Category: Baseball

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:

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.

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 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 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 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.

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

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.”

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.

“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.

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

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.

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.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS

“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.

“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.

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.

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.

“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.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

“ ‘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.

“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).

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.

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.”

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

“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.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS

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.

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.”

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.

It was always going to be a difficult task to complete the sweep facing the Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez. However, it doesn’t matter who the opposing pitcher is when your own starter coughs up six runs in the first three innings. Will Warren was positively wretched from the start, and the half-dozen runs on his card means he has now given up 31 runs (27 earned) in his last 37.2 innings since the start of June. It’s the type of start that will send the team on the plane to Chicago with a bit of a sour taste despite having won the series in Philly, as they get rolled in the series finale, 11-4.

The slug was noticeably absent from the Phillies lineup in the first two games, but facing Will Warren brought it back starting with the first batter they sent to the plate. Trea Turner led off the bottom of the first with a triple that was aided by a Trent Grisham misread in center and scored the game’s opening run on a Kyle Schwarber sac fly. Already, it began to feel uneasy given the way both teams have struggled to score this series and the way Cristopher Sánchez was throwing the ball all season and especially through the opening innings tonight.

The damage continued in the second, Bryson Stott crushing a one out, center-cut 1-0 fastball on a line into the seats in right for a solo shot to make it 2-0, Phillies. It always felt like Warren was on the edge of disaster, and indeed his start imploded fully in the third. He walked Schwarber with two outs and then gave up a double to Bryce Harper to put runners on second and third. The Yankees opted to intentionally walk Brandon Marsh to load the bases and bring the struggling Alec Bohm to the plate. Warren got to 1-2 without much trouble, but then threw a pair of non-competitive pitches to force him back into the zone in a full count, and Bohm crushed a hanging sweeper to the wall in left-center to clear the bases, Stott then driving him home with a single to make it 6-0.

Much of Warren’s success early in the season came from the unique look of his up-shoot fastball thrown from a low arm slot combined with his conviction to throw the heater in the zone frequently and in any count. However, once the league read the book on his heater and figured out its deceptive movement, it became a mediocre offering at just 93 mph, one that he throws way too much for its below average raw characteristics and imprecise command. Five of the six hits as well as the sac fly came against either the four-seamer or sinker, yet Warren threw the pair of subpar pitches a combined 63 percent of the time. He departed after giving up a leadoff single in the fourth, his final line standing at six runs on six hits and two walks in three-plus innings.

To their credit, the offense did not throw in the towel despite Warren’s stinker and Sánchez’s early dominance. They loaded the bases in the fourth as Amed Rosario reached on a fielding error by Trea Turner, Anthony Volpe doubled, and Max Schuemann fought back from 1-2 to draw a two-out walk, only for José Caballero to bounce a chopper to strand all three ducks on the pond.

This was enough to crack the seal on Sánchez as he faced the order for the third time in the fifth. Ali Sánchez led off with a single, Paul Goldschmidt drew a walk, and Ben Rice hit a into a soft forceout to put runners on the corners. A Sánchez throwing error on a pickoff attempt scored Sánchez and advanced Rice to second, followed by a Rosario single that moved Rice up a base, Rosario advancing to second on the throw from the outfield. Jasson Domínguez grounded out weakly enough to bring Rice home, and Volpe roped a double to left to bring him home. Volpe had gone without an extra-base hit since June 26th, so it was nice to see him collect a pair of doubles in consecutive innings. A wild pitch allowed Volpe to advance to within 90 feet of scoring, but he was stranded at third by a Grisham grounder.

In the sixth, it was time for the Yankees defense to let them down. Bryan De La Cruz led off with a routine grounder to Volpe, but he rushed the throw and yanked it 15 feet wide of first allowing De La Cruz to advance to second. Justin Crawford laid a bunt down the third base line and Rosario spiked his throw to first into the dirt, and instead of two outs and no one on it was runners on the corners with no outs. A Turner single to left plated De La Cruz as the Phillies’ seventh run and a Schwarber single to center loaded the bases. Ryan Yarbrough struck out Harper and Marsh, but plunked Bohm to force home another run. That set up the death blow from Stott as he lined his team’s second bases-clearing double into the corner in right to push the Phillies into double digits, 11-3.

You have to look for the silver linings after that outburst put the final nail in the Yankees’ coffin. You can find one in the seventh, Rice perhaps putting a halt to his 1-for-20 skid with his 31st home run of the year, a solo shot into the bullpen in right-center off old friend Tim Mayza. He would also add a double in the ninth.

The offense managed to double their run output in the series by matching the four they scored in the first two games, but there was never a real chance to overcome the deficit created by Warren and deepened by Yarbrough. 11-4 is your final score, the Yankees falling to three games back of the Rays after Tampa completed the sweep of Cleveland.

The Yankees fly to Chicago for seven straight games — four against the White Sox followed by three at the Cubs. Max Fried gets the series opener against the Southsiders tomorrow night facing Noah Schultz. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. EST with the broadcast returning to YES.

Box Score

It was a day to remember for Munetaka Murakami.

On Sunday, July 26, the Chicago White Sox honored the rookie sensation with a bobblehead giveaway and he put on a show in his team's 12-3 home win over the Houston Astros. Murakami was responsible for half those runs with a career-high 6 RBI and two home runs in the victory.

The box for today’s Munetaka Murakami bobblehead giveaway is elite 🔥 pic.twitter.com/f5MewXf4Qx

— Mune On 35th (@SoxOn35th) July 26, 2026

The festivities started off in a wholesome way when the first baseman's parents threw out the first pitch. His dad lobbed the ball to a catcher who was sitting just to the side of home plate and the ball sank and bounced. His mom, on the other hand, threw a perfect arc to a catcher squatting behind the base. The two posed for a photo with their son before Chicago's starting pitcher Erick Fedde took the mound.

Munetaka Murakami's parents threw out the first pitch today to celebrate his bobblehead day 🥹 pic.twitter.com/onxO9ea5vI

— MLB (@MLB) July 26, 2026

The Astros jumped to an early lead off a solo home run from Jeremy Peña. But then, batting second in the bottom of the first inning, Murakami blasted his own home run. He took a slider over the plate and sent the ball flying into left field, allowing Sam Antonacci to score as well and putting the White Sox up 2-1.

Munetaka Murakami homers on his bobblehead day 😤 pic.twitter.com/sKg47fBQFr

— MLB (@MLB) July 26, 2026

To show his versatility, Murakami swatted the ball to right field for his second home run of the game in the eighth inning. He took a high pitch, boosted the ball away and put two fingers in the air as he rounded the bases.

Mune Mania™️ continues! pic.twitter.com/PnAScmfvRi

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 26, 2026

The Japanese-born player got another RBI in the third inning with a ground out that sent Drew Romo home and had a two-run single in the seventh inning.

"It feels amazing and really, super excited right now," Murakami said through an interpreter after the game before his teammates splashed him with a bucket of orange Gatorade.

The game was on the same day as the Baseball Hall of Fame's induction for the class of 2026 where Carlos Beltrán Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent were enshrined.

Murakami was selected to the All-Star Game in his first season as a replacement for Minnesota Twins' outfielder Byron Buxton. He also participated in the Home Run Derby. Despite missing 35 games before the All-Star break due to a hamstring injury, the 26-year-old has impressed with 22 home runs, 48 RBI, .378 OBP and .921 OPS.

The White Sox are leading the AL Central with a 55-49 record and are looking to compete strong next year, too. They used the No. 1 pick in the July 11 draft on UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky and then reportedly gave him a record signing bonus of $10.35 million.