long term but acknowledged surprise at what is already becoming an extended timeline to return.

“It’s certainly longer than I know was expected,” he said, “but I don’t think it’s an affecting-the-season type of thing.”

Still weeks away from even getting more imaging of his rib, Aaron Judge has had plenty of time to watch the Yankees from the dugout over the past month.

In the past week in particular, which Judge kindly described as “not great,” the captain was more pointed in his diagnosis of what has gone wrong during a losing streak that hit seven games on Wednesday afternoon.

“Just a little lack of focus,” Judge said Wednesday morning before a 6-2 loss to the Tigers while speaking to reporters for the first time since the day he went on the injured list. “Just got to dial it in. Our ultimate goal is to win a World Series. I think guys just got to remember that every single day they show up here. We’re here to win a World Series. That’s your motivation every single day you step on that field, no matter what happens. No matter what happened the day before, I got a job to do.

“We have an important sign when you walk out on that field, it’s the last sign you see before you go out there. It says, ‘Do your job.’ Guys just got to do their job.”

Aside from his responsibilities as captain, it remains a major question as to when Judge will be able to do his job again. The back-to-back AL MVP declined to share even how he was feeling, deferring until he gets more tests on his right rib, which still appears to be weeks away from happening — and that is just to potentially clear him to start ramping up.

“I’ll give you a good update when we get some imaging and we’ll go from there,” Judge said. “There’s no need to talk about this now. I know it’s an important topic and a big issue, but I want to give you guys the full story, so why give you guys something now when we can get you everything here soon?”

The Yankees need him back badly, though their problems go beyond just his absence. They have scored just 17 runs on 31 hits while committing 10 errors that have led to a total of 17 unearned runs. By just about every facet of the game, the Yankees have been bad.

A few days before the brutal stretch began, there was also Jazz Chisholm Jr. sucking on a Blow Pop while playing second base for an inning in Detroit, and then getting thrown out of Sunday’s game after arguing and spiking his helmet over a check-swing call he did not agree with.

Judge indicated he has addressed the lack of focus “with a couple guys, but we’ll be talking here as a bigger group soon.” He declined to get specific when asked about how he was seeing it play out.

“I think you guys see it,” he said. “There’s a couple things. But we don’t need to get into that.”

Aaron Boone acknowledged again that it has been a “terrible week” but did not seem to agree that a lack of focus has been the root of the problems.

“I think when we’re right, we’re a quality team in those areas where we’ve made some errors this week and let some unearned runs go,” Boone said. “I think moving forward, that should be the case. There’s a little bit of a product of us having some important guys [out] around Judgey that settle us especially defensively and some of the little things, so guys are moving around a little bit, so I think that’s factored in.

“But no, individually speaking, I feel like guys are in the right frame of mind.”

Judge said that being sidelined during this stretch in particular has been “the worst” because he can’t be going through it with his teammates on the field.

“I hate missing games, but I hate missing it in times where things aren’t going your way,” he said. “That’s when I want to be out there. I want to be grinding with the guys and be part of the solution to get us back where we need to be.”

It was another tough start forFreddy Peralta.

Going up against the Blue Jays on Wednesday, Peralta lasted just four innings, allowing five runs in the Mets' 9-3 loss up in Toronto. The outing raised Peralta's ERA to 4.81 and WHIP to 1.416 and continued his disappointing season with the Mets.

The Mets traded for Peralta this past offseason, hoping he'd be the ace of the staff. What they got has been an inconsistent starter, and someone who has not pitched anywhere close to the 2.70 ERA, 1.075 WHIP ace the Brewers had a season ago.

For Wednesday's start, specifically, Peralta's fastball command was just not there. He walked three batters, the most he's allowed since the six-walk start against the Yankees on May 17, and when he did find the zone, the Jays were all over it.

"I know we all want him to go out there and dominate like we believe he can," interim manager Andy Green said after the game. "For us, it’s just a matter of getting the fastball where he knows he wins. He’s been winning there for a long time in the big leagues. And he knows how he’s good, why he’s good and we all know it. It’s just a matter of going out there and executing.”

“At some point, I can’t tell if I lose the command a little bit, but I think everything starts with the walk with the first hitter of the inning," Peralta said of his fastball command. "The plan was good. It just…it happens. I can’t control it, I just need to be better, execute better. Have to check and see what’s going on. I’ve been getting some work with people I need to work with. Just have to put everything together and wait for the best."

Peralta was visibly frustrated on the mound and in the dugout during the game. When he dialed up his fastball to 99 mph to get the final out in the first inning and limit the damage to just one run, Peralta could be seen talking to himself and clenching his fists.

He was asked after the game how he was feeling, and the right-hander was candid.

"Not good," Peralta said. "I don’t feel good, but just try to come back and make the adjustment."

Peralta was asked if he feels this is the roughest stretch of his career, and he answered: "probably, yes." 

What's especially frustrating for Peralta is that his velocity, the movement of his pitches and his mechanics are right where it needs to be, but he can't explain what's happening to him.

"I understand the game, and all that. But sometimes what I do is my best every day. I prepare to have success, but sometimes," Peralta said before pausing. "It’s crazy is the word I can describe it right now."

Peralta is in the final year of his contract and could potentially be a trade piece if the Mets decide to become sellers at the Aug. 3 trade deadline. But if the Mets go down that route and hope to get a decent return, they need Peralta to become more consistent. 

The Colorado Rockies have had a rough go so far in the series against the Miami Marlins. Pitching has been hit particularly hard, giving up 24 runs over the firsttwo games of the series. Entering game three, the Rockies will look to get back on track behind their veteran starting pitcher.

Kyle Freeland (1-7, 7.50 ERA) makes his 15th start of the season for the Rockies. Freeland gave up a lot of contact in his last start against the Boston Red Sox at Coors Field. Freeland grinded out six innings, giving up six runs on 11 hits with four strikeouts and one walk on 81 pitches. Boston was aggressive against Freeland and continued to string together hits and did damage with a pair of home runs. He gave up six runs in three of his five starts in June while working at least five innings each time. Since returning from his shoulder injury on April 28, he has given up six or more runs in a start seven times. He has historically done well against the Marlins, owning a 3.80 ERA over 10 appearances, but the Marlins this season are a contact-heavy team, which could prove troublesome for the veteran lefty.

The Marlins will send out right-handed starter Max Meyer (9-0, 2.60 ERA) for his 18th start of the year. Meyer has been excellent for the Marlins this season with his consistent dominance on the mound. He allowed just six runs in 30.1 innings over the course of five June starts. His last outing came in St. Louis, where he tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits. He will typically give up a couple of walks, but generally pounds the zone and will collect strikeouts. He has just one game this season where he struck out fewer than five batters. He has made three starts against the Rockies in his career, posting a 6.60 ERA over 15 innings. In his lone start at Coors Field, he allowed five runs over five innings.

In roster news, the Rockies have recalled right-handed pitcher Gabriel Hughes and John Brebbia has been designated for assignment.

First Pitch: 6:40 pm MDT

TV: Rockies TV

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Lineups:

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TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (43-45) will play another rubber game tonight as they conclude their three game series with the visiting Minnesota Twins (41-46) at Daikin Park.

RHP Tatsuya Imai (5-3, 5.36 ERA), who’s won three straight decisions, will get the start for the Astros tonight opposite RHP Taj Bradley (6-3, 3.98 ERA) and the Twins.

ABOUT IMAI: RHP Tatsuya Imai joined the Astros this offseason as an international signing out of Japan. He’s made 11 MLB starts this year, in which the Astros have gone 7-4, around a month-long IL stint (April 13-May 10). He’s flashed brilliance at times, including his 10-strikeout performance his last time out at DET (6IP), and his 6.0 innings of no-hit ball on May 25 at TEX. Imai has won his last three straight decisions over his last four starts.

RECENT ‘STROS: The Astros have won six of eight, seven of 10, and are 10-4 in their last 14 games. The Astros 16-11 record in June tied as the best in the AL, along with their rival Rangers.

SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Astros have won five consecutive series dating back to June 12. The last time the Astros won five straight series was from June 20-July 6 of last season (went 12-3 in that stretch). They are looking for their first six-series winning streak since June 14-July 4, 2024.

ANOTHER ALVAREZ?!: Astros top prospect OF Kevin Alvarez has been selected to play in the 2026 All-Star Futures Game, which will be played on July 12 in Philadelphia. Alvarez, 18, who currently ranks as the 70th overall prospect in baseball per MLB.com, has played this season at Class A Fayetteville, hitting .266 (59×222) with 16 doubles, six homers and 30 RBI in 55 games.

TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have nullified the optional assignment for RHP Kai-Wei Teng and have placed him on the Major League 15-day Injured List with a right knee sprain. His IL placement is effective Sunday, June 28.

JUNE BUGS: The Astros went 16-11 in June thanks to strong June performances by:

• DH Yordan Alvarez: .344 BA, 6 HR, 21 RBI, 1.036 OPS

• 3B Isaac Paredes: .277 BA, 5 HR, 21 RBI, .877 OPS

• SS Jeremy Peña: .319 BA, 3 HR, 13 RBI, .865 OPS

• RHP AJ Blubaugh: 2-0, 1.59 ERA, 3ER/17IP

• LHP Josh Hader: 2-0, 8 saves, 0.69 ERA, 1ER/13IP

• LHP Steven Okert: 1-0, 0.60 ERA, 1ER/15IP

SALAMI SEASON: DH Yordan Alvarez hit the seventh grand slam of his career last night, which ties the club record also reached by 2B Jose Altuve, 3B Alex Bregman and LF Carlos Lee. Last night’s slam was Alvarez’s third of the season, which also ties the franchise record for grand slams in a single year, also reached by Bregman (2023), Altuve (2021) and OF George Springer (2016).

WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader is 2-0 with eight saves (in eight chances) and a 0.69 ERA (1ER/13IP) in 13 appearances this season. He has 21 strikeouts in his 13.0 innings with a .049 (2×41) opponent average and a 0.54 WHIP. Hader has not allowed a hit in six consecutive appearances (6IP since June 21).

TAP FOR SUCCESS: Astros hitters have won an MLB-best 63 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (61%). 3B Isaac Paredes (9-for-9) has the most successful challenges in the Majors without losing one. 2B Jose Altuve has been successful on 15-of-21 challenges (71%), ranking second in the Majors in challenges won.

OUT ON ASSIGNMENT: The Astros have several players out on minor league rehab assignments:

• RHP Ronel Blanco (rt. elbow surgery) will start tonight for Double A Corpus Christi at NW Arkansas in what is his third minor league rehab start.

• RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (rt. shoulder inflammation) will make his second rehab start for Triple A Sugar Land tonight in their game at OKC.

• RHP Hayden Wesneski (rt. elbow surgery) began his minor league rehab assignment yesterday for the FCL Astros, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings on 25 pitches.

• IF Braden Shewmake (rt. adductor strain) will have his rehab assignment transferred to Triple A today.

• OF LaMonte Wade Jr. (rt. hamstring strain) began a rehab assignment at Triple A last night, going 1×3 with a walk in a start at first base.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Wednesday, July 1, 7:10 p.m. CT

Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX

TV: SCHN

Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

Go Rays!

The San Francisco Giants were content to play through one infielder injury, but not a second one. On Wednesday, ahead of their series finale against the Diamondbacks, the team announced that third baseman Matt Chapman had been placed on the 10-Day Injured List with an abdominal strain. Taking his place on the roster is fellow infielder Christian Koss, who was technically called up from AAA Sacramento, though he had been rehabbing an injury of his own in the Arizona Complex League at the time of the call up.

San Francisco has been playing down an infielder for a few games, after shortstop Willy Adames suffered a mild enough injury that the team decided not to place him on the IL, even though he wasn’t available. That resulted in a debacle during Tuesday’s loss when Chapman injured his abdominal, took his next at-bat anyway due to a lack of infielders on the bench, and appeared to worsen the injury before finally leaving the game. That resulted in center fielder Jonah Cox playing second base, while second baseman Luis Arráez shifted to third.

With Chapman out, Casey Schmitt — who has been playing all over the diamond this year — will become an everyday player at his best position. Koss, who is in the lineup tonight, will presumably by the everyday shortstop until Adames is able to play again. And until Adames is able to play again, the Giants will once again operate without a backup infielder, which is a very functional way to do things.

PHOENIX — Already without their starting shortstop, the San Francisco Giants will have to navigate at least the next 10 days without the other half of the left side of their infield, too.

Third baseman Matt Chapman was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with an abdominal strain that manager Tony Vitello said MRIs revealed was “mild.” Christian Koss, a utility infielder, was called up from Triple-A so that the Giants had at least the bare minimum number of infielders.

That became an issue when Chapman exited Tuesday’s game in the seventh inning with shortstop Willy Adames already unavailable with back spasms. It resulted in the Giants ending the game with an outfielder — Jonah Cox — at second base and Luis Arraez filling in at third.

Adames said he was feeling better Wednesday and went through his normal infield drills before the Giants’ final game against the Diamondbacks. He remains on track to return Friday.

The prognosis on Chapman wasn’t quite so optimistic but still fairly positive.

Vitello said he expects the third baseman to return before the All-Star break, indicating that he should only require the minimum stay on the IL or close to it. He is eligible to return next Friday — three games before the break.

“It’s probably a little bit like a hamstring, with all that twisting, if you don’t let it heal properly, it’s probably not going to go away,” Vitello said. “I think it’s serious enough that … he was going to need a decent amount of time, a couple of days at a minimum. But I don’t think it’s severe enough to push past that point.”

Koss was immediately inserted into the starting lineup at shortstop. Casey Schmitt, who filled in at short the past two games, moved over to third, his natural position where he should get most of the playing time in Chapman’s absence.

Chapman said he had been dealing with off-and-on discomfort around his hip flexor and into his lower midsection since the start of May. But it became unbearable after he made a barehanded play to retire Gabriel Moreno for the final out of the sixth inning.

Chapman attempted to stay in the game and took his next at-bat in the top of the seventh but was clearly in pain and was replaced on defense in the bottom half of the inning.

““It hasn’t been to where it’s been affecting me — I would say something — but it’s been something we’ve been treating to try to keep me on the field,” Chapman said. “There’s been good days and bad days. These last couple weeks, probably, it’s been really tight.

“For whatever reason, today when I ran to first in my first at-bat, I started to feel it get really pissed off and bother me. Then it went away.

“When I made that barehanded play, that was the first time that it made me cringe and go down a little bit to where I was actually in a lot of pain.”

The timing is unfortunate given Adames’ current absence, but the Giants are hopeful the shortstop will be ready to return Friday when they begin a series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

Adames, who missed only three games combined the past two seasons, said he was “going crazy” sitting out for a third straight game.

“Seeing his activity, he looks really good. Talking to him, he feels really good,” Vitello said, expecting Adames to be available if needed off the bench in the series finale.

Additionally, Chapman was already planning on missing three games sometime during what will now be an IL stint. His wife, Taylor, is expecting their first son, Jack, this weekend.

“Obviously I can’t speak from experience,” the bachelor manager said. “But that’s gotta be a huge stressor, even when you take out any injuries. So knock out two things — one negative, one massively positive — in the next week or so and be ready to rock and roll a little bit before the All-Star break.”

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Important starting note: I am not — NOT! — Brian Murphy from KNBR. Never have been!

Back in December, I cautioned that nobodyshould want the San Francisco Giants to trade Logan Webb. Then I laid out all the reasons why the Giants would even consider it and when the best time for such an unthinkable move might be. At the time, I didn’t consider the possibility that the major league roster would go belly up, so my conclusion that this coming offseason would be the best time (should the team hover around .500 again) was wrong because now is the best time.

I didn’t want the Giants to trade Logan Webb then, but I do now. And I think you should want them to do it, too.

Now, there are many arguments for and against this, and I’ll lay them out in a moment; but, the main thing is that history is repeating itself in a somewhat eerie way. This isn’t exactly the situation Farhan Zaidi found himself in with Madison Bumgarner when he took over at the end of 2018 or throughout the 2019 season, but it’s in the ballpark. The dirt bike accident had accelerated the wear and tear on his shoulder that had already been burdened by his workload. In the 2018 offseason, MLB.com asked if this was the right moment for the Giants to trade Bumgarner because this would be his maximum value heading into his final year under contract.

Bumgarner had thrown 573.1 more innings (1,638.1 regular season + 102.1 postseason) to that point in his career than Logan Webb has as of today (1,152.2 regular season + 14.2 postseason), but that’s more of an illustration of physicality than raw talent. Bumgarner is bigger and started his MLB time sooner (19 vs. 22).

The Giants didn’t move Bumgarner because he was a franchise icon and World Series hero. To move him would be to signal surrender or that the team didn’t expect to be competitive heading into or during the season. Or, that it would be a shameful way to end his Giants career. Same thinking that compelled the Giants to hold on to Carlos Rodon in 2022. Or maybe there wasn’t the right return for those guys, which acted as the most compelling reason to hold on to Bumgarner and simply let him walk at season’s end and hold on to Rodon in case the team got hot down the stretch (they did not).

So, the 50,000 foot view of the matter comes down to this: if you think the Giants can be good soon (insert your own definition of “soon”), then you can’t imagine why the Giants would want to trade Logan Webb. If you are considering other things like the current win-loss record, the age of the roster (especially the lineup core), and the weight of the last decade of failure/mediocrity, then you probably have a more open mind to trading the guy who is, without question, the face of the franchise. The Perfect Giant.

Why the Giants should trade Logan Webb

1. The Giants are bad

At some point, somebody running the Giants has to take a long view with the roster. The team has been in a “Win Now!” mode for most of the last 15 years. The only real, public power down/reset they’ve had this century was in that 2005-2008 range where they stuck with the idea of “Hmm, maybe Barry Bonds is all we need to draw fans right now” before transitioning to a post-Bonds situation.

And then they entered a competitive window and tried to keep that exact cell of success going for as long as possible. They hired Farhan Zaidi with the thought that the transition from that time period to the next competitive window would be mercilessly brief thanks to “analytics,” or whatever, a notion that’s not without merit and bore fruit only a few years later with a miraculous fluke of a season in 2021.

But the analytics guy got too myopic and the roster’s performance stagnated and that led to the Giants considering Buster Posey as the one neat trick to fix the entire organization. And here we are.

The Giants are one of the worst teams in the sport. Their only hope is the farm system developing on the level of the one he was a part of right before the team became champions. That’s a big gamble, and it might not come to fruition for a couple of years. The other gamble is that a lot of the players currently on the team play better.

Well, that’s a lot of gambling and not a lot of certainty. Baseball is a sport that laughs at certainty, of course, but when it’s there, it makes sense to cling to it. Logan Webb is about as certain of a #1 starter as it gets in MLB, so trading him doesn’t make a lot of sense for a team that’s trying to compete.

But by Buster Posey’s own words, the team’s performance has necessitated a reconsideration of that belief. They’re open to trading everybody except Logan Webb. Maybe that’s posturing to drive up the offers, but let’s assume it isn’t, because the Giants have been in this exact spot before and failed to meet the moment.

And yes, it’s about maximizing a return for players who can help the San Francisco Giants now and in the future. With Robbie Ray likely on the move, the 2026 rotation is already going to go from bad to worse and that’s with Webb fronting it. This offseason, assuming there isn’t a lockout, Buster Posey and Zack Minasian will have to once again rebuild the Giants’ rotation, needing at least another pair of starters on short-term, mid-to-low cost contracts to backup Logan Webb, Landen Roupp, and, I don’t know, Carson Whisenhunt/Trevor McDonald… and Adrian Houser, I guess, because

Giants ownership does not want to pay a lot of money for starting pitching. They have said this over and over and over and over again and their actions back up their words.

Does having Logan Webb front a bad rotation make the Giants better now and in the future? It’s a poor but not inexcusable business plan for an entertainment firm (as the San Francisco Giants are in part) to run out Barry Bonds as the face of the franchise in his age 40-42 seasons so that fans can watch him sock some dingers 4-5 times a week, but it’s less reasonable when the face is a pitcher who appears once every 5 days and can have a great performance wiped out by the defense around him or the bullpen behind him.

Logan Webb has looked great since returning from the injured list. Like his old, dominant self. The reason to watch the Giants. But since he only makes around 33 starts a year, I don’t think it makes a lot of sense to hold sacrosanct the entertainment value in 20% of a season if the remaining 80% of the season ranges from unwatchable to boring and not when the team has been mediocre to bad for going on 10 years now. Since the second half of 2016, they’re 736-777 (.486) with one postseason appearance.

Will the 2027 Giants be better with Logan Webb on it? I don’t know. He’s on the 2026 roster and they’re pretty bad. He’s been on the roster since 2022 and those teams weren’t very good. He might’ve pitched them into being merely disappointing rather than outright bad, but he hasn’t been able to pitch them out of this year’s situation.

I suppose I will never convince you that a bad team should do whatever it takes to get better, and that includes trading their good players sometimes. I think that’s a key point here. It’s not like the Giants need to unload their best players every year, but to say that the Giants are one good offseason away or one year of player development away from leaping into being a contender for the 3rd Wild Card spot ignores an awful lot of what’s going on with the team and it’s this exact belief system that has caused years of frustration ahead of the franchise finally driving itself into a ditch this season.

It’s time to change the thinking.

A move of this caliber would not be without precedent. It’s sort of the Matt Williams trade. In that one, Brian Sabean needed to clear money and get a shortstop, all while improving the team. In 10 seasons with the Giants, Williams amassed 31.9 fWAR (about a 3-win player) and hit 18% better than the league average — though, in his final four years he was 39% better and a 4.5-win player. As Grant noted on this site back in 2011:

It was a bold decision, and Sabean knew it would be unpopular, but he probably didn’t realize how unpopular. Still it was absolutely the right time to trade Williams. He was 30, and he was (for the time) expensive. He was about a four- or five-win player — a hard thing to find — but the Giants were absolutely rubbish in 1996. A quality for quantity trade was a pretty good idea.

And, maybe most importantly, Williams was starting to get hurt a lot. He played 76 games in 1995, and 105 in 1996. His value was probably never going to be higher.

In exchange for Matt Williams, Brian Sabean “got death threats at home, on the voicemail […] at the office,” while the Giants received Julian Tavarez, Jose Vizcaino, and (unbeknownst to all) future Hall of Famer Jeff Kent, who combined with Barry Bonds (and Sabean’s other decisions) to spark a new wave of winning Giants Baseball.

Logan Webb is approximately the same stature as Matt Williams in terms of face of the franchise value. He’s about a four- or five-win player — a hard thing to find — and the Giants have been absolute rubbish here in 2026. And just to break these filters down a bit more:

• From 2022-2025, there were just twenty-seven 4+-WAR seasons by a starting pitcher (min 190 IP). All four of Logan Webb’s seasons are in that bunch (15%). Yes, the modern game has changed enough such that a starting pitcher isn’t expected to throw that many innings in a season, and if you set the threshold to a minimum of 150 IP, the list expands to 53 starters, but you’re still talking about a workhorse who provides an increasingly rare set of skills.
• At 35-50, the 2026 Giants are one of the worst teams in franchise history. The worst record through 85 games:
  • 2005, 36-49
  • 1943, 34-50-1
  • 1994, 35-50
  • 2026, 35-50
  • 1976, 34-51
  • 1984, 33-52
  • 2017, 33-52
  • 1956, 32-53
  • 1985, 31-54
  • 1902, 28-56
• The 2026 Giants are 1 of 7 teams since 2022 to have 50 losses through 85 games. The list looks like this:
  • 2026 Giants
  • 2026 Mets
  • 2026 Royals
  • 2025 Pirates
  • 2025 Nationals
  • 2023 Cardinals
  • 2022 Pirates

Two of the teams on that list of 50-loss teams (and, to be clear, there have been worse teams since 2022) turned things around the very next year. In the case of the 2025 Pirates, though, that was a matter of adding some offense to a putrid lineup in addition to having a generational talent like Paul Skenes front their rotation in a pitching-friendly park. Now, you might say that the Giants are in this exact situation. But I’d argue that the Giants have already surrounded Logan Webb with offensive additions — Devers, Adames, Chapman, Jung Hoo Lee — only, they haven’t worked out! The team is on pace for its fifth consecutive non-winning season, something that has never happened before in the history of the franchise.

The Giants are in a position where they need starting pitching depth, a trade chip that’s hard to come by unless you’re willing to give up something big in return, and that’s a meaningful part of this thought process — the Giants might make themselves worse in the near-term, but would they be able to improve quickly just by the quality of player(s) they’d receive for Webb?

And, maybe most importantly, Webb just missed a significant amount of time for the first time as the team’s ace. Indeed, his best days might be behind him, if history is an indicator. His value might never be higher.

2. The return would be significant

Usually, the best starting pitchers are traded at the deadline when their contracts are set to expire at season’s end. Your Randy Johnson, CC Sabathia, Max Scherzer, etc. And, usually, teams don’t trade these aces at the deadline. It’s either in the offseason or not at all.

As mentioned before, if the Giants trade Robbie Ray (as they’re expected to), then how does Logan Webb fronting that rotation make the team any better? In the offseason, the rotation will once again need to be rebuilt. Major league caliber pitching is not easy to come by, of course, and comparing this situation to the Matt Williams situation or any of the other marquee starting pitcher trades in recent memory isn’t the best way to go because, usually, a team doesn’t get back a pitcher they can just plug into their rotation.

But unlike some of the names I’ve dropped, Webb’s value on the mound extends to his contract, which has two years remaining after this season. Even with a potential lockout, a rested Webb in the final year of his deal would have tremendous value. Going through some similar trades, the position player prospects tend to leap out more, but that might not be the reason to avoid making the trade. It might make it easier to offload some of the other hitting veterans for additional pitching.

About the closest comps I could find from a starting pitching point were:

2019 — Zack Greinke (from Diamondbacks to the Astros)

At the time of the deal, the 35-year old right-hander had 2.5 years left on his then-record pitching deal. In exchange for Greinke, Arizona received Houston’s #3 prospect, 1B Seth Beer, pitchers JB Bukauskas (#4 – MLB Pipeline’s #97 overall) & Corbin Martin (#5 — Pipeline’s #81), and infielder Josh Rojas. Houston plugged him into their rotation alongside Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole.

2017 — Justin Verlander (from Tigers to Astros)

Jeff Luhnow’s Astros at it again, dealing three from their then-top 11 prospects for the future Hall of Fame righty: catcher Franklin Perez (#3), outfielder Daz Cameron (#9), and catcher Jake Rogers (#11). Verlander had two guaranteed years remaining plus an option year.

2008 — Rich Harden (from the A’s to the Cubs)

Harden was still in arbitration years (with just one left) at the time of this deal and often injured, so it’s not a great comp, but in exchange for Harden (and Chad Gaudin), the A’s got back pitcher Sean Gallagher (the Cubs’ top pitching prospect at the time?), outfielders Matt Murton and Eric Patterson (Murton also a top 10 Cubs prospect), and then-catcher Josh Donaldson (also a top 10 prospect).

2000 — Curt Schilling (from Phillies to Diamondbacks)

Another not-quite-the-same-situation as Schilling had just an option year for 2001, but in exchange for Schilling, Philadelphia got back first baseman Travis Lee plus three pitchers: Omar Daal, Vicente Padilla, and Nelson Figueroa.

And then there’s this musing by the sharp GPT on Bluesky:

In every scenario, the Giants would scoop up at least 3 of a team’s top 10 prospects. With the Giants not able to participate in the draft lottery for 2027, the power of this year’s draft plus supplementation with a prospect-heavy trade would be the best avenue for supercharging the team’s prospect pool. Some teams of note:

• The Brewers have 7 prospects currently in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100
• The Mariners have 6
• The Nationals have 6
• The Cubs have 4
• The Guardians have 4

… the Giants have 3.

So, there’s lots of possibilities here. Just off the top of my head (and keeping in mind that I’m bad at this, which is why I rarely do posts about trade ideas), if Luis Arraez is moved in a separate deal, then why not bring in the next best contact guy — Steven Kwan — to replace him? Logan Webb & Heliot Ramos for Kwan, Braylon Doughty, Jace LaViolette, and, like, Daniel Espino? No, no, of course not. Cleveland would never take on a contract like that (~$55 million total through 2028). By the way, I included LaViolette mainly because “His nickname is Lord Tubbington.”

As much as the farm system has improved, trading Webb offers a chance to supercharge it while also improving the weaker parts of the major league roster. They don’t presently enjoy a prospect with a 60 Future Value and that’s because they’re hard to come by. FanGraphs lists only 12 at the moment:

1. SS-Konnor Griffin (PIT), 70 FV
2. SS-Jesus Made (MIL), 65
3. SP-Nolan McLean (NYM), 65
4. C-Samuel Basallo (BAL), 65
5. 3B-Kevin McGonigle (DET), 60
6. SS-Leo De Vries (ATH), 60
7. CF-Max Clark (DET), 60
8. SS-Franklin Arias (BOS), 60
9. SP-Trey Yesavage (TOR). 60
10. SP-Bubba Chandler (PIT), 60
11. SP-Thomas White (MIA), 60
12. SP-Seth Hernandez (PIT), 60

A reminder that Leo De Vries was acquired by the Athletics from the Padres who sent them a huge chunk of their farm system for Mason Miller. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that some team(s) out there might really REALLY REALLY want Logan Webb on their team and would be willing to pay a lot to get him. He’s a dynamic, gutsy pitcher with a contract that’s a winner on any roster.

Yes, there’s a bit of luck involved in all of this. The Matt Williams trade looks a lot better because of Jeff Kent (Julian Tavarez, don’t come after me; Vizcaino stans stay away!) and a lot of the deals mentioned just a moment ago don’t really stand out as benefitting the teams that traded away the ace. On the other hand, isn’t “Well, the Giants will need Logan Webb again for the next good Giants team” also just banking on luck? What evidence has there been in the last 10 years to suggest that the Giants are a move away or a win streak away from its next competitive window? Understanding that the power of hope comes from being undaunted, I wonder what the value is — never mind the logic — in continuing to swing for the fences down 8-1 when a walk might start a rally that actually helps the team stage a comeback?

Bryan, you worthless pile of dogsh*t, you absolute dumbest person to ever live, a person I hate and whose death I will celebrate, of course the Giants aren’t trading Logan Webb and here’s why, you freaking loser

I forgot to mention that Tyler Mahle might be traded, too, meaning 40% of the rotation is set to leave before the end of the season. The only reason to hold on to Logan Webb in this case is for ticket sales and ratings. With the increase in attendance this season, that might be reason enough. Plus, where else will starting pitching innings come from?

Buster Posey and Zack Minasian are still learning on the job. As inexperienced as a GM as Brian Sabean was in 1996, he knew enough to know that the team had to make some big changes in order to improve, but also that he didn’t know what he didn’t know.

But at its core, this was a rookie GM trading one of the league’s biggest stars. So before Sabean signed off on the deal, he took Hart aside.

“I’ll never forget it,” Hart said. “Sabes came to me privately and said, ‘Harty, you gotta tell me if there’s anything I’m missing here. I’ve got to be sure.’ He was nervous. I said, ‘Look Sabes, we’re not jumping up and down on this either. We’re giving up some good players.’ That is how I remember it: we felt we were getting exactly what we wanted and they were unsure. They were trading their marquee guy.

“At the end of the day, he said, ‘If you’re ready, we’re ready.’ And off we go.”

Maybe Buster Posey has the sense that the team does need a dramatic shakeup, but that trading Logan Webb would be a step too far. Plus, despite the franchise’s plummet from champions to afterthoughts since the second half of 2016, with Logan Webb on the team the Giants have been winners, with a record of 507-487 (.510). He might be the one player holding the Giants back from total oblivion. So, if Buster Posey and Zack Minasian’s decision-making has led to one of the worst teams in the history of the franchise, why should they be entrusted with trading away such an important player?

It’s an argument you’ll see sometimes. At the same time, you’ll see the argument that the team’s farm system is greatly improved and that the decision-making there is working out. So, on the one hand, people have faith in Buster’s ability to set the direction and talent levels for the future but not in the present? I don’t think this argument actually makes sense or has any value. If Buster Posey’s biggest gambles (signing Adames, trading for Devers) are largely defensible, then the biggest one of all should be, too. The Giants have already traded Patrick Bailey, Tyler Rogers, and Camilo Doval in the past calendar year. Go back to March 2025 and you would have a hard time believing that such things were fathomable.

If you’re a fan who thinks the Giants are on the right track with their player development, then why wouldn’t you want Buster & Zack using their scouting acumen to acquire more young talent? When the Giants traded Zack Wheeler for Carlos Beltran, they said that the trick would be to find the next Zack Wheeler. That didn’t really happen, and it’s important to note that Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Madison Bumgarner were all done with being aces by age 30. Logan Webb turns 30 in November.

He is their best player right now and has been for some time, but the future of the Giants must not rest on the shoulders of Logan Webb. So, I encourage us all to close our eyes and imagine the Giants trading him this season. Or talk to your friends and neighbors about it. Drop it in the group chat. However you want to communicate with the universe, but let’s all just… put it out there. It’s the fastest way for the Giants to improve.

WEST SACRAMENTO –– During a break in the action Tuesday night, the Athletics tried some simple between-innings entertainment.

Their in-game stadium host grabbed an A’s fan for an interview that flashed on the scoreboard. At one point, the green-clad patron referred to young A’s third baseman Max Muncy — not to be confused with the Dodgers’ veteran third baseman of the exact same name — as being the “real Max Muncy” on the field during that night’s game.

The dig did not go unnoticed.

Immediately, a shower of boos came raining from an unmistakably pro-Dodgers crowd.

“Here,” manager Dave Roberts had quipped the night before, “I think we got market share [in the stands].”

Indeed, during this weeklong California road trip, the Dodgers have not often felt like the road team.

Waves of blue washed across Petco Park over the weekend, with Dodgers fans staging such an invasion of the Padres’ home park that even their intradivision rivals couldn’t help notice. 

“It was like the most I’ve ever seen Dodger fans in our stadium –– 90% Dodgers fans,” Padres pitcher and San Diego native Joe Musgrove told the San Diego Union-Tribune, only somewhat exaggerating.

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During this three-game set in Sacramento, the crowd split has legitimately seemed that stark, with Dodger Nation turning the 12,000-seat minor league park temporarily serving as the A’s home venue into a scene best described as Dodger Stadium North.

“Dodger fans showed up,” shortstop Mookie Betts proudly stated.

“It’s kind of always like that for us,” Muncy — the Dodgers’ one — added with a smile.

Muncy is not wrong. During their decade-long run of dominance, Dodgers fans have routinely traveled well to road cities across MLB. Road support has only been enhanced in recent years, with the addition of Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki taking the dynamic to a different level.

This year, the Dodgers are not only MLB’s distant leader in average home attendance (50,872 per game) but also are attracting the largest gates in road games as well (36,437, just edging the Cubs and Phillies).

“Ever since we got Sho and Yama and those guys, it’s been double, almost,” Muncy said. “It’s fun to go out there every night and know we are going to have support.”

Still, on this trip, the crowd takeovers have felt particularly pronounced.

In San Diego, Dodgers fans drowned out chants of “Let Go Padres” every time the Petco Park scoreboard tried to prompt them. Here in Sacramento, where the Dodgers are playing for the first time in their history, both locally based and visiting fans have packed the ballpark — where they’ve been gleefully treated to another series win and stayed late Tuesday to serenade Roberts with postgame ovations after he collected his 1,000th career win.

“That’s the beauty of Dodger fans,” Muncy said. “They travel. They love us. They want to see us play.”

The St. Louis Cardinals will take another swing at the Atlanta Braves Wednesday night as Michael McGreevy will get the start for the good guys. The Braves will send Reynaldo López to the mound for a 6:15pm central time start at Truist Park. TV broadcast available through Cardinals.tv.

Game Notes

Pitching preview

Lineups

ICYMI

After a 13-14 June, it looks like the Royals main focus is now moving to 2027. But for today, we can still enjoy watching some baseball. Old friend Jose Cuas is back pitching for KC for the first time since 2023 and Randy Dobnak has arrived with him. Jac Caglianone will be back in right field after only hitting last night coming back from minor injury. The Royals beat Shane McClanahan in his last start and will try to beat the Tampa lefty again.

TORONTO — Freddy Peralta sizzled Wednesday, but only in the sense he was turned into Canadian bacon.

Of all the Mets’ disappointments this season, the alleged ace’s shortcomings might be the most perplexing. Peralta is in his career prime and physically hasn’t provided any hint of ailment.

Five-inning Freddy cut his afternoon short by a frame on Canada Day, after burying his team early in a 9-3 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

The Mets (36-51) lost a fifth straight series and sank further into the abyss of a season that may rate as the biggest flop in franchise history. Peralta’s latest dud occurred just hours after team owner Steve Cohen told The Post’s Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman on “The Show” podcast that president of baseball operations David Stearns’ job is safe for the remainder of a five-year contract that runs through 2028.

Offensively, the Mets didn’t show life until the eighth, when Carson Benge delivered a two-run homer. Francisco Lindor hit a solo homer in the ninth. The Mets finished with five hits.

Over four innings, Peralta surrendered five earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks as his ERA surged to 4.81. It was a third straight lackluster start and second outright clunker by Peralta.

“I don’t feel good,” Peralta said when asked about his emotional state. “I’m just going to try to come back and make adjustments.”

Peralta answered in the affirmative when asked if this felt like the roughest stretch of his career.

“Every day I prepare to have success, but the game is crazy — that’s the only way I can describe it right now,” Peralta said. “The thing that makes me feel good is I prepare myself really well. I am not being lazy between starts.”

Peralta indicated his problems aren’t mechanical.

“The pitches are really good — the shape and the velocity was really good, too,” he said. “Just move forward.”

All of this is occurring against the backdrop of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Peralta, in his walk year, is among the team’s trade chips, but what is his value if he is deemed broken?

Peralta has been far short of the pitcher Stearns thought he was receiving when he dealt Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams to Milwaukee in January in a trade that brought the Mets another struggling pitcher in Tobias Myers (who in recent days was demoted to Triple-A Syracuse for the second time this season).

“We all want [Peralta] to go out there and dominate like we believe he can,” interim manager Andy Green said. “For us it’s just a matter of getting the fastball where he knows he wins. He’s been winning there for a long time in the big leagues. He knows how he’s good and why he’s good, and we all know it. So, it’s just about going out there and executing.”

Kazuma Okamoto’s RBI single in the first inning put Peralta in a 1-0 hole just three batters into the game. Nathan Lukes’ leadoff single and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s ensuing double placed Peralta in immediate trouble before Okamoto delivered. Peralta walked Alejandro Kirk later in the inning, but escaped without another run scoring.

But it turned ugly in the third. Okamoto walked to begin the inning and with one out Alejandro Kirk hit a line drive that deflected off Lindor’s glove for a single. Peralta retired Yohendrick Piñango for the second out, but Ernie Clement stroked an RBI double. Long Island native Sean Keys delivered the dagger: a three-run blast to left field for his first career homer.

Daulton Varsho’s RBI single against Cionel Pérez in the seventh widened the deficit. Myles Straw blasted a three-run homer in the inning that gave the Blue Jays a 9-0 lead.

The Mets’ next stop is Atlanta for four games beginning Friday. The Mets won two of three games against the NL East-leading Braves at Citi Field last month.

The Mets’ mindset heading to Truist Park?

“Go win baseball games,” Green said.