Tigers farm hits two grand slams to close out week

Toledo Mud Hens 10, Louisville Bats 2 (box)

Lael Lockhart worked through a pair of homers in the first two innings — one being of the inside-the-park variety — and then it was smooth sailing for Toledo’s pitching staff in this one.

Ivan Johnson took Lockhart deep on the very first pitch of the game, and Carlos Jorge got around the bases in about 16 seconds after Javy Baez misplayed a ball in center field. Lockhart was fine after that, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters.

Baez took a decent route to the ball, but it got over his head and bounced off the higher fence that starts to the right of the batter’s eye. Some slight hesitation occurred, as it looked like Baez was expecting a ground-rule double, and that cost Toledo the run. We’ll chalk it up to not knowing the outfield very well at this park, but it’s not a great look for Javy.

The Hens had their chances early, loading the bases in the first and stranding two runners in the second. They finally broke through in the third with a Max Anderson double and RBI single from Corey Julks. Andrew Navigato and Gage Workman had back-to-back singles to tie the game up in the fourth. A fielding error on Workman’s ball helped move things along with two outs.

Three more base hits, courtesy of Julks, Trei Cruz and Tyler Gentry, gave Toledo the lead in the fifth. Another set of consecutive singles from Baez, Anderson and Eduardo Valencia made it 4-2 in the sixth. Toledo had 18 hits on the day, but only four went for extra bases.

Yilber Diaz took over for Lockhart in the sixth. He faced the minimum, erasing a leadoff walk with a pickoff. Andre Granillo got the seventh and eighth, working around a base hit in the former. Nick Sandlin closed things out in the ninth, allowing a one-out double, but not before a big eighth inning for the offense.

Valencia put the game away with a grand slam, and Gentry hit a two-run shot a couple of at-bats later. Cal Stevenson also doubled in the inning, which means three of the four extra-base hits for Toledo came in the eighth.

The Hens take the series, 5-1.

Baez: 2-4, R, K

Anderson: 2-3, 2B (16), 2 R, 2 BB

Valencia: 2-4, HR (17), R, 5 RBI, BB

Lockhart (W, 2-1): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 6 K, 2 HR

Coming Up Next: Toledo wraps up July on the road in Columbus next week, starting Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Chesapeake Baysox 6, Erie SeaWolves 2 (box)

Erie couldn’t claim the series win on Sunday, as the SeaWolves struggled to figure out Chesapeake Baysox starter Luis De Leon, who went 6.1 innings and only allowed one run.

Carlos Pena did his best to match that performance, but a two-run homer in the second put him in line for the loss. Pena made it through 4.2 innings, striking out six and walking none along the way.

Erie only had five hits on the day, but three went for extra bases. Garrett Pennington couldn’t score after doubling in the second, but Bennett Lee found his way home after leading off the third with a triple. Seth Stephenson hit into a fielding error at first base to bring Lee across.

Things stayed pretty quiet for both teams until the sixth. Yosber Sanchez, who came in for Pena to get the last out of the fifth, had some command issues before getting the third out. His struggles continued with a leadoff double in the sixth and a two-out walk, so Erie turned to Johan Simon, who gave up a two-run double to the first batter he faced.

Simon pitched through the seventh, working around a pair of baserunners. Eric Silva was next out of the bullpen, but he couldn’t hold the score at 4-1. A solo homer and two base hits led to two more runs for Chesapeake.

Patrick Lee homered in the ninth, but the SeaWolves needed much more for a comeback. The series ends tied at three games apiece.

Briceno: 0-4, 3 K

Pennington: 1-4, 2B (5), 2 K

Patrick Lee: 2-3, HR (2), R, RBI, BB, K

Pena, C (L, 5-4): 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 6 K, HR

Coming Up Next: Erie is back home next week against the Akron RubberDucks, starting Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. ET.

West Michigan Whitecaps 13, Peoria Chiefs 6 (box)

Despite the final score, things were closer than they appear in this one. West Michigan trailed halfway through the game and only led by one run going into the eighth. If it weren’t for a massive eighth inning, Peoria’s two runs in the ninth could’ve been a walk-off.

Fortunately, the Whitecaps scored eight in the eighth. Chiefs reliever Dylan Driessen was the victim of four straight hits to start his outing. Andrew Sojka doubled to start things off, Juan Hernandez scored him with a single, Woody Hadeen doubled, and Bryce Rainer brought both runners home with a single.

Clayton Campbell flew out, the first of the inning, and Samuel Gil singled in Rainer. The Whitecaps made it one time through the order, bringing Sojka back up to the plate, and he smashed a grand slam to make it 13-4. West Michigan outscored Peoria in this inning alone.

Campbell and Zach MacDonald both had homers earlier in the game, the former coming with two men on base. Luke Shliger also had an RBI single in the seventh.

Rainer almost had a homer before Campbell, but he was robbed. The ‘Caps had 16 hits on the day and walked six times. That’s good offense.

On the pitching side, Connor Fenlong got the start. He had some control issues in the second, walking the bases loaded and hitting a batter for the first run of the game. A leadoff solo homer in the fourth made it 2-0 at that point, but Fenlong didn’t allow a baserunner otherwise.

Eliseo Mota took over in the sixth. He loaded the bases before recording an out but worked his way out of the jam without giving up a run. Juanmi Vasquez got the seventh. Back-to-back two-run homers made it a one-run game, but we know what happened after that.

Luke Stofel went 1-2-3 in the eighth, and Zack Lee gave up a pair of inconsequential runs in the ninth. West Michigan takes the series, 5-1.

Rainer: 2-6, 2 R, 2 RBI

Sojka: 2-5, HR (6), 2, 4 RBI, K

Campbell: 1-3, HR (7), R, 3 RBI, BB, K

Fenlong (W, 1-0): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, H, 3 BB, 3 K, HR

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are back home next week against the Beloit Sky Carp, starting Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. ET.

Jupiter Hammerheads 16, Lakeland Flying Tigers 15 (box)

So… the pitchers were just kind of there for this one. Lakeland and Jupiter combined for 31 runs on 30 hits and 21 walks, so, yeah…

Owen Hall and Donye Evans gave up six and five runs, respectively, but it’s Jan Caraballo who takes the loss for giving up a three-run homer in the ninth.

Caleb Leys got the start, striking out five over two innings of one-run ball. Jose Guzman went 1-2-3 in the third. That’s when things fell apart. Jupiter scored runs in each of the next six innings, putting a crooked number up in four of them. It was bad…

Lakeland’s runs were a bit more concentrated, with eight coming in the seventh, all with two outs. Nick Dumesnil, Jesus Pinto and Hunter Dobbins strung together consecutive hits to put Lakeland ahead after entering the inning down by one.

Anibal Salas extended the lead with an RBI single, and Jack Goodman took a bases-loaded walk to make it 13-9. Jordan Yost joined the party with a two-run double, and things looked good for a moment.

Evans gave four of those runs right back in the top of the eighth, and Caraballo gave up the deciding blow in the ninth.

Javier Osorio and Jude Warwick both hit homers earlier in the game. Warwick’s was more impactful, coming with two runners on and the Flying Tigers trailing, 7-3, in the fifth.

There’s too much going on to cover every detail here, but the bottom line is pitching bad, hitting good (but not good enough). Classic Single-A ball on a Sunday, really. This is why they say the SEC is comparable to Double-A; even college isn’t this wild.

The series ended in a 3-3 tie.

Yost: 1-4, 2B (11), 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Pinto: 4-6, 2B (14), 2 R, RBI

Warwick: 2-4, HR (8), 2 R, 4 RBI, BB, K

Leys: 2.0 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: Lakeland is in Tampa next week, starting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Today on Pinstripe Alley – 7/27/26

Aug 30, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees players celebrate team's win against the Chicago White Sox in a baseball game at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

A fun weekend in Philadelphia ended with a dud, Will Warren getting knocked around by the Phillies as the Yankees fell on Sunday Night Baseball. A road series win against a strong opponent is still a fine outcome, though, and we’re onto the next, with the Yankees set for a lengthy date in Chicago. It’s a four-game set with the first-place White Sox, who enter the series looking much more formidable than they have in recent years.

On the site today, get prepped for the four games in Chicago with Josh’s preview, and get the rundown on what happened on Sunday with Kevin’s Rivalry Roundup. Later, Jonathan analyzes Jo Adell as a plausible trade target should the Angels decide to make some moves, and John writes up the one and only Alex Rodriguez, today A-Rod’s 51st birthday.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox

Time: 7:40 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Chicago Sports Network

Venue: Rate Field, Chicago, IL

Questions/Prompts:

1. How big of a blow do you think Cody Bellinger’s hamstring injury will be?

2. How surprised are you to see the White Sox leading the AL Central? Do you think they’ll see it through and win the division?

MLB power rankings: Marlins' epic losing streak revives Sandy Alcantara trade rumors

Has there ever been a more calamitous trade-deadline collapse than the Miami Marlins' pratfall the past two weeks?

The Marlins went from National League East contenders to almost certain trade deadline sellers over the course of a franchise-record 12-game losing streak, taking them from 52-42 and three games out of the division lead to 52-54 and the No. 8 position in the NL wild card chase. Suddenly, the hottest team in baseball - the Marlins were 26-8 from June 1 until July 9, their last win before this cold spell - could be poised to sell one of the most cherished assets on the market.

Yes, former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara, long a subject of trade conjecture until the Marlins' hot streak, is very much back in play. That's what made the Marlins' 12th loss in this skid even stranger: The San Diego Padres rallied for four runs in the eighth inning, setting up Mason Miller for his 27th save. Miller, too, has been targeted as potential trade fodder with the Padres slipping from contention.

But a weekend with the Marlins vaulted them ahead of Miami - not just in the NL standings but USA TODAY Sports' power rankings. Miami has tumbled nine spots to No. 18 - and who knows how far it may fall once the deadline is done.

A look at our updated rankings:

Sandy Alcantara won the NL Cy Young in 2022.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

  • Once again winning with such numbing regularity they can take their sweet time with Shohei Ohtani, Pitcher.

2. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

  • Nothing wrong with being a five-inning pitcher when you strike out 12 of 16 batters faced, like Jacob Misiorowski.

3. Atlanta Braves (-)

  • Ozzie Albies on pace for 26 homers, most since 2023.

4. Tampa Bay Rays (-)

  • Bryan "The Outmaker" Baker has converted 17 consecutive save chances, allowing just one run.

5. New York Yankees (+1)

  • Not sure trade deadline can change their apparent fate as second place finisher/No. 1 wild card.

6. Chicago Cubs (-1)

  • After seven-run, three-homer debacle, Jameson Taillon's ERA is 5.92 and rotation spot in question.

7. Philadelphia Phillies (-)

  • Very quietly, their run differential is -18.

8. Chicago White Sox (-)

  • What a bobblehead day for Munetaka Murakami as parents throw out first pitch, he hits two homers and drives in six.

9. Arizona Diamondbacks (+4)

  • With four starting pitchers on IL, trade deadline a vexing time for holders of No. 3 wild card.

10. Boston Red Sox (+5)

  • A win-now move from Craig Breslow? Lots of subtext to Curtis Mead acquisition.

11. Pittsburgh Pirates (-1)

  • No need to wait for deadline to upgrade bullpen.

12. Texas Rangers (+2)

  • Still hanging on to first place as Corey Seager heads out on rehab assignment.

13. Washington Nationals (+4)

  • Hours after trading Curtis Mead, All-Stars CJ Abrams, James Wood combine for four home runs.

14. St. Louis Cardinals (-3)

  • Losing home series to Reds continues drift away from contention.

15. Cleveland Guardians (-3)

  • Five straight losses puts them closer to third than first.

16. San Diego Padres (+2)

  • A sweep in Miami means a very happy flight all the way to San Diego.

17. Seattle Mariners (-1)

  • Looked like a team hungry for reinforcements during sluggish series at Texas.

18. Miami Marlins (-9)

  • Averaging just 2.5 runs per game in 12-game losing streak.

19. Baltimore Orioles (-)

  • With catchers Adley Rutschman, Samuel Basallo ailing, replacements Chadwick Tromp, Sam Huff a combined 7 for 50.

20. Minnesota Twins (-)

  • No. 3 overall pick Vahn Lackey will start journey to Target Field at high Class A Cedar Rapids.

21. Detroit Tigers (-)

  • Just soul-crushing to lose series to Royals at this point.

22. Houston Astros (-)

  • Carlos Beltrán and Jeff Kent's inductions give 2004 squad four Hall of Famers.

23. Cincinnati Reds (+1)

  • Left for dead, then win three straight series. Interesting...

24. Toronto Blue Jays (-1)

  • Max Scherzer returns to make first start since June 10.

25. San Francisco Giants (-)

  • Like clockwork, Rafael Devers' OPS now .803.

26. New York Mets (-)

  • Juan Soto, back on IL, won't play in much more than 100 games.

27. Kansas City Royals (+3)

  • Nostalgia week: Salvador Perez passes George Brett for franchise HR record, Carlos Beltrán enters Cooperstown.

28. Athletics (-1)

  • Shea Langeliers' untimely meniscus tear might buy him one more year in Yolo County.

29. Colorado Rockies (-1)

  • Cole Carigg manages the lone hit - a home run - off Jacob Misiorowski.

30. Los Angeles Angels (-1)

  • Trade Jose Soriano? Sadly, it probably makes sense.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Marlins' epic losing streak revives Sandy Alcantara trade rumors

Yankees news: Down goes Bellinger

New York Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees, already missing Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, suffered another blow on Sunday, as fellow outfielder Cody Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The former 2019 NL MVP suffered the ailment while running the bases on Saturday night.

Spencer Jones has been called up to replace Bellinger in the lineup. With so many top performers down with injuries, the Yankees now have even more pressure to add an impact bat or two before the August 3 deadline.

Bellinger’s injury doesn’t appear to be overly serious, though. At least he was able to perform some light agility drills on Sunday:

CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: The Yankees need a catcher badly and have been linked to Ryan Jeffers and Tyler Stephenson in the last few days. Shea Langeliers, however, won’t be an option because he suffered a serious knee injury and might be out for the season.

Langeliers was a long shot to be traded, anyway, as he is one of the Athletics’ top players and building blocks. Still, you never know with that organization. He has 23 home runs, a 127 wRC+, and 2.8 fWAR in 2026.

MLB.com | Dan Cichalsky: The National Baseball Hall of Fame welcomed its three newest members: Jeff Kent, Carlos Beltrán, and Andruw Jones, on Sunday. The last two played for the Yankees when they were past their prime, but are still part of franchise history.

Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home: Alice ‘Betsy’ Richardson, the longtime wife of former Yankee Bobby Richardson, passed away last week. They were married for 70 years. Reading the condolences and testimonies of those who knew her, it’s safe to say she left a huge mark on their lives. Our thoughts are with the Richardson family.

Buster Posey and Jon Lester headline Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2027 candidates

Buster Posey and Jon Lester headline Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2027 candidates originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltrán got their call to Cooperstown, but who will be joining them next year?

The three players were enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as part of the Class of 2026. Now, baseball fans can start looking ahead to the 2027 ballot.

Next year’s ballot does not have nearly as much star power as the 2026 class. Still, a handful of players could be on their way to Cooperstown next summer.

Here’s a look at the top names to watch in the 2027 Baseball Hall of Fame voting process.

First-ballot potential

  • Buster Posey
  • Jon Lester

Only a pair of players have even a remote chance at becoming first-ballot Hall of Famers next summer.

Buster Posey, now the president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants, became a franchise legend behind the plate from 2009 to 2021. The star catcher earned three World Series titles, seven All-Star selections, 2012 NL MVP honors, 2010 NL Rookie of the Year honors, five Silver Slugger awards and a Gold Glove.

Jon Lester is another three-time World Series winner atop the 2027 Hall of Fame ballot. The southpaw won 200 regular season games and posted a 3.66 career ERA during his 16-year career, which he primarily spent with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. He won a pair of championships in Boston and helped the Cubs end a 108-year World Series drought in 2016.

Returning candidates

  • Chase Utley
  • Andy Pettitte
  • Félix Hernández

Chase Utley is the only returning player who received at least 50% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in 2026. The former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop jumped up nearly 20% from his second year of eligibility in 2025 (39.8%) to his third in 2026 (59.1%). A similar jump would get him past the required 75% to get into the Hall of Fame.

Andy Pettitte, a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, received 48.5% of the vote in 2026 and only has two more years of eligibility remaining.

Félix Hernández is another notable name to watch following a major second-year leap. The Seattle Mariners legend went from 20.6% of the vote on his first ballot in 2025 to 46.1% of the vote in 2026.

Returning longshots

  • Alex Rodriguez
  • Bobby Abreu
  • Jimmy Rollins
  • Cole Hamels
  • Dustin Pedroia
  • Mark Buehrle
  • Omar Vizquel
  • David Wright
  • Francisco Rodríguez
  • Torii Hunter

Alex Rodriguez, who was prominently linked to MLB’s steroid era, is entering his sixth year of eligibility after landing 40.0% of the vote in 2026.

Bobby Abreu (30.8%) is the only other returning player to receive more than 30% of the BBWAA vote in 2026. All other players listed above exceeded the 5% minimum vote in 2026 to stay on the ballot for 2027.

First-year longshots

  • Brett Gardner
  • Ryan Zimmerman
  • Kyle Seager
  • Ervin Santana
  • Asdrúbal Cabrera
  • Todd Frazier
  • Josh Reddick
  • Jake Arrieta
  • Scott Kazmir
  • Jordan Zimmermann

Brett Gardner, Ryan Zimmerman and Jake Arrieta are among the World Series winners who will make their first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot next year.

Buster Posey and Jon Lester headline Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2027 candidates

Buster Posey and Jon Lester headline Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2027 candidates originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltrán got their call to Cooperstown, but who will be joining them next year?

The three players were enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as part of the Class of 2026. Now, baseball fans can start looking ahead to the 2027 ballot.

Next year’s ballot does not have nearly as much star power as the 2026 class. Still, a handful of players could be on their way to Cooperstown next summer.

Here’s a look at the top names to watch in the 2027 Baseball Hall of Fame voting process.

First-ballot potential

  • Buster Posey
  • Jon Lester

Only a pair of players have even a remote chance at becoming first-ballot Hall of Famers next summer.

Buster Posey, now the president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants, became a franchise legend behind the plate from 2009 to 2021. The star catcher earned three World Series titles, seven All-Star selections, 2012 NL MVP honors, 2010 NL Rookie of the Year honors, five Silver Slugger awards and a Gold Glove.

Jon Lester is another three-time World Series winner atop the 2027 Hall of Fame ballot. The southpaw won 200 regular season games and posted a 3.66 career ERA during his 16-year career, which he primarily spent with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. He won a pair of championships in Boston and helped the Cubs end a 108-year World Series drought in 2016.

Returning candidates

  • Chase Utley
  • Andy Pettitte
  • Félix Hernández

Chase Utley is the only returning player who received at least 50% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in 2026. The former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop jumped up nearly 20% from his second year of eligibility in 2025 (39.8%) to his third in 2026 (59.1%). A similar jump would get him past the required 75% to get into the Hall of Fame.

Andy Pettitte, a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, received 48.5% of the vote in 2026 and only has two more years of eligibility remaining.

Félix Hernández is another notable name to watch following a major second-year leap. The Seattle Mariners legend went from 20.6% of the vote on his first ballot in 2025 to 46.1% of the vote in 2026.

Returning longshots

  • Alex Rodriguez
  • Bobby Abreu
  • Jimmy Rollins
  • Cole Hamels
  • Dustin Pedroia
  • Mark Buehrle
  • Omar Vizquel
  • David Wright
  • Francisco Rodríguez
  • Torii Hunter

Alex Rodriguez, who was prominently linked to MLB’s steroid era, is entering his sixth year of eligibility after landing 40.0% of the vote in 2026.

Bobby Abreu (30.8%) is the only other returning player to receive more than 30% of the BBWAA vote in 2026. All other players listed above exceeded the 5% minimum vote in 2026 to stay on the ballot for 2027.

First-year longshots

  • Brett Gardner
  • Ryan Zimmerman
  • Kyle Seager
  • Ervin Santana
  • Asdrúbal Cabrera
  • Todd Frazier
  • Josh Reddick
  • Jake Arrieta
  • Scott Kazmir
  • Jordan Zimmermann

Brett Gardner, Ryan Zimmerman and Jake Arrieta are among the World Series winners who will make their first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot next year.

Buster Posey and Jon Lester headline Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2027 candidates

Buster Posey and Jon Lester headline Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2027 candidates originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltrán got their call to Cooperstown, but who will be joining them next year?

The three players were enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as part of the Class of 2026. Now, baseball fans can start looking ahead to the 2027 ballot.

Next year’s ballot does not have nearly as much star power as the 2026 class. Still, a handful of players could be on their way to Cooperstown next summer.

Here’s a look at the top names to watch in the 2027 Baseball Hall of Fame voting process.

First-ballot potential

  • Buster Posey
  • Jon Lester

Only a pair of players have even a remote chance at becoming first-ballot Hall of Famers next summer.

Buster Posey, now the president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants, became a franchise legend behind the plate from 2009 to 2021. The star catcher earned three World Series titles, seven All-Star selections, 2012 NL MVP honors, 2010 NL Rookie of the Year honors, five Silver Slugger awards and a Gold Glove.

Jon Lester is another three-time World Series winner atop the 2027 Hall of Fame ballot. The southpaw won 200 regular season games and posted a 3.66 career ERA during his 16-year career, which he primarily spent with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. He won a pair of championships in Boston and helped the Cubs end a 108-year World Series drought in 2016.

Returning candidates

  • Chase Utley
  • Andy Pettitte
  • Félix Hernández

Chase Utley is the only returning player who received at least 50% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in 2026. The former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop jumped up nearly 20% from his second year of eligibility in 2025 (39.8%) to his third in 2026 (59.1%). A similar jump would get him past the required 75% to get into the Hall of Fame.

Andy Pettitte, a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, received 48.5% of the vote in 2026 and only has two more years of eligibility remaining.

Félix Hernández is another notable name to watch following a major second-year leap. The Seattle Mariners legend went from 20.6% of the vote on his first ballot in 2025 to 46.1% of the vote in 2026.

Returning longshots

  • Alex Rodriguez
  • Bobby Abreu
  • Jimmy Rollins
  • Cole Hamels
  • Dustin Pedroia
  • Mark Buehrle
  • Omar Vizquel
  • David Wright
  • Francisco Rodríguez
  • Torii Hunter

Alex Rodriguez, who was prominently linked to MLB’s steroid era, is entering his sixth year of eligibility after landing 40.0% of the vote in 2026.

Bobby Abreu (30.8%) is the only other returning player to receive more than 30% of the BBWAA vote in 2026. All other players listed above exceeded the 5% minimum vote in 2026 to stay on the ballot for 2027.

First-year longshots

  • Brett Gardner
  • Ryan Zimmerman
  • Kyle Seager
  • Ervin Santana
  • Asdrúbal Cabrera
  • Todd Frazier
  • Josh Reddick
  • Jake Arrieta
  • Scott Kazmir
  • Jordan Zimmermann

Brett Gardner, Ryan Zimmerman and Jake Arrieta are among the World Series winners who will make their first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot next year.

Andy Green lauds new Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran’s investment in ‘next generation of Mets’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Carlos Beltrán speaking at the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Image 2 shows New York Mets interim manager Andy Green walks back to the dugout
Carlos Beltrán investing in the next generation of Mets players has impressed Andy Green.

Carlos Beltrán is excelling in his post-playing career, too.

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Asked Sunday about the Hall of Famer’s impact on the organization in his role as a special assistant, interim manager Andy Green pointed to Beltrán’s willingness to take on the least glamorous of assignments.

Beltrán was inducted into Cooperstown on Sunday, displaying a Mets cap on his plaque.

“I think the things you have to appreciate about elite performers are the things they do when the spotlight is not on them,” Green said before the Mets beat the Dodgers 8-3 at Citi Field. “It’s when he shows up in Daytona with our A-ball team and shares wisdom with our young hitters.”

Carlos Beltrán is pictured during his Hall of Fame induction ceremony July 26. Charles Wenzelberg

The former outfielder began as a Mets special assistant in 2023 — his return to the game after he stepped aside as the team’s manager (after only 77 days at the helm without managing a game) in the fallout over the Astros’ illegal sign-stealing scheme.

Beltrán is sometimes with the major league team as a sounding board for players, but hasn’t shied away from an equally important part of his job, according to Green.

Andy Green is pictured during the Mets’ July 10 game against the Red Sox. Charles Wenzelberg

“It’s because he wants to invest in the next generation of Mets,” Green said. “It’s one thing when you show up in the big league clubhouse and live the big league life. It’s another when you are willing to go down and talk to our minor league players and invest in them. That is where the respect really grows.”


Green indicated a next step hasn’t been decided upon for Clay Holmes, who threw a side session before the game.

Holmes pitched 2 ¹/₃ innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday in his first minor league rehab start following a fractured right fibula.


Francisco Lindor delivered an RBI single in the first inning.

Over his past 10 games, Lindor owns a .282/.364/.513 slash line with two homers and seven RBIs.


The Mets snapped a six-game losing streak against the Dodgers that dated to June 5 of last year.

Amed Rosario suddenly struggling against lefties at worst possible time for Yankees

Amed Rosario of the New York Yankees grounds out to third base.
Amed Rosario, pictured during a Yankees game July 17, has struggled against left-handed pitching recently.

PHILADELPHIA — The Yankees brought Amed Rosario back to be a lefty killer, and through the first two months of the season, he was.

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In the past two months, though, it’s the lefties that have done the killing against the Yankees utility player.

Still — in part because the Yankees are beat up and are now without three of their better hitters against lefties in Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton — Rosario hit third again Sunday night against Phillies southpaw Cristopher Sánchez in an 11-4 loss in the series finale at Citizens Bank Park.

“If you watch the at-bats, especially against lefties, I know the numbers haven’t been there, but he’s having the right at-bats, he’s just going through it a little bit,” manager Aaron Boone said.

Amed Rosario, pictured during a Yankees game July 17, has struggled against left-handed pitching recently. Getty Images

In 50 plate appearances against lefties through May 26, Rosario was hitting .273 with an .888 OPS.

But in 56 plate appearances against lefties since then, entering Sunday, he was batting just .135 with a .408 OPS.

That included being in a 1-for-17 slump entering Sunday’s game.

Rosario was 1-for-4 in the loss with a pair of strikeouts before being lifted for pinch hitter Ryan McMahon in the ninth.

Rosario has continued to be a staple in the top third of Yankees lineups against most lefties despite the lack of results, though they are not overflowing with options to replace him.

The 30-year-old did still have an average exit velocity of 90.3 mph and an 11.1 percent barrel rate, both of which ranked in the top half of the league and gave the Yankees some hope that he was capable of getting back on track.



“He’s on stuff and is presenting like a guy that’s going to impact against lefties,” Boone said. “He’s just, on a smaller level, hasn’t gotten results. But doesn’t change my confidence that he will moving forward.”


Judge and Stanton are expected to travel to Chicago with the Yankees this week for their series against the White Sox and Cubs.

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“We’ll have some of our trainer guys that go on the road, we’ll be able to do that,” Boone said.


Cross Shea Langeliers off the list of potential catchers the Yankees could acquire at the trade deadline.

The Athletics placed the backstop on the injured list Sunday with a torn meniscus, which could cost him the rest of the season.

Langeliers, under contract through 2028, was going to be tough to land, but now his injury has essentially ruled out any trade involving him.


Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John surgery) faced hitters for the second time Sunday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, continuing his ramp-up toward a rehab assignment. … Max Fried will start Monday’s series opener against the White Sox, giving Gerrit Cole an extra day of rest before starting Tuesday after both had thrown in Wednesday’s doubleheader.

Aaron Judge ‘looking forward’ to seeing how Yankees’ trade deadline unfolds as offense hits low point

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Aaron Judge in the dugout at the end of the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Image 2 shows Ben Rice of the New York Yankees reacts after lining out, Image 3 shows New York Yankees' Anthony Volpe reacts after striking out to end the top of the seventh inning
The Yankees' offense struggled again during their loss to the Phillies.

PHILADELPHIA — Aaron Judge was back in the visiting dugout at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday night and had a front-row seat to an 11-4 loss to the Phillies.

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If the Yankees end up getting Judge back and make a run in the postseason, Sunday night’s lineup might be amusing to some.

If they don’t, it could be looked at as a low point for a team that sure seems in need of some reinforcements before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, which is a week from Monday.

By then, we’ll have a better idea of what the Yankees will look like down the stretch, but until Judge and — maybe — Giancarlo Stanton get back from the IL, it’s hard to expect anything from this lineup.

That’s even more true now that Cody Bellinger has joined Judge and Stanton on the IL with left hamstring tightness.

Aaron Judge is pictured during the Yankees’ July 22 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

“That’s above my pay grade,” Judge said when asked what he thought of where the team’s needs were as the deadline approaches. “We’ve got a good team where we’re at. That’s our job as players, to give the front office the ability to get the final pieces. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.”

At this point, though, the current version of the Yankees can be a tough watch.

Look at the middle of Sunday night’s depleted lineup:

Amed Rosario, a key part of the Yankees’ strong second half last season, entered Sunday in a 1-for-18 rut with 11 strikeouts in that span.

And yet, he was forced to hit third against Philadelphia lefty Cristopher Sánchez.

Then there was Jasson Domínguez, now further entrenched as the regular right fielder with both Judge and Bellinger sidelined.

Domínguez hit cleanup and was followed by Anthony Volpe.



Volpe delivered a pair of doubles, but they were his first extra-base hits in a month and he made an ugly throwing error to open the bottom of the sixth that set up Philadelphia’s five-run inning that iced the game.

George Lombard Jr. seems closer to the majors every day.

Anthony Volpe reacts after striking out during the Yankees’ July 26 loss. AP Photo

He’s 12-for-26 with four extra-base hits in eight games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre since returning from an IL stint due to sprained fingers, although he made a throwing error Sunday.

And Max Schuemann, out of place in left field, dove for a ball far out of his reach on Alec Bohm’s three-run double in the third.

Ben Rice reacts after lining out during the Yankees’ July 26 loss. Getty Images

José Caballero went hitless again in the ugly loss.

Asked before the game if he believed the Yankees needed another bat by the deadline, Aaron Boone said, “We’ll see. I know we want to try to improve our club. I know the front office is grinding away at that. I know we’re gonna try … You never know what’s gonna be out there.”

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As The Post has reported, they are in the market for a righty-hitting outfielder and catcher, as well as help in the bullpen.

Despite their issues, the Yankees head to Chicago to play the White Sox for four games and then the Cubs for three, firmly in postseason contention.

But it won’t be easy without Judge and Co.

“Keep moving forward,’’ Judge said of the team’s mentality. “We’ve got a lot of depth with guys in the minor leagues that are ready to go.”

He also noted, “There’s no replacing Bellinger.”

Or Judge, as the Yankees continue to be reminded.

Andruw Jones served as the Curaçao inspiration he knew he could be on path to Hall of Fame

Andruw Jones speaking during the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
7/26/26 – Andruw Jones, speaking during the 2026 Baseball Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, where along with Carlos Beltrán and Jeff Kent, they were inducted into of the 2026 National...

COOPERSTOWN — Maybe the Yankees, who still can tell you what he did in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series, and the Mets can blame one of their own for Andruw Jones.

One of the first names Jones mentioned during his Hall of Fame induction was Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens, a Yankees utility player from 1989-93 and assistant hitting coach in 2022, plus a Mets bench coach in 2020.

Jones, the first Hall of Famer from Curaçao, wanted to thank Meulens, who was the first native of Curaçao to play in Major League Baseball.

Andruw Jones speaks during his Hall of Fame induction ceremony July 26. Charles Wenzelberg

“ ‘Bam Bam’ opened the door for many others to chase their dream of being a professional,” Jones said during a speech finally given after nine years on the ballot. “When I made it in Atlanta, I knew I could inspire a lot of people from Curaçao to reach the major leagues.”

He has watched the likes of Ozzie Albies, Jurickson Profar, Jonathan Schoop, Andrelton Simmons, Kenley Jansen and plenty more reach MLB from a Dutch Caribbean island more than 2,000 miles away from here, where Jones put the finishing touches on a 17-year career Sunday.

The longtime Braves star center fielder was introduced by John Smoltz and spoke while Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Chipper Jones sat behind him, fixtures on Braves teams that owned the NL East and lost to the Yankees in the 1996 and 1999 World Series.

Jones thanked “Larry Wayne” Jones, his “brother from another mother,” for pushing for his induction.

“The Jones boys are in Cooperstown now,” Andruw Jones said.

Hanging over Jones’ moment was that his longtime manager was not present.

Bobby Cox, himself a Hall of Famer, died in May at 84.

“Nobody in the Braves organization had a bigger impact on me than manager Bobby Cox,” said Jones, who homered in his first two World Series at-bats (against Andy Pettitte and Brian Boehringer), becoming the youngest to ever homer in the Fall Classic. “He put a 19-year-old in the World Series in the lineup and believed in me.

Andruw Jones, pictured second from the left, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 26. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“Bobby had confidence in me and helped me become the best player I could be. He commanded respect, created a winning culture. You play hard. You play to win, and you always give an honest effort. Simple rules to play the game.”

Jones, one of the greatest center fielders ever and a powerful bat, played with Atlanta from 1996-2007 and then bounced around.

In his speech, he thanked both Joe Torre (who managed him with the Dodgers) and Joe Girardi (his manager with the Yankees in 2011-12).

Bryson Stott homers and drives in 5 as Phillies rout Yankees 11-4 to avoid series sweep

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryson Stott homered, doubled and drove in five runs, NL All-Star starter Cristopher Sánchez pitched six solid innings and the Philadelphia Phillies avoided a three-game sweep with an 11-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday night.

Alec Bohm hit a three-run double for the Phillies, who snapped a four-game skid and finished 3-6 on their homestand against the Mets, Dodgers and Yankees.

Ben Rice homered and doubled for New York.

Sánchez (13-4) gave up three runs and six hits. He struck out six and walked three.

Philadelphia jumped out to a 6-0 lead against Will Warren (7-5). Bohm’s bases-loaded double that ended a nine-pitch at-bat made it 5-0 in the third. It became a six-run advantage when Bohm scored on Stott’s single.

Stott hit a solo homer in the second after Kyle Schwarber had a sacrifice fly in the first.

After a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by Sánchez helped New York score three times in the fifth, Philadelphia added five runs in the sixth, highlighted by Stott’s three-run double off left-hander Ryan Yarbrough.

Before the game, the Yankees placed All-Star outfielder Cody Bellinger on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Max Schuemann started in place of Bellinger in left field, batting seventh, and went 0 for 2 with a walk.

Spencer Jones, called up from Triple-A to take Bellinger’s roster spot, pinch hit for Schuemann in the eighth and walked.

New York, also without injured slugger Aaron Judge, struck out 13 times.

The Phillies improved to 43-16 when Sánchez, Zack Wheeler or Jesús Luzardo starts on the mound. They are 14-33 in all other games.

Mets bullpen continues overlooked 2026 success in win over Dodgers

Cionel Pérez throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on July 26, 2026.
Cionel Pérez throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on July 26, 2026.

The Mets bullpen spared Freddy Peralta’s blushes Sunday as it produced five scoreless innings to silence the Dodgers down the stretch.

Despite what has turned into a lost season for the team, the bullpen’s ERA ranks in the top half of MLB and the Mets needed that stinginess after Peralta racked up 93 pitches in just four innings.

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Cionel Pérez steadied the ship (and got the win) with six key outs, before Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver and Devin Williams all produced scot-free innings as well.

Weaver did particularly well to make an off-balance throw while falling down to throw out Teoscar Hernández from an infield chopper.

Perez, whom the Mets initially signed to a minor league deal in May, has given the team some good innings in relief, with a 4.38 ERA and 31 strikeouts (following three more Sunday).

“He was a huge kind of midseason pickup. Our scouts identified him — been the right kind of guy in every way,” interim manager Andy Green said after the game. “Really attacked the zone.”

Cionel Pérez throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on July 26, 2026. Getty Images

Green also praised the 30-year-old for getting All-Star Freddie Freeman to strike out swinging on a low fastball, and ultimately getting the Mets through the middle innings after another rocky start from Peralta.

“We needed them [the six outs] at that point in time,” Green said.

Freddy Peralta, who started Sunday, throws a pitch during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on July 26, 2026. Getty Images

It remains to be seen how different the Mets bullpen will look after the trade deadline.

Weaver and Raley have had extremely strong years (with 1.93 and 2.10 ERAs, respectively), and Green hinted after the game that there could be “more conservative” bullpen decisions made in the near future.

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“If those guys [the bullpen overall] are feeling great, they will still pitch,” he said. “But we will be conservative to some degree and make good decisions for them, put them in a good position. I think we always do that from a medical staff perspective.”

For now, Green, the Mets and their bullpen will focus on winning the next two home series against the Braves and Marlins.

Yankees sunk by pitching clunker in loss to Phillies as life without Cody Bellinger begins with dud

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren looks on as Philadelphia Phillies' Bryson Stott runs the bases, Image 2 shows Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm scores a run against the New York Yankees
The Yankees lost to the Phillies on Sunday.

PHILADELPHIA — On most nights lately, pitching has kept the Yankees in the game long enough for a struggling lineup to muster a run or two.

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So of course, on a night when a lineup that looked like it came out of the Grapefruit League actually scratched across three runs against one of the toughest pitchers in the game, it was pitching that let the Yankees down.

Will Warren turned in a clunker, putting the Yankees in a big hole early that they began to climb out of before Ryan Yarbrough buried them again on the way to an 11-4 loss to the Phillies on Sunday night at Citizens Bank Park.

“It was pretty s–tty overall,” Warren said after giving up six runs in three-plus innings.

Unable to complete the sweep, the Yankees (59-46) flew to Chicago for a week in the Windy City against the White Sox and Cubs that leads into the trade deadline, which they hope to use to help bolster a hurting roster that is now three games back of the Rays for first place in the AL East.

Will Warren reacts after allowing a home run during the Yankees’ July 26 loss. AP Photo

The Yankees began life without Cody Bellinger on Sunday, after he joined Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on the injured list with a left hamstring strain.

But the lineup — which scored three runs in six innings against Phillies ace lefty Cristopher Sánchez — was not as big of an issue as Warren, who continued a rough stretch.

Warren had pitched to a 3.22 ERA across his first 12 starts through the end of May.

But his eight starts since then have been much rockier, pitching to a 6.57 ERA — 27 earned runs in 37 innings with 50 hits against him.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Warren said when asked about his recent slide. “I’m going to figure that out. Going out there and doing exactly what happened tonight, it’s pretty frustrating. … I’m confident when I take the mound that I can get it done. It’s a matter of executing. I have the stuff. It’s really just finding the groove. We’re going to get back to work and find it sooner than later.”

Alec Bohm scores during the Phillies’ July 26 win against the Yankees. Imagn Images

After the Yankees turned the early 6-0 deficit into a 6-3 game by the fifth inning — a rally capped off by Anthony Volpe’s second double of the night — Yarbrough erased any chance of them finishing off the comeback by the sixth. A rally that started with Volpe throwing a ball away on what was ruled a single with an error turned into the Phillies (57-49) scoring five runs against Yarbrough to blow things open.

Anthony Volpe reacts after striking out during the Yankees’ July 26 game. AP Photo

“Ultimately we didn’t play well enough tonight to hold them down enough, obviously,” manager Aaron Boone said.

The Yankees did not play their crispest defense behind Warren, which did not help his cause. That started from the very first batter in the bottom of the first, when Trea Turner roped a ball to the gap in right-center field that Trent Grisham could not cut off before it bounced all the way to the wall, resulting in a triple.

Kyle Schwarber came up next and hit a sacrifice fly for the 1-0 lead.

In the second inning, Warren left a 94 mph fastball over the heart of the plate and Bryson Stott crushed it for a home run to put the Phillies ahead 2-0.



Things then went off the rails in the third inning, which Warren started by quickly retiring the first two batters. But he followed by walking Schwarber, giving up a double to Bryce Harper and then intentionally walking Brandon Marsh (after falling behind 2-0) to load the bases.

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That brought up Alec Bohm, who engaged in a nine-pitch battle that ended with a sinking liner to left field that a diving Max Schuemann (starting for Bellinger) had no chance on, resulting in a bases-clearing double for the 5-0 lead.

Stott capped off the rally with a single that made it 6-0, as Warren threw first-pitch strikes to just seven of the 17 batters he faced, which usually left him pitching from behind.

“Struggling controlling the zone and getting ahead,” Boone said. “It seemed like he was 1-0 to most guys. They got in some leverage counts and made him pay a little bit. Stuff was OK, but they were on the offensive, I think, because he was behind in counts a lot.”

Phair to middlin’: Phillies 11, Yankees 4

Jul 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (28) celebrates his three RBI double during the third inning against the New York Yankees at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott combined for nine RBI as the Philadelphia Phillies (57-49) staved off the sweep with an 11-4 rout of the New York Yankees (59-46) on Sunday Night Baseball.

Cristopher Sanchez was his dominant self most of the night, striking out six across six innings, but gave up all three of his earned runs in the top of the fifth, which contained three hits, a walk, a pick-off error and a wild pitch.

Sanchez’s 13th win ties his career high set last season, which came on September 10th.

The Phillies got on the board first against Yanks’ righty, Will Warren, thanks to a lead-off triple by Trea Turner in the first inning and a sacrifice fly by Kyle Schwarber.

Bryson Stott doubled the lead in the second with a one-out solo shot, his eighth of the year.

With two outs in the bottom of the third, the Phils loaded the bases with a walk to Schwarber, a double by Bryce Harper and an intention walk to Brandon Marsh to set up the righty-righty matchup between Warren and Alec Bohm. Bohm worked a full count and nine-pitch at-bat before lacing a double to right-center to clear the bases. Stott worked another full count and singled home Bohm to blow open the six-run advantage.

Phils would tack on five more runs in the bottom of the sixth against Yanks’ lefty, Ryan Yarbrough, with four straight singles to begin the frame and a two-out RBI hit-by-pitch to Bohm and two-RBI double by Stott to close out the home scoring.

Tim Mayza surrendered a leadoff homer to Ben Rice on the first pitch of the seventh inning but combined with Chase Shugart, who went two scoreless, to preserve the victory.

The Phillies begin a three-game stint in Miami tomorrow night as Zack Wheeler is slated to face Tyler Phillips.