Apparently Bryce Harper found somebody to pitch to him.
Harper will participate in the July 13 Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game, once again entering the field when his hometown team hosts the bash. It will be his first appearance since 2018, when he won the Derby in dramatic fashion at Washington's Nationals Park.
That was his last hurrah in D.C., as he signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies the next winter, and quickly became a focal point of Philly sports, eventually helping the Phillies to the 2022 World Series.
Now 33 and a two-time National League MVP, Harper said he would consider participating in the Derby at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park if he was named to the team. He also expressed concern that his father Ron, who pitched to him at the 2018 Derby, would be physically unable to pitch.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred made sure Harper was there, naming him as a "legend" pick to the game - though to be sure, Harper's first half statistics were sufficient, anyway. Now, a few days later, Harper posted on Instagram that he'd join the fray.
He joins Tampa Bay Rays slugger Junior Caminero, Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, Kansas City Royals first baseman Jac Caglianone and Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras in committing to the Derby. Three more slots remain.
One slot would be perfect for Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber. He lost by the narrowest of margins to Harper in 2018. A rematch as Philly teammates before their home crowd would be a must-see event.
Of course the New York Mets lost another player. That's just how the season is going in Queens.
Mark Vientos fractured his right hand Thursday, July 9 when a pitch from Kansas City's Michael Wacha ran inside and caught him on a checked swing in the second inning. He stayed in to run, came out an inning later and will land on the injured list, interim manager Andy Green confirmed after the Mets' 7-3 win over the Royals at Citi Field.
Green did not indicate a timeline for Vientos' return, but broken bones traditionally take six to eight weeks.
The injury is one more thing that has gone wrong for the Mets in a season where everything is going wrong.
The Mets opened the year with baseball's highest payroll at $358 million, then lost 12 consecutive games in April. They fired manager Carlos Mendoza in late June – the franchise's first in-season managerial change since they axed Willie Randolph in 2008 – days after a six-error game against the Cubs.
The injured list has already swallowed Francisco Lindor, Marcus Semien, Luis Robert Jr. , Clay Holmes, Jorge Polanco and Juan Soto at some point this season. At 40-54 and 11.5 games out of a playoff spot, the only question left is who gets traded by Aug. 3.
That list could have included Vientos before the injury.
He's hitting just .211, a far fall from the 27-homer breakout of 2024. But he is still crushing left-handed pitching, hitting .281 against lefties with a .539 slugging percentage.
Ronny Mauricio, MJ Melendez and Nick Morabito are the 40-man options to fill the spot. Mauricio was optioned just two days ago when Polanco returned. While position players usually have to wait 10 days after being optioned to return, an injury gives the Mets an exception.
Every MLB fan thinks they know the game better than their rival. Casino.ca put that confidence to the test with a 5,000-fan survey built around a 20-question baseball knowledge quiz.
New York came out on top, with Mets and Yankees fans tying for No. 1 at 18 out of 20. Both fanbases actually outperformed their own confidence levels, with Mets fans rating themselves 7 out of 10 and Yankees fans just 6 out of 10.
A new MLB fan knowledge survey ranked Mets and Yankees fans first, Rangers and Diamondbacks fans last, and California teams all over. casino.ca
At the bottom, Diamondbacks and Rangers fans tied for last with 10 out of 20. Texas had the funniest miss of the survey, rating itself 8 out of 10 despite finishing at the bottom.
California was all over the board. Angels fans ranked highest in the state, tying for second overall at 17 out of 20 with an 8 out of 10 self-rating. Dodgers fans finished No. 4 at 15 out of 20.
Angels fans ranked highest in the state, tying for second overall at 17 out of 20. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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The Athletics and Padres tied for No. 7 with 12 out of 20, while Giants fans ranked lowest among California teams at No. 8 with 11 out of 20.
The biggest expectation-versus-reality gap belonged to Rangers fans, while Yankees, Red Sox and Mets fans were surprisingly modest compared to their actual scores.
Take the quiz yourself and find out how you stack up against your most hated rivals. Answers found at the bottom of the article:
Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants fans have fun during Game 5 of the National League Divisional Series MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Which pitcher threw the only perfect game in World Series history?
Don Larsen
Sandy Koufax
Whitey Ford
Bob Gibson
What year did MLB introduce interleague play?
1994
1995
1997
1999
Which franchise was the first to integrate in the American League?
New York Yankees
Cleveland Indians (now Guardians)
Detroit Tigers
Chicago White Sox
Who was the first player to win MVP in both leagues?
Frank Robinson
Reggie Jackson
Hank Aaron
Pete Rose
Can a runner advance on a dropped third strike with two outs?
No
Only if first base is occupied
Yes
Only in extra innings
What constitutes a balk?
Any pitch outside the strike zone
A pitcher dropping the ball
An illegal motion or deception while on the rubber
A catcher leaving the box early
Can a pitcher switch throwing hands during an at-bat?
No
Only once per game
Yes, but must declare before the at-bat
Only in extra innings
Which catcher has the most career home runs?
Johnny Bench
Yogi Berra
Mike Piazza
Carlton Fisk
Which player has the most career grand slams?
Lou Gehrig
Barry Bonds
Alex Rodriguez
Albert Pujols
Which MLB franchise was originally called the Pilots?
Milwaukee Brewers
Seattle Mariners
San Diego Padres
Tampa Bay Rays
True or False: A pitcher can fake a throw to first without stepping off the rubber.
True
False
If a game is called in the 5th inning due to weather, is it official?
No, must reach 6 innings
No, must reach 7 innings
Yes, after 4.5 innings if home team is leading
Only if both managers agree
Can a batter reach first on catcher’s interference even if the pitch is wild?
Yes
No
Is it possible to record four outs in one inning?
No
Yes, via an appeal play
Who was the youngest player to reach 500 home runs?
Alex Rodriguez
Albert Pujols
Ken Griffey Jr.
Jimmie Foxx
If a runner misses a base but scores, does the run count automatically?
Yes
No, defense can appeal
Which Hall of Famer was nicknamed “The Georgia Peach”?
Ty Cobb
Rogers Hornsby
Tris Speaker
Honus Wagner
Which MLB franchise has never appeared in a World Series?
Seattle Mariners
Milwaukee Brewers
Colorado Rockies
Tampa Bay Rays
Who was the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season?
Barry Bonds
Alex Rodriguez
Shohei Ohtani
José Canseco
What major rule change was introduced in MLB for the 2026 season?
Universal DH
Automated ball-strike challenge system
Expanded playoffs
Pitch clock removal
San Francisco Giants fan looks on wearing a hat with players and staff names crossed out in rainbow colors Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesA group of friends, either New York Mets or New York Yankees fans, gesture before a baseball game AP
Answer Key:
Don Larsen – Game 5 of the 1956 World Series
1997 – Interleague play officially began on June 12, 1997
Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) – Larry Doby, 1947
Frank Robinson – 1961 NL with Reds, 1966 AL with Orioles
Yes – The strike is called, but the umpire does not call the batter out.
An illegal motion or deception while on the rubber
Yes, but must declare before the at-bat – Under MLB Rule 5.07(f) (colloquially known as the Pat Venditte Rule)
Mike Piazza – He hit 427 total home runs (396 while playing catcher)
Alex Rodriguez – He hit 25 during his 22-year career
Milwaukee Brewers – On April 1, 1970, the franchise moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
False – Faking a throw to first base while in contact with the pitching rubber is a balk.
Yes – After 4.5 innings if home team is leading
Yes – The batter is awarded first base whenever the catcher impedes their ability to hit the pitch
Yes – This occurs in two rare ways: when a pitcher strikes out four batters or through a defensive appeal play that supersedes the third out.
Alex Rodriguez – He reached the milestone at 32 years and 8 days old
No – Defense can appeal
Ty Cobb – Born in Narrows, Georgia.
Seattle Mariners
Shohei Ohtani – The only player in MLB history, achieving the feat during the 2024 season
Following back-to-back uncharacteristically poor starts near the end of May, McLean is looking like himself again.
Over his last two outings, McLean has allowed just three runs (two earned) in 12.0 innings while walking three and striking out 12.
Going back to May 31, McLean has allowed two runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts -- posting a 2.70 ERA during that span while giving up only 28 hits in 40.0 innings.
Additionally, after battling his command during his rough patch (when he walked 12 batters in 15.0 innings over a three-start stretch), McLean has walked two batters or fewer in each of his last four starts.
It was a bit of a head-scratcher when the Mets optioned Thornton to Triple-A Syracuse following his June 26 start, when he allowed one run in 6.0 innings against the Phillies.
With the Mets in need of a fifth starter this Tuesday and Thornton still in the minors, they allowed 16 runs to the Royals when Kodai Senga, Austin Warren, and rookie Matt Seelinger were all hit hard as New York squandered a 9-4 lead and lost.
New York will need a fifth starter again this Sunday, and has not yet announced who will pitch.
Speaking before Thursday's game, interim manager Andy Green said the team has an idea about which way they'll go on Sunday, and that they'll reveal their plan in the coming days.
Thornton was removed from his start in Triple-A on Wednesday after 2.0 perfect innings, which would conceivably allow him to have a quick turnaround and pitch in the majors on Sunday if called upon.
The Mets' lineup is almost whole
With Jorge Polanco back and Francisco Lindor getting his feet underneath him after returning from a months-long absence, New York's lineup is nearing full strength.
Lindor is still getting sporadic days off as he eases back in, but Green said on Thursday that there are no longer any restrictions when it comes to Lindor.
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after hitting a two run triple against the Philadelphia Phillies during the sixth inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
If all continues to go well with Luis Robert Jr. on his rehab assignment, he could rejoin the team relatively soon. However, it's possible Robert will be traded ahead of the deadline.
If not, it will be interesting to see how the Mets work him in, with A.J. Ewing entrenched in center field and Polanco getting the bulk of the DH at-bats.
The Red Sox are back in the hunt
In the putrid American League, nearly every team is in it. Even the Red Sox.
Following a brutal start, Boston has been heating up. They entered play Thursday with a record of 42-48, which put them only 3.0 games back of the third Wild Card in the AL.
There have been rumors swirling around the Red Sox and the possibility that they could trade players such as Aroldis Chapman and Sonny Gray, but it has to be tempting for them to stand pat given how weak their league is.
Willson Contreras and what could've been
The Mets were connected to Contreras this past offseason before the Cardinals traded him to the Red Sox.
In hindsight, dealing for Contreras would've been a nearly perfect move for New York.
Across 88 games this season, Contreras is slashing .285/.379/.542 (a career-best .921 OPS) with 20 homers (already matching his total from last season), 16 doubles, and 61 RBI.
Contreras has also continued to acclimate well to first base, where he's been playing defense right around an average level.
He won't be playing in this series, though, as he serves a five-game suspension stemming from an on-field altercation during a benches-clearing brawl with Cade Cavalli and the Nationals last week.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
A.J. Ewing
The rookie has looked especially comfortable lately and has been tapping into his power more often.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Nolan McLean
McLean has righted the ship after his May blip.
Which Red Sox player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
Wilyer Abreu
Abreu is one of the most consistent bats for a Boston team that entered play Thursday having scored the third-fewest runs in MLB.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 8: Joey Bart #16 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates his two-run home run with Jorge Mateo #2 in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on July 8, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Remember when Ozzie Albies bopped those two big fly balls just over the big wall in right field at Truist Park in order to help push the Braves to a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers? Yeah, that was back on June 20 and that was the last time the Braves won a series. Ever since then, they got swept by the Padres (in Petco Park so what else is new), they dropped a series to the Giants, they came up short against the Cardinals and then somehow managed to split a four-game series at home against the Mets.
I’m saying that to say that it’s been a rough stretch for the Braves since they toppled the NL Central-leading Brewers. Still, they’ve shown signs of continuing to improve so they can potentially scratch and claw their way out of this rough patch and the most encouraging thing in particular was the offense showing signs of life. If that continued then the Braves would be in good shape and they’d be able to compete against Pittsburgh and their high-powered offense as well. Now it’s time to see how well the Braves fared against the Buccos.
Ryan O’Hearn hit three homers and had 10 RBI in this one. That’s it folks, that’s the ballgame!
It’s kind of hard to win when one guy has 10 RBI by himself! Indeed, O’Hearn became the first person to reach double-digit RBI in a single game since Shohei Ohtani did it back in 2024. In fact, O’Hearn had a legitimate shot at four dingers in one game but unfortunately for him, shutdown reliever Jorge Mateo held him to a single in his final at-bat so O’Hearn was unable to make it four homers in one game. Still, Cooperstown accepted his helmet while the Braves accepted that it was a bad night at the office for Hurston Waldrep and Connor Thomas in particular.
Fortunately, the Braves appeared to flush the bad memories of Tuesday night and proceeded to absolutely clamp down on Pittsburgh’s lineup in the middle game of this three-game series. We ended up getting a serious pitchers’ duel between Grant Holmes and Jared Jones and while Holmes was impressive in his five innings of shutout ball, Jones was even better as he carried a perfect game through six innings.
Jones was not given the opportunity to go for that perfect game because Pirates manager Don Kelly pulled Jones from the game after he was done in the sixth and sure enough, that ended up being the spark that got Atlanta’s offense going. Ozzie Albies ruined the perfect game in the seventh and then Joey Bart marked his return to PNC Park with a two-run dinger in the eighth that gave the Braves the lead and broke the deadlock.
An insurance run was added in the ninth and that meant that Raisel Iglesias was in line to bounce back from his blown save on Monday. Iglesias did give up a hit this time around but he otherwise had little trouble finishing off the Pirates and getting another save while helping push the Braves over the finish line for a series-tying win.
This one started off encouragingly enough for the Braves as they put up three runs in the first three innings at Mitch Keller’s expense and actually ran him from the game during those three innings. However, that was when Bryce Elder fell into some old bad habits and served up two of his vintage hanging sliders to Bryan Reynolds and Esmerlyn Valdez, who went back-to-back to get the Pirates back into the game.
The fourth inning saw the Braves get comfortable again in the lead as they plated three runs in their half of the inning (including a two-run dinger from Jim Jarvis — his first as a big leaguer) before Elder got tagged for a dinger again in the bottom half of the fourth. This time, it was a two-run shot from Jake Mangum and while the pitch wasn’t as bad as the other two, the result was the same and the Braves had to hold on to a two-run lead heading into the middle frames.
Mangum added an RBI double in the fifth to bring the Pirates within one run and then the bottom of the eighth inning saw James Karinchak and the Braves tenuously holding on to that lead as Pittsburgh had a runner in scoring position. Fortunately, Karinchak escaped with the lead following a strikeout, a ground out and a bullet that was smacked directly into Matt Olson’s glove for the final out. That ended up being crucial because Mike Yastrzemski ended up coming through with a massive grand slam against Dennis Santana that gave the Braves the breathing room they needed to saunter to a 10-5 series win.
Remember when it felt like this team just couldn’t find any sort of power at the plate? Those days appear to be in the rear view mirror for the Braes now because it certainly appears that this Braves team is really starting to do some serious slugging again. Joey Bart and Mike Yastrzemski both came up absolutely huge with their well-timed dingers during this series and it was also nice to see Matt Olson keep it going at the plate with a dinger in the series finale.
Even Jim Jarvis got in on the fun and congratulations are in order for him for his first big league homer — and he nearly had his second one a few innings later! It may have been tempting to think that Atlanta was just taking advantage of a beleaguered Mets pitching staff over the weekend but it really does feel like the bats have come back to life for the Braves. That’s huge since as we’ve seen from this series, the pitching is still in a spotty position at the moment.
With that being said, it was certainly encouraging to see Grant Holmes successfully navigate a second trip through the order in his start and Raisel Iglesias took the opportunity to bounce back from an extremely rare blown save earlier this week by dusting off one of the victories during this season. He didn’t even have to pitch in the series-clincher and that was due to the fact that guys like Danny Young, James Karinchak and Victor Mederos were able to step up and live up to the standards that the rest of the bullpen has set for this season.
All in all, it’s a solid series win on the road and hopefully the Braves will be able to carry this mojo with them to St. Louis for the final series of the first half. We’ve been saying for a while that they desperately need the break to regroup and while that may still be true with the Phillies and now also the Marlins creeping up on them, it sure would be nice to see the Braves take that opportunity to regroup while going into the clubhouse turn (so to speak) off the heels of a successful road trip. They’ve finished off the first leg in strong form and now it’s time for the second part. We’ll see what happens.
SAN FRANCISCO – Maybe there’s still a little fight left in the Giants after all.
Less than 24 hours after a frustrating, chaotic loss to the Toronto Blue Jays that seemed to deepen the depression hovering above Oracle Park, the Orange and Black bounced back with a crisp and clean 8-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night.
They did it with some strong at-bats and a steady evening on the mound from Carson Whisenhunt, the final result being a vibe around China Basin that was vastly different than it had been on Wednesday.
Casey Schmitt hit another home run, his 18th of the 2026 MLB season, to get things going. Bryce Eldridge got his first taste of McCovey Cove, where he deposited his eighth home run of the season. Then, for good measure, Willy Adames added a two-run blast in the eighth.
In total, eight of San Francisco’s starters had at least one hit while beating Colorado for a seventh straight time at Oracle Park, dating to May 1 of last season.
Whisenhunt, who was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento before the game in a corresponding move to Ryan Walker being sent down, pitched through some traffic and worked around a hiccup fourth inning to improve to 2-0 this season.
Whisenhunt had some control issues with four walks while throwing only 57 of 87 pitches for strikes. He allowed three hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
JT Brubaker retired four batters, Erik Miller set down three and Caleb Kilian worked the ninth to seal the victory.
Here are the takeaways from Thursday’s win:
Schmitt Shines Again
It seems like every game Schmitt does something to get the fan base buzzing. He did exactly that against the Rockies with his bat and glove, becoming the first Giants player to hit seven home runs before the 95th game of a season since home run king Barry Bonds had eight in 2001.
Caught up in an 8-for-53 funk over his previous 14 games, Schmitt destroyed the ball for his 18th home run of the year, a solo shot that easily cleared the fence in left-center.
Then, following up on a few defensive gems he made in the past week, Schmitt made a great play going into foul territory to grab Hunter Goodman’s sharp grounder then made a strong throw across the diamond to get the out.
Victor Bericoto has shown plenty of gumption at the plate since his arrival, but the 24-year-old Venezuelan can play some pretty good defense as well.
The Giants left fielder flashed some of his glove work in the first inning when he made a diving catch to rob Colorado’s No. 3 hitter, Cole Carrigg, of a hit.
San Francisco’s defense has been a mixed bag this season, so seeing Bericoto lay out to make the catch is a sign that maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem.
Return of the Whiz
Whisenhunt and everyone in the Giants organization was hoping for a better return when the 6-foot-3 pitcher came back from the minors instead of the middle-of-the-road performance they saw Thursday.
Whisenhunt was sharp in the beginning, setting down the first eight hitters he faced, three by strikeout. After he pitched out of bases-loaded jam in the third, Whisenhunt nearly escaped again in the fourth before giving up a go-ahead, two-out two-run home run to Willi Castro in the fourth.
Given how this season has played out, there’s no guarantee that Whisenhunt will get another shot in the rotation. Giants manager Tony Vitello said before the game that the entire starting rotation will be reevaluated during the MLB All-Star break.
Maybe using foam bats this series wasn’t such a good idea after all. | (Shelley Mays/The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
As a rule, only scoring two runs in a three-game series isn’t a successful strategy, and this series wasn’t the exception that proved that rule.
The White Sox fell behind 2-0 in the fourth when starter Anthony Kay issued a dreaded leadoff walk, followed by a 379-foot shot into the left-field stands by Caleb Durbin. Those would be the only costly mistakes in Kay’s 5 1/3 innings of work, but they were enough, given the feeble state of the offense.
Facing a middish lefty for the third straight game, the Chicago offense sputtered once again, this time against Patrick Sandoval in his first major league game after an injury hiatus of more than two years. Didn’t get shut out this time, though, like last night. Not at all.
Instead, the mighty power lineup that’s fourth in the majors in homers scored an actual run by playing a ball so small it was almost invisible to the naked eye. Luisangel Acuña led off the fifth with a single, went to second on a wild pitch, then to third on another wild pitch — though he was given credit for a stolen base because he might have been headed that way when the pitch went through — and scored when pinch hitter Andrew Benintendi checked his swing and dribbled the ball toward third at an awesome 42 mph.
That would be the only White Sox hit with a runner in scoring position, though, to be fair, they only had three other chances, because they advanced a runner as far as second only four times, with the rest of the offense consisting of six singles and one walk.
One more run would have been key, since relievers Jordan Hicks, Grant Taylor and Tyler Davis — temporarily up from Charlotte while Trevor Richards is on emergency family leave — shut down the Wrong Sox for 3 2/3 innings without even a hit.
The Red Sox had almost all the hard-hit balls, with Wilyer Abreu alone having three over 106 mph. The Right Sox did have a couple of possible extra-base shots, the first by Miguel Vargas leading off the eighth, which Jarren Duran negated.
The other was by Braden Montgomery in the ninth, wiped out by center fielder Ceddane Rafaela.
The sweep sends the White Sox to 47-45 and into a virtual tie with the Guardians, who beat the Twins this afternoon. The last series before the All-Star break begins tomorrow night against the A’s, with Sean Burke facing Aaron Civale.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 16: Jesús Luzardo #44 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the game between the Miami Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Trevor Hayes/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Here are the lineups for the final game in Cincinnati, let’s discuss!
HOOVER, AL - MAY 21: Pitcher Liam Peterson #12 of the Florida Gators celebrates closing out an inning during the SEC Baseball Tournament Quarterfinals game between Florida Gators and Alabama Crimson Tide on May 21, 2026, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The MLB Draft starts in less than 48 hours, and there has been a lot of speculation as to who the Rockies might take 10th overall. We asked you to make your best guess between RHP Liam Peterson (Florida), RHP Cameron Flukey (Coastal Carolina), C Vahn Lackey (Georgia Tech) or C Ryder Helfrick (Arkansas).
The most popular answer among those given was Peterson, but the majority of folks believe the Rockies will take someone completely different:
Some of the responses included:
LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas
SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
OF Derek Curiel, Louisiana State
LHP Mason Edwards, Southern California
OF AJ Gracia, Virginia
OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
LHP Carson Bolemon, Southside Christian
In addition to pick no. 10, the Rockies also have 37 and 38 on the first day.
Do you agree with the results? Do you stand by your original vote? Let us know in the comments!
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 26: Participants warm up during the 2026 Draft Combine at Chase Field on Friday, June 26, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When/Where is the MLB Draft, & how do we watch it?
The MLB Draft this year is Saturday, July 11th and Sunday, July 12th. Coverage will begin on NBC and Peacock at 1PM ET on Saturday, with rounds 1-3 being completed on day one. On Sunday, NBC/Peacock rounds 4-20 is at 1 PMET. Both days will also have live coverage on MLB Network and MLB.com
The MLB Futures Game will occur on Sunday, starting at 9 AM PT/12 PM ET, also to be broadcast on NBC. The home run derby is Monday night 8PM ET on Netflix and the All-Star game is 8PM ET Tuesday. The weekend’s festivities will begin with Friday night’s Historically Black College/University Swingman Classic Game on July 10th at 7 PM ET on MLB Network and MLB.com.
What Do I Need to Know About the Guardians’ Picks?
The Guardians’ first four picks are #19, #59, #95 and #123. You can read up on some potential names they might be considering here. Brian Hemminger is reviewing the last four drafts for the Guardians ahead of time, and Matt Dallas added some additional scouting of pitchers here, as did Matt Seese here.
Who is eligible to be drafted?
Anyone residing in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, or other U.S. territories who has never signed a previous MLB/MiLB contract and is either
A high school graduate, OR
Attending a junior/community college, OR
Attending a four-year college/university which they have attended for at least three years/have reached their 21st birthday
What Can We Expect from Covering the Corner?
We will have an open thread on draft days to discuss selections and analysis of each pick as they occur posted after picks are made.
CINCINNATI — Jesús Luzardo has been the true middle of the Phillies’ rotation in 2026.
Entering Thursday, Philadelphia was 25-8 in starts made by Zack Wheeler or Cristopher Sánchez this year. The Phillies were 12-6 in Luzardo’s starts, while all other starters were 14-28.
The Phillies’ Peruvian-born southpaw has had his dominant outings. He has had his blow-up outings.
More recently, though, his starts have been cut from the same cloth. A dominant one.
When Wheeler, Sánchez and Luzardo are all rolling at the top, it makes it feel like this club can handle just about anything in front of them.
If all three are doing this come postseason time, look out. There is always a way to October baseball, but the Phillies are getting a glimpse of their rotation’s ceiling as those three continue to one-up one another.
On Thursday, the Phillies and Reds both struggled mightily at the plate. But one late run was all Philadelphia needed in a 1-0 win, clinching the series at Great American Ball Park.
LUZARDO’S SURGE
It is hard to find a starting pitcher more locked in than the newly named first-time All-Star Luzardo.
Over his last five outings entering Thursday, the lefty registered a 1.78 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings.
Two-thirds of those strikeouts, 30 of them, came against his otherworldly sweeper. No matter who he faces, that pitch remains one of the toughest in baseball. He showed that again against the Reds.
Luzardo racked up 11 strikeouts Thursday. Eight came with the sweeper.
What allowed him to remain so effective with it late in counts was his ability to get ahead with his other pitches.
Five of seven first-pitch strikes with his four-seamer. Three of four with his changeup. Three of six with his sinker.
Make it six straight dominant starts. A 1.45 ERA. A 13.5 strikeouts per nine, the highest rate in the National League across that span. And he has produced a 1.38 ERA on the road.
Remarkable.
He finished his night with seven scoreless innings. The Phillies now have double-digit games with 10 strikeouts, the second most in MLB.
The next time Luzardo takes the ball will very likely be in the 96th Midsummer Classic at his home ballpark.
SCRATCHED ONE ACROSS
Reds starter Brady Singer was almost as good.
He was efficient as ever. Through his first five innings, he threw 10 pitches or fewer in each frame.
Singer was through seven scoreless before the Phillies were able to do just enough.
The athleticism at the bottom of the order has become a separator from years past. Gabriel Rincones Jr. was hit by a pitch to lead off the eighth. Don Mattingly called on Derek Hill, who would replace Rincones defensively as well, to pinch run.
That was the right call.
J.T. Realmuto then chopped one to short, but Hill’s speed allowed him to get to second. That forced Elly De La Cruz to take the out at first.
So when Justin Crawford came up next and bounced one through the right side on a low-and-in sinker, Hill’s speed allowed him to score.
That was all the Phillies needed.
HEATED UP
In the second inning, as Luzardo walked off the mound, he pointed into the Reds’ dugout after the frame ended.
The competitor in him comes out on the mound at times. With the way Luzardo is rolling, that edge is working for him.
And for the Phillies, being able to hand the ball from Luzardo to Jonathan Bowlan and then Jhoan Duran to lock down a 1-0 win in the middle of a nine-game road trip to end the first half is massive.
Since announcing that he will be participating in this year’s Home Run Derby during the All-Star break, Ben Rice has been on a power surge for the Yankees.
After hitting a home run on Tuesday, the same day of his commitment to partake in the event, Rice added two more on Thursday in the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays to help lead a 12-4 win for New York to secure a series split.
In fact, Rice finished the four-game set against the division-rival 7-for-16 with four home runs and nine RBI. The 27-year-old is now up to 28 homers on the season, second in the AL, and already two more than he had in 138 games during his breakout campaign in 2025.
What’s incredible is the slugger is showing no signs of slowing down and spoke about his unbelievable season so far and what he’s done to compound on last year’s offensive explosion.
“Just sticking with it overall,” he said. “Like I’ve said in the past, it’s such a long year. You’re bound to go through the ups and downs. Just leaning on the guys in the clubhouse and the locker room and go out here and just have an approach, stick to it, be convicted in it and hopefully good things will happen.”
Whatever approach Rice is utilizing, it’s certainly working which has the Yankees very excited as they continue to play without Aaron Judge who is out with a fractured rib and who will get re-imaging on that rib during the All-Star break.
Speaking of the All-Star break, Rice will likely stick to that same approach during his participation in the Home Run Derby that takes place on July 13 to try and take home the hardware in his first time in the event.
One of Rice’s competitors will be Junior Caminero, who also went yard on Thursday and is right behind Rice with 27 home runs. Actually, at the time, the home run put Caminero in front of Rice, but that didn’t last long as two innings later Rice tied it before overtaking him with his second of the game.
Of the five confirmed participants this year, Rice and Caminero are the top-2 in total home runs which, as of right now, could make them two of the favorites to come out on top. In last year’s competition, Caminero was a surprise runner-up to Cal Raleigh so his experience could give him the slight edge over Rice.
Regardless, Rice seems ready to prove his numbers this season are no fluke and that the hard work he’s been putting in since his MLB debut in 2024 is paying off.
After Thursday’s game, though, all Rice was thinking about was his team and how they were able to pull out a series split while putting up 12 runs on 14 hits.
“It’s big time. It’s big for the morale heading into this last series before the break,” he said. “Just kinda getting everyone rolling again and firing on all cylinders feels good.”
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 03: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Sutter Health Park on July 03, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Okay, so the first two games haven’t gone our way and the club is now riding a 5-game losing streak. That just means it’s time for a win to get us back in the win column and rolling again. It’s time.
The A’s will be going with an opener/bulk pitcher strategy today, giving left-handed reliever Jose Suarez the ball for the first inning. He’ll be followed by right-hander Jack Perkins. The 26-year-old has struggled mightily in his return to starting duties, posting a ghastly 8.10 ERA over his six starts. The season is quickly slipping away from the A’s so it’s getting to the point where they might as well let it ride with the young right-hander. Maybe today is the day he puts it all together and finally figures it out. We’ll see though as he’s coming off an appearance where he allowed seven runs to cross home plate. Hard to win when your starter does that. Fingers crossed switching roles can spark something.
Here’s how the A’s will line up this afternoon in Detroit for the finale:
The squad gets first baseman Nick Kurtz back after he departed the game last night. Seems he’s healthy enough to get back into the starting lineup, though he’ll handle DH duties while first base will be covered by Jonah Heim. Kurtz will bat second behind today’s third baseman and lead off man Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, and our middle infield duo will be Jacob Wilson and Alika Williams tonight, playing shortstop and second base respectively.
And while the team welcomed Tyler Soderstrom back from the IL yesterday he gets the day off this evening, making way for Zack Gelof to get the start on the grass out there in left. He’ll be flanked by Henry Bolte in center and Colby Thomas in right field.
The Tigers meanwhile will send high-priced lefty Framber Valdez to the bump for what will be his 19th start of the season. The first-year Tiger hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations that his big contract came with but he’s still been serviceable with a 4.29 ERA for the AL Central squad.
1-9 in our past 10 games. Currently holding the 3rd-worst record in the American League. A five-game losing streak, and now five games back of a playoff spot. Desperate times. Let’s go A’s!
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 22: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park on June 22, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Lefty Jesus Luzardo signed a massive $135 million contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies over the winter, and promptly started the 2026 season by falling completely flat on his face. He yielded 6 ER in his first start of the year, and his first four starts of the year featured a startling line: 22.2 IP, 28 H, 21 R (20 ER), good for a terribly unsightly 7.94 ERA.
Within that, though, sat an impressive 30/5 strikeout to walk ratio, and that fueled the 2.85 FIP he recorded through those surface struggles.
I cite that as a reference point as that encompassed the bad part of his year. Four starts of 2.85 FIP ball, and regression came coming for him quickly. In the 14 games he has started since that bad luck beginning to his extension, he’s been simply brilliant. Across 80.2 IP, he’s pitched to a 2.57 ERA and 2.99 FIP, and he’s struck out 95 more batters in that time.
In other words, he looks exactly like the pitcher who warranted said extension when the Phillies front office sent the contract his way.
He’ll start against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday opposite Brady Singer, who is desperately trying to pitch his way into a contract a third as valuable as Luzardo’s when he reaches free agency this winter. Singer got off to a much more prolonged struggle to begin 2026, but to his credit he has pitched to a 3.16 ERA with a 35/14 K/BB over his last 6 starts (even if the Reds have gone just 1-5 in those games).
It’s a 7:10 PM ET start time for this series finale. Turn on, tune in, drop out.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 09: Caleb Durbin #5 of the Boston Red Sox rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning at Rate Field on July 09, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox are hot. Take that statement as you will.
Boston has rolled through this coast-to-coast road trip in impressive fashion, regardless of the competition. The Red Sox have momentum entering the All-Star break, honestly as they have in recent seasons. What will the outcome be this time?
Here’s three takeaways from Thursday’s win.
CALEB DURBIN COMPARISONS ARE HILARIOUS Boston’s third baseman homered to make the difference with a two-run blast on his ninth long ball of the season.
It’s unfair to play revisionist history against Alex Bregman, but here are their numbers on the season entering play Thursday.
SANDOVAL SOLID All things considered, Sandoval looked solid in his first start since 2024.
The left-hander exited after 65 pitches in the fifth inning. He allowed just one earned run in 4 ⅓ innings with five strikeouts on the day. Sandoval got up to 96.1 MPH on his fastball on the day.
ARE YOU BUYING IN?
The Red Sox entered the day just three games out of the final wild card spot in a horrible American League. More importantly as followed in recent weeks, there are now just three teams in between Boston and the final wild card spot with the Blue Jays, the Astros and the Twins.
That was the larger issue even recently. The Red Sox haven’t had a massive deficit in terms of games back, rather they’ve faced too many teams separating them from a playoff spot.
Can Boston truly overcome and sustain the field to produce in unlikely fashion?
