SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 31: Jase Bowen #4 of the San Diego Padres reacts after hitting a solo homerun during the fourth inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on July 31, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As good as the offense was for San Diego, the story of the game was the pitching. The Padres needed just three pitchers to complete the game, and the trio allowed just two hits. Bradgley Rodriguez opened the game and pitched a hitless first inning and recorded two strikeouts. Yuki Matsui followed in the top of the second and the left-hander held San Francisco to one hit over three innings of work. German Marquez was called on for the final five innings of the game, and he too allowed one hit with one walk to secure the win for the Padres.
The “Pitching Chaos” approach can be treacherous at ties if the pitchers who are called on do not perform, but what Rodriguez, Matsui and Marquez did in the second game of the series showed how the approach can be successful. Although Padres pitchers, like Matsui, may be asked to throw more pitches or more innings in an outing, their ability to perform conserves the other bullpen arms, which allows this pitching approach to have a chance to be effective night in and night out.
The San Diego offense got started early against the San Francisco starter Carson Whisenhunt. Fernando Tatis Jr. opened the game with a line drive double and was followed by Luis Rengifo who singled to put runners on the corners. Manny Machado brought home the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly, and the Padres offense was off and running. San Diego scored two runs in the first, one in the third, three in the fourth and scored the final run of the game in the sixth.
Ty France led the Padres offense and finished 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBI. Luis Campusano finished 3-for-4 with and RBI and Rengifo finished 1-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored. Tatis also finished 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored and Jase Bowen added two hits, one of which was his first MLB home run. The only player in the San Diego lineup to not record a hit was Jackson Merrill.
The Padres will try to make it two wins in a row tonight when they host the Giants at 5:40 p.m.
According to reporting from MLB Trade Rumors, executives around MLB say they do not think the Padres will trade closer Mason Miller. Additionally, San Diego appears unlikely to move the left-hander.
Giants GM Buster Posey announced Harrison Bader will not be paid until he is able to contribute to the team after a scooter collision resulted in injury.
Jul 20, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) prior to the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Meet the Mets
After winning on Thursday night, the Mets fell to the Marlins 5-2 yesterday as the series evened up. The Marlins scored four of their five runs in the fifth inning after both teams were held scoreless for the first four innings, and the only runs the Mets managed came via an A.J. Ewing single and a Francisco Lindor solo homer.
Freddy Peralta was originally scheduled to start last night, but was scratched as the team continues to pursue a trade for him, and Kodai Senga took the mound instead.
A four-run sixth inning—which included a three-run bomb from Michael Harris II—was the difference maker for the Braves, who defeated the Nationals 6-2.
The Phillies were up by two runs in the seventh, but Orion Kerkering proceeded to surrender four runs to the Orioles and doom Philadelphia to a 6-4 defeat for their fourth straight loss.
One day following the famous Wilmer Flores walk-off homer, the Mets won the second game in what would be a crucial three-game sweep of the Nationals on this date in 2015.
LAKELAND, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Baltimore Orioles Outfielder Reed Trimble (62) at bat during the Spring Training Game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Detroit Tigers on February 22, 2026 at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This game headed to extra innings tied at three and ended in a 9-6 final. It was a rough night at the office for Tides reliever Cameron Weston, who coughed up six runs in the top of the 10th, which featured five consecutive RBI singles. Norfolk’s starting pitcher, Trey Gibson, gave up two runs in a mediocre 4.2-inning performance. The Tides’ pitching staff was hit particularly hard by Worcester leadoff man Franklin Arias, the #7-ranked prospect in all of baseball per MLB Pipeline. Arias had three hits and drove in four.
It was an outstanding night for Tides outfielder Reed Trimble, who crushed two home runs as part of a 3-for-6, four-RBI game. He also stole a base for good measure. Trimble was playing just his third game with Norfolk since returning from a month-long IL stint with right hamstring discomfort. Enrique Bradfield Jr. went 2-for-6 with a double as the DH, and catcher Creed Willems doubled in five at-bats. Heston Kjerstad, who had been hot lately, took an 0-for-6.
It was Joseph Dzierwa night for Chesapeake, and the Orioles’ outstanding lefty prospect did not disappoint. In five strong innings he didn’t allow an earned run, though he did give up an unearned one on a throwing error by catcher Adam Retzbach. Dzierwa surrendered just two hits and struck out five. Things didn’t go so well for the Baysox once he left, as reliever Gerald Ogando gave up three runs in the seventh to break a 1-1 tie.
The Baysox outhit the Curve in this game, 9-7, but managed only one run due to a brutal 1-for-10 performance with runners in scoring position. Aron Estrada, Griff O’Ferrall, and Frederick Bencosme had two hits apiece, and both of Estrada’s were doubles. Wehiwa Aloy was 0-for-4 and committed an error in his fourth game at Double-A.
High-A: Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) 4, Frederick Keys 1
Apparently it was a popular night to lose 4-1, as Frederick followed in Chesapeake’s footsteps with an identical final score. Unlike the Baysox, the Keys didn’t even have a bunch of hits to hang their hats on. They managed only two hits all night, and they both happened within the first three batters of the game, an RJ Austin double and Luis Vázquez RBI single. After that, they went 0-for-26. Yikes. They were stymied by 19-year-old Wilmington righty Miguel Sime Jr., the Nationals’ #10 prospect, who struck out 10 in five innings.
Frederick’s starter, Stephen Still, actually topped Sime in the strikeout department, racking up an eye-popping 11 Ks in 5.1 innings. This was the High-A debut for the 24-year-old Still, who was signed out of the independent leagues in May. The southpaw Still started the game with five scoreless innings, but allowed two batters to reach in the sixth, and both scored when reliever Cameron Foster coughed up a grand slam to the Blue Rocks’ Kevin Bazzell.
The Shorebirds would have killed for a garden-variety 4-1 loss. Instead they got bludgeoned by a 14-run, 16-hit Crawdads attack. Three Delmarva pitchers, Dalton Neuschwander, Adrian Heredia, and Jack Crowder, each served up at least three earned runs. A trio of Shorebirds errors allowed three unearned runs to score as well.
In addition to their terrible pitching and defense, the Shorebirds also couldn’t hit when it mattered, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranding 10 runners on base. Despite eight hits, the only runs they managed came on a Jaiden Lo Re solo homer and a throwing error by Hickory’s catcher.
The Detroit Tigers opened up their West Coast road trip on Friday night with a 13-1 blowout victory over the Athletics in Sacramento. Max Clark shined in his major league debut and the bullpen successfully shut down the opponents.
On Saturday night, the Motor City Kitties can clinch the weekend series behind left-hander Framber Valdez, who struggled in three of his four games last month. Over the course of July, the 32-year-old posted a brutal 7.13 ERA but a much more respectable 4.74 FIP, serving up 21 hits (two home runs) and seven walks while striking out 15 and hitting four batters over a 17 2/3-inning stretch.
For the Athletics, right-hander Jack Perkins will take the mound to make his ninth start in 27 total appearances this summer. Since becoming a starter (with one relief appearance against the Tigers mixed in), the 26-year-old has put up a 7.14 ERA and a 5.63 FIP spanning over 40 1/3 innings of work, allowing 39 hits (10 home runs) and 20 walks while striking out 47 and hitting a pair of batters.
Here is a quick look at how the two match up on paper.
Detroit Tigers (52-58) vs. Athletics (45-65)
Time (ET): 9:40 p.m. Place: Sutter Health Park, Sacramento, California SB Nation Site:Athletics Nation Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 111: LHP Framber Valdez (5-7, 4.53 ERA) vs. RHP Jack Perkins (2-6, 6.45 ERA)
Newton, MA - February 3: Boston Celtics President Brad Stevens watches his son Brady Stevens play for Newton North. (Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Next in the series of roundtables is a question about what’s coming next. Specifically I asked them to predict the next major roster move between now and the trade deadline (something beyond 2-ways or camp invites). Here’s what we came up with.
Ian Inangelo
Between now and the trade deadline I think the next major roster move will be the addition of another guard coming off the bench. I don’t see a major move like trading for a Trey Murphy in the cards as of now but if there’s a scoring guard on the market that can provide bench scoring I feel that is the route the Celtics should go.
Trevor Hass
I’ll predict that the Celtics will trade Sam Hauser, Luka Garza and a pick for Cameron Johnson. Johnson would fit in well from a stylistic standpoint and is one of the more underrated players in the league.
Jake Issenberg
I’m sorry to disappoint with this one. Unless Steph Curry becomes available I don’t see the Celtics doing anything of note until next offseason. They should remain under the luxury tax for one more season to allow them to achieve maximum optionality going into next offseason. Though, I would ecstatic if Payton Pritchard signs the three year $67 million contract extension he will be eligible for in October. (edited)
Nate Moskowitz
To avoid the boring answer of nothing, I will offer that a Sam Hauser trade could be on the table. My rationale is that they might just need the minutes to give Hugo, Walsh, Scheierman, Harper Jr. sufficient playing time. They’re investing in each of those guys, and Hauser’s 25MPG is a reasonable place to pull from.
Grant Burfeind
My real answer would be nothing, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, I’ll throw out Sam Hauser to OKC for Cason Wallace, plus one or two of those draft picks Sam Presti keeps collecting like Pokémon cards.
Wallace feels like such a Celtics player. Imagine rolling out Derrick White and Cason Wallace against guards like Brunson, Mitchell and Cade every night. Good luck. Wallace is already one of the better young perimeter defenders in the league, and his shot has come a long way. During the Thunder’s playoff run last year, Wallace made 2.0 threes per game at a 48.4% clip. The thought of rolling out a lineup with White, Wallace, Paul George, Tatum and Mitchell Robinson brings a smile to my face.
Jeff Clark
Yeah, you guys are all being boring. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the Celtics are poised and ready to use Paul George’s contract and a handful of picks to go get the next star that hits the market. Either because he’s upset with his current situation or (more likely) because the team finds itself in the same 2nd Apron purgatory that started the Celtics “optionality” moves a year ago. Which player will that be? I’m not holding my breath for Jokic or Curry, but I’d keep an eye on the Cavs, Magic, Rockets, and even the T-Wolves. And yeah, keep the Pelicans on speed dial, just in case.
“Not good enough” you say? I can see the comments already: “You call people boring then you don’t give us a name?” Ok fine. I predict things go sideways in Cleveland and we add Evan Mobley for George and 2 first rounders and a pick swap.
Robby Fletcher
I think Boston’s done with major moves in the near-future, at least until next offseason, but I am expecting one championship piece to be on the move in Sam Hauser.
This felt like something that’d get done this offseason, but this general post-LeBron calm feels like a good indication that the Celtics like their current personnel and intend for Hauser to be a Celtic on opening night. That’s far from a bad thing. He’ll more than likely return to the bench and provide his usual sharpshooting influence off-ball. However, his departure makes sense financially and in a team-sense, paving the way for more opportunities for Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman. At the deadline, Hauser’s shooting could convince a playoff hopeful to give up valuable, cost-effective draft capital to help the team’s long-term outlook.
Bill Sy
I’m thinking something like Sam Hauser and Mike Conley Jr. for Ty Jerome and D’Angelo Russell. Grizzlies needs some shooting, Celtics get a better option off the dribble, and Conley retires where it all started for him in Memphis.
Mike Dynon
Nothing expected before the trade deadline (sorry!), unless Brad Stevens decides more help is needed at point guard. Mike Conley should be a perfect fit as a backup, but how much does he have left for his 20th season? He appeared in just 54 games last year, averaging only 18 minutes per game. (Really hope Conley stays, however. The way he plays the game is classic Celtics, and he’ll be the veteran leader in the locker room.)
Ryan Paice
Sorry guys, I gotta be boring here: we ain’t doin’ anything before the trade deadline. The C’s are under the luxury tax and will want to stay that way throughout the 2026-27 season in order to reset the repeater tax moving forward. And, if we do make a move, I’m afraid it’ll only disappoint Boston fans since it’ll probably mean shipping out Hauser for negative value in order to clear up space for the young wings while staying under the luxury tax. I’d love to get a Cason Wallace or Cameron Johnson or Ty Jerome for Hauser, but I have a hard time seeing that realistically happening.
Rich Jensen
I am convinced of only one thing: That anything I predict will be wrong.
The Warriors are running it back with one fan favorite.
Gary Payton II and Golden State have agreed on a one-year, $3.9 million contract in NBA free agency, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Saturday, citing sources.
Free agent Gary Payton II has agreed on a one-year, $3.9 million deal to return to the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN. Payton returns to the Warriors for his seventh year in the Bay Area — and his 11th NBA season. pic.twitter.com/TJQWvxEKXd
Payton II has spent six of his 10 NBA seasons in the Bay, and he’ll spend Year 11 back with the Warriors.
Last season with Golden State, Payton II averaged 7.5 points on 58.3-percent shooting, with 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 15.6 minutes through 73 games.
The Warriors just re-signed Draymond Green this past week, and now they’re bringing back another member of the band for the 2026-27 NBA season.
The Gores and the Murakamis, just met but old pals now. | Leonard Gore/South Side Sox
Someone call Homer or Christopher Nolan, because I have been on one hell of an Odyssey!
OK, with that bit of topical humor out of the way, allow me to re-re-reintroduce myself. My name is Leonard Gore, Lenny to my friends and colleagues here at South Side Sox, and @Leonard42 on the Bird App (oh! Also @leonardg42.bsky.social on Bluesky!)
I’ve been a White Sox fan for as long as I could remember, and that’s a verifiable fact because when my parents took me to Old Comiskey back when I was a wee little baby, they lost me for a good long while as they passed me down the aisle for ladies to ooh and ahh at my objectively adorable cheeks, and I ended up two sections over. I like to tell folks I knew even back then that the place was my true home, and not the fact that I could have been kidnapped and raised by a nice family in Bridgeport that had to find an elaborate reason why their baby boy was a darker shade than the rest of his siblings!
But to bring this back on track, why am I coming back on board now? Right as this White Sox team is two-thirds of the way to a playoff spot? As Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery, Davis Martin, Sean Burke, Grant Taylor and former Savannah Banana Tristan Peters all take off and play the best baseball of their lives? As Will Venable manages as if this team hasn’t lost 300+ games over the last three seasons and has this team believing they can beat anybody in a mediocre American League?
Well, to be honest … this team may have brought me out of the darkest time for me as a Sox fan in my entire life.
It started with Pedro Grifol staring into the camera and saying with a straight face that the White Sox were here to “kick your ass” only to find out that the rest of the league was the boot and the Sox were bent over, bottom getting redder and redder leading to 121 losses and the well deserved title of Worst Team of All Time. I found myself becoming what I never thought I would be: apathetic.
Josh Naylor hits a game-tying grand slam in the ninth inning followed by a three-run homer in extras? Welp, that is to be expected. Oh well.
The team loses its 21st game in a row, tying a major league record leading to the 1,000-Yard Stare from a shellshocked Vargas in a sewage-filled Oakland dugout? Sure it stinks in here, but I can’t tell if its the raw sewage or the Chicago White Sox.
You, dear reader, were there too. I don’t need to re-litigate the darkest three-year period in franchise history. The point is, it weighed on me. It weighed down on my soul to a point where I was actively despising this team and the ownership.
Oh, and don’t even get me started on how Jerry Reinsdorf decided that his handpicked successor to Hawk Harrelson, the great Jason Benetti, was an ingrate for being too popular and taking Sundays off to do national baseball and NFL games and let him walk to Detroit (DETROIT!), replacing him with the abomination that is John “South Side STAAAAAND UP!” Schriffen. That’s a whole another 10,000-word post.
But even with the 19-game improvement to onlylose 102 games in 2025, I didn’t see much daylight in the upcoming 2026 season. And given the fact the team began 2026 with a Chase Meidroth homer off of Cy Misiorowski and Munetaka’s first major league homer, only to sandwich 14 Brewers runs on Opening Day, the 7-14 record to begin the season felt like this was the start of another slow march to a loss total that had three digits again.
But then, an amazing thing happened.
The White Sox … just kept … winning. No crazy-long, 12-game winning streaks … but three five-game win streaks in the first half? Not bad. Not bad at all!
Edgar Quero, in the midst of a slump that would eventually send him down to Charlotte, comes up with a walk-off homer to overcome a blown lead in the ninth to beat the Cubs? Well, would you look at that! This team may have something cooking!
Braden Montgomery gets called up and in his major league debut hits a walk-off home run off of Atlanta’s elite closer, called by Bob Costas, in front of an incognito MLB draft prospect Daniel Cholowsky? THIS TEAM DOES NOT QUIT! POST THE PARADE ROUTE ONLINE!
Amazingly, this is only three-highlights from a season’s worth of them that probably eclipses the total highlights from 2023-2025 combined. I could have gone with more, but Brett is already looking over my shoulder politely asking me to land this plane.
Just a couple of days ago, the White Sox just had their second consecutive extra-inning walk off win over the Yankees, splitting a series where the team absolutely could have lost all four games and sent this fan base into its first existential crisis of the season, casting doubt on whether this hot start was revealing itself to be the mirage we all had buried deep in the back of our minds. But they split the series (much thanks on Wednesday to the Yankees catcher airmailing an ill-advised pickoff attempt to end the game at third base) and somehow, amazingly, have yet to have a losing streak longer than three games this season.
So are the Sox a lock for the playoffs? For as mid as the AL has been all season, this team is still young and prone to periods of silent bats. The Guardians, despite a recent slump, still have José Ramírez and the nasty ability to somehow win games with a roster full of MLB The Show NPCs. The Twins, through some legitimate voodoo, have an offense as potent as even the vaunted Sox squad and are an uncomfortable three games back, right there with Cleveland. Tarik Skubal, thankfully, got his farewell start in Detroit and will hopefully not be a problem for the White Sox until they face whichever NL team pays thru the nose to rent him for the playoffs. And the Royals … well they just gave up a walk-off grand slam to the Twins while strike from victory. (At least they have Bobby Witt Jr.?)
But your White Sox are in first place on August 1. They are entering a nine-game stretch vs the AL-best Rays, the suddenly hot-as-hell Red Sox, and the against the third-placesecond-place middling Guardians. Given the Sox track record, they’ll go 4-5 but somehow sweep Cleveland and finally start to pull away towards the most improbable Sox division title since 2008.
And with that, I leave you with this. There is a non-zero chance the 2027 season will be locked out and games will be lost. Hell, there may be ZERO baseball next year. So ENJOY THIS RIDE, Sox fans. Expect success. Fill up the Rate and cheer like crazy for your South Side 9. Crazier things have happened.
The New York Yankees are short road favorites against the Chicago Cubs tonight, and I’m laying the moneyline.
It's not shaping up to be an ideal day for baseball in Chi-Town, with rain and heavy winds expected at Wrigley Field. That keeps me away from the run line, but Max Fried still gives New York the edge on the mound.
Here are my Yankees vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks for Saturday, August 1.
Who will win Yankees vs Cubs tonight: Yankees moneyline (-127)
He has allowed just a .247 xwOBA this season. That’s a strong fit against an up-and-down Chicago Cubs offense.
Veteran David Peterson hasn't been a disaster, but he will be more solvable. He owns a 5.14 xERA, .429 xSLG allowed, and just a 18% strikeout rate.
It gets most of his success out of his 80th percentile ground-ball rate. That could keep the Yankees' bats quiet for long stretches, but eventually the underlying metrics will catch up with him in a game of thin margins.
COVERS INTEL: Fried’s 1.6% barrel rate is not just good. It is nearly five full percentage points better than his 2025 mark.
Yankees vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 6.5 (-121)
We saw just how ineffective these offenses can be with barrel suppression yesterday in a 2-0 Yankees win. I'm backing another low-scoring affair and would play the Under to 6, particularly considering the weather in store.
Rain and wind blowing in at Wrigley are not small variables, especially with the pitchers in mind.
Fried fits the weather. His 50% ground-ball rate and almost non-existent barrel rate make it difficult for the Cubbies to create power.
Peterson’s overall profile is shakier, but he still owns a 49% ground-ball rate, and the weather helps cover some of his air-contact risk.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 42-36, +9.58 units
Over/Under bets: 45-34, +12.01 units
Yankees vs Cubs weather
Wrigley’s wind and rain are game-changers, especially with Max Fried and David Peterson on the mound.
Yankees vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: New York -121 | Chicago +110
Run line: New York -1.5 | Chicago +1.5
Over/Under: Over 6.5 | Under 6.5
Yankees vs Cubs trend
Yankees are 5-1 in Fried's last six starts as a favorite. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Cubs.
How to watch Yankees vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Saturday, August 1, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Yankees starting pitcher
Max Fried (4-3, 3.23 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
David Peterson (6-7, 5.80 ERA)
Yankees vs Cubs latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The trade deadline is only a couple of days away, and the Cardinals are bracing for yet another shakeup. Assuming Dustin May, Ryne Stanek, JoJo Romero, and possibly Pedro Pages are dealt, the team is going to look significantly different down the stretch. Best-case scenario, the Cardinals pull a 2024 Tigers move and sell at the deadline and make a playoff run anyway. Even if the team does fade out of contention, there will be plenty of exciting storylines to follow and opportunities for players to step up. The Cardinals need to be hyper-focused on giving runway to players who could turn into long-term solutions, not on players who can get them from 76 to 78 wins this year.
There is not a significant 40-man roster crunch looming for this offseason, but it is still worthwhile to check in on the current state. The 40-man is currently full with two players, Max Rajcic and Ramon Urias, on the 60-day IL. That gives the Cardinals 42 players with four pending free agents bringing the total to 38. Looking at the players who will need to be added in the offseason to avoid Rule 5 Draft exposure, I count eight players who are locks to be added or should be given serious consideration: Quinn Mathews, Cade Winquest, Jesus Baez, Ixan Henderson, Jacob Odle, Chase Davis, Chen-Wei Lin, and Won-Bin Cho.
Even if the Cardinals felt the need to protect every one of these players, there are plenty of marginal players on the back end of the roster who could be removed. Tink Hence, Max Rajcic, Peter Strzelecki, Nolan Gorman, Cesar Prieto, and Nelson Velazquez are the most obvious players who could be at risk of losing their spots.
All that to say, I do not think that any trade deadline moves will be made specifically because of a need to clear space on the 40-man. The more interesting question to me is whether and how the Cardinals reshape the roster to provide maximum playing time for players who could have the biggest long-term impact on the organization.
Starting Pitchers
40-man (8): Hunter Dobbins, Kyle Leahy, Matthew Liberatore, Michael McGreevy, Andre Pallante, Dustin May, Cooper Hjerpe
40-man IL: Richard Fitts, Tekoah Roby
How the Cardinals manage the starting rotation down the stretch appears to be pretty simple to me. May will be traded and Hjerpe seems more likely to debut as a reliever if he gets a cameo at some point. That leaves six pitchers to fight for innings down the stretch. McGreevy and Pallante are both fully built up as starters and will need 50+ innings apiece. The rest of the rotation has a bit more nuance, but I would argue they should all get consistent starts.
Kyle Leahy has been a resounding success in his move to the rotation. After a shaky start, he has posted a 2.65 ERA since the beginning of May. His FIP over that stretch has been excellent at 3.37 and his xFIP has been solid at 3.91. He really has been pitching more like a mid-rotation starter than a back-of-the-rotation guy for the last three months. Leahy has thrown 107.1 innings thus far, which is his most since 2022 and already more than the 88 innings he threw out of the bullpen last season. It seems reasonable that the Cardinals would try to get him into the 130 to 140 range.
Hunter Dobbins is in a similar position as Leahy on the workload front. He pitched 88.2 innings last year and has thrown 96.1 so far in 2026. Dobbins isn’t the highest ceiling guy in the world, but he looks like he belongs in a major league rotation.
Quinn Mathews’ long-awaited debut is finally here! Mathews threw 143.1 innings in his breakout 2024 and 99 last season. Coming into his start today, he is at 92 innings pitched on the season, so innings limitations would not seem to be a huge factor down the stretch for him. Barring a complete lack of effectiveness, Mathews will be penciled into the rotation for the remainder of the year.
Finally, Liberatore… I think the Cardinals should and will give Libby the remainder of the season to sort things out in the big league rotation. Yes, he has had a rough go of it in 2026, but he still might possess the most upside of any member of the current rotation. I don’t want to get into a full autopsy of Liberatore’s season because it has been bad, but you can’t give up on a guy who has his durability and ability to spin the ball.
With the potential innings limits for Dobbins and Leahy, the Cardinals can easily get all six of these guys regular starts by going to a six-man rotation, skipping a start here and there, or employing some piggybacking. It has quietly been an awesome season for the starting staff and a strong finish will provide much more clarity heading into 2027.
Relief Pitchers
40-man (12): Ryan Fernandez, Luis Gastelum, Brycen Mautz, George Soriano, Matt Svanson, Justin Bruihl, Gordon Graceffo, Riley O’Brien, JoJo Romero, Ryan Stanek, Peter Strzelecki, Tink Hence
40-man IL: Max Rajcic
I actually think the relief corps could be quite interesting the rest of the way. In addition to the twelve healthy pitchers already on the 40-man (depending on what is going on with Tink Hence), the Cardinals will still need to add Cade Winquest at some point. Cooper Hjerpe also seems like a logical guy to bring up later in the year, contingent on performance.
With only seven to nine bullpen spots available, there will need to be some serious prioritization done. I want to give as many innings as possible to pitchers who have a chance to be impact relievers, even if they aren’t pitching well now or aren’t quite ready.
O’Brien and Soriano are immediate and obvious locks. Gastelum is a lock as well. Sure, it has been a rough start, but you aren’t giving up on one of the best relievers in the minor leagues after ten innings. Cade Winquest is my next lock. All of his underlying metrics point to a dominant performance in Triple-A. Brycen Mautz has had a disappointing season as a starter, but his fastball is playing up since his move to the pen. He has a chance to be a weapon in shorter stints. Matt Svanson and Ryan Fernandez have not lived up to the standards they set in their respective rookie seasons, but both have shown the ability to be impact relievers. I would rather give these guys a chance than fill in with waiver-wire claims or strike-throwers that cannot miss bats.
Trade Stanek and Romero. Trade Bruihl if you can get anything for him. Trade or demote Graceffo. If any of Tink Hence, Cooper Hjerpe, or Ixan Henderson gets hot, give them a shot.
Outfield
40-man Roster (9): Jordan Walker, Lars Nootbaar, Nathan Church, Victor Scott, Joshua Baez, Jose Fermin, Bryan Torres, Thomas Saggese, Nelson Velazquez
There were moments this year when you felt really good about the outfield, but as the season winds towards a close, the Cardinals are back in familiar territory with one of the worst units in baseball. Jordan Walker has posted 2.3 fWAR as an outfielder this year. The rest of the outfielders have contributed exactly 0.0 combined WAR.
I really like Jose Fermin and Bryan Torres, but they seem pretty maxed out as utility players. Nathan Church is fine, but he is closing in on 300 plate appearances and has not been able to figure out major league pitching. It is not the end of the world if he continues to soak up playing time, but he is looking like a bench bat on the next contending team. I think Scott gets another chance at some point, but he will have to show something in Memphis first. Saggese has a roughly league-average line in Memphis since his demotion, but he is also looking like a utility bat long-term. Velazquez isn’t really an outfielder. I understand why he has stayed on the roster to help against left-handed pitching, but he should not be getting at-bats if the Cardinals fall further out of contention.
So, how do the Cardinals optimize playing time down the stretch? You have Walker entrenched in right field, Nootbaar with only one year of control remaining, and one real prospect in Joshua Baez. Given the lack of internal options ready for outfield playing time, the Cardinals can be very selective about their required return in a Nootbaar trade. If they don’t get the package they want, he really won’t be blocking anyone even if they do plan to trade him in the offseason.
Joshua Baez should absolutely get a chance to play full-time down the stretch. The Cardinals can deploy the Masyn Winn program and keep him rookie-eligible for 2027 while letting him get his feet wet. I understand that some people want to see him cut down on his strikeout rate more before promoting him, but that is overthinking it. Six weeks in the majors is not going to damage his development, even if he does flop.
If the Cardinals can turn some combination of May, Nootbaar, Pages, or whoever else they are willing to part with into an upper level outfield prospect, they should do so. If they are stuck giving playing time to stopgap and utility players, it would be a huge wasted opportunity.
Infield
40-man Roster (7): Alec Burleson, JJ Wetherholt, Masyn Winn, Blaze Jordan, Nolan Gorman, Ramon Urias, Cesar Prieto
The infield is relatively straightforward compared with the outfield. Unless there is a shocking trade, Burleson, Wetherholt, and Winn will be written in pen. At third base, Jordan is the exact type of player that should be prioritized down the stretch. The fact that his defense has looked playable has been a huge win thus far. While his batting line is downright terrible, his underlying metrics provide plenty of reasons for optimism. He has cut his chase rate from 38% in Triple-A to 34.8% with the Cardinals. He is still making a ridiculous amount of contact for a player with his power potential. I would write his name in the lineup every day and see what you have at the end of the season.
Gorman and Urias may both have negative trade value despite their low salaries, but if there is any interest, they should be flipped just to clear out roster space and save a little money.
Catcher
40-man Roster (4): Ivan Herrera, Jimmy Crooks, Pedro Pages, Leo Bernal
Ah, the catcher conversation that keeps on giving. If the Cardinals still feel that Herrera has a chance to improve his throwing enough to stick at catcher for a few years, you might as well let him finish out the season. Trading Pages to pave the way for a September callup for Bernal would be my ideal outcome. This would allow even more playing time for Crooks in the meantime and provide room for Bernal to get his bearings.
Conclusion
I focused on the roster if the Cardinals make the obvious moves. Of course, there are plenty of rumors circulating about Herrera, O’Brien, and other controllable players. I don’t think it is inherently wrong to explore those talks, but I also think that you can get a lot of value out of just cleaning up the roster and promoting the remaining upper-level prospects.
If the Cardinals take this aggressive approach with their roster construction, there might be some growing pains, but it is the right thing to do for the long-term vision. Give Liberatore, Crooks, and Blaze Jordan time to figure things out. Let Mathews, Bernal, Baez, Winquest, and Mautz take their shots. Now is not the time for half measures and risk mitigation. Let’s see what the kids can do.
Jul 25, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The next 48 hours could be one of the most fascinating stretches of this decade for the Red Sox. While I think the majority of us would like to see them buy, considering they enter Saturday with a 77% chance of making the playoffs, how much they should buy is a whole other story.
As Matt outlined on Thursday, this is a team that could have Roman Anthony, Garrett Crochet, and Curtis Mead back for the playoffs, so it’s difficult to evaluate how much the Red Sox need to buy. With Anthony finally swinging, albeit just off of a tee, it’s reasonable to expect him back sometime in September. Mead’s injury is estimated at 6-8 weeks, and while none of us trusts the Red Sox medical staff right now, the “high end” eight-week estimate would have him returning a few days before the end of the regular season. Crochet is more of an unknown, as he hopes to return in some role for the playoffs.
Focusing on the lineup, much of the talk has been about the middle infield and catcher, which is entirely fair. The crazy part is that the Red Sox have a ton of middle infielders that should all be healthy by some time in August, with the exception of Mead. I’ll put them in alphabetical order since I have no idea how to rank them anymore:
Tsung-Che Cheng, Romy Gonzalez, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Marcelo Mayer, Curtis Mead, Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler, Nick Sogard, Trevor Story
At the end of the day, there are nine starting spots and thirteen hitters in total that are standardly on a playoff roster (although teams tend to add a 14th hitter in the three-game Wild Card series). With Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin being two infielders, there’s a good chance that only four of the nine names above could be on a playoff roster. If the Red Sox decide that they’ll let the injured players like Story and Kiner-Falefa return and see who the hot hand is going into the playoffs, is it possible that they look at different positions to add a bat?
On our latest episode of The Red Seat Podcast, I floated a couple of non-middle infielder names that interested me: Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera and Blue Jays outfielder George Springer. While Herrera could be costly, it feels like he would be a tier down from the Hunter Goodman cost, and the Cardinals and Red Sox have already made multiple deals since Chaim Bloom took over there.
Springer, however, is the one that really piques my interest as a veteran presence with a ton of postseason experience on a young team. On the surface, Springer has had an underwhelming season. His slash line is .234/.317/.403, he missed a few weeks with a fractured toe in April and has only been a designated hitter this season (save for one game in the outfield). Likely limited by the toe injury in the first couple of months, the 36-year-old Springer has been much improved in recent weeks. Since June 14th (29 games), Springer has a 131 wRC+, slashing .284/.344/.483, with 6 HR and 18 RBI, and is 4-for-4 stealing bases.
Springer is coming off a vintage 2025 season, in which he finished seventh in the MVP voting, dropping 32 home runs with a .309 batting average, and put up a 5.2 fWAR season (his best since 2019). That was just an appetizer for what he would do in the postseason, putting up an .899 OPS, and hitting four home runs, including the biggest home run of the ALCS, a three-run shot to win game seven.
At Fenway Park in his career, Springer has been a monster in 51 games (198 at bats). He’s slashed .323/.400/.540 with 10 HR and 41 RBI. And in the postseason, Springer has played in eight of them, totaling 83 games, with an .880 OPS and 23 home runs. He’s played in three World Series, winning one with Houston in 2017. Of course, if there’s an argument for not wanting Springer in Boston, then “Houston + 2017” is always a valid one but Alex Bregman and Alex Cora have been in town, so … I guess I’ve gotten over it.
We also learned on Friday night, via Julian McWilliams, that Springer would be open to a move to Boston:
One destination that interests Springer, according to a source familiar with his thinking, is Boston.
The fit makes sense. Boston is looking for right-handed power, while Springer, a Connecticut native who grew up a Red Sox fan, has long enjoyed hitting at Fenway Park.
This move can be done without mortgaging the future, likely for prospects that are not in the top tier. Defensively, it seems feasible that Springer could play some left field at Fenway Park while the team waits for Anthony to return, before shifting to more of a designated hitter role as the playoffs approach. Trading Jarren Duran for pitching depth would be a corresponding move that I’d be comfortable with.
As all of the middle infield names that were supposedly available this month – C.J. Abrams, Jeremy Pena, Otto Lopez – are now supposedly unlikely to be moved, Craig Breslow may need to pivot to the outfield/designated hitter pool. Sign me up for George Springer at Fenway in October.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 31: Starting pitcher Bryce Elder (55) of the Atlanta Braves looks back a base runner at first base during the Friday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals on July 31, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Am I getting ahead of myself talking about the playoffs on August 1st? Maybe. The Braves likely need to win 90 games to enter the postseason tournament. So they need another 25 wins across the next 52 games to get there. Atlanta has plenty of time to mess this up, but the good people over at Fangraphs have the Braves playoff odds at 99 percent. So we should cross our fingers, I guess. But I don’t think this talk is completely out of school. It’s like announcers talking about a no-hitter. I’m not sure the Braves active roster is paying attention to what we’re saying over here. So…
The starting pitchers for your NL East leading (presently by 8 games) Atlanta Braves have accumulated 5.9 WAR this season. Collectively, they’re 23rd in WAR entering the games on Friday. Individually, 10-time All-Star Chris Sale and 2023 All-Star Bryce Elder have 85% percent of that total. Eleven other Braves starting pitchers have combined for 0.9 WAR. Right now, there has been no movement in the Braves trade market. This has been the quietest trade deadline that I can ever remember. Now, an absence of rumors doesn’t a dereliction of duty on the part of the Braves. It just means that we haven’t heard anything.
So for now, the Braves have who they have. What Atlanta does have is a significant drop-off from best pitcher to second-best pitcher. Chris Sale is elite, and it feels childish to demand that the Braves have a second possible future Hall of Famer on staff. But it does beg the question about who is best of the rest. And also, how would you structure your pitchers right now? Let’s assume the Braves get AJ Smith-Shawver back permanently, and Spencer Schwellenbach can provide a small number of innings. So assuming that we freeze the roster’s effectiveness right now (meaning how good they are good is how good they are in October, here’s what I think they may handle the first seven innings of each game of a 3-game series. This is a guess of what they might do, not necessarily what they should do.
Game 1: Chris Sale
Game 2: Bryce Elder for 18 batters, then Grant Holmes
Game 3: AJ Smith-Shawver until he’s in trouble, then Reynaldo Lopez, then Martin Perez
I think Weiss would use the bullpen for recover an inning, if necessary. But I’m listing your bulk pitchers here. They would likely put Spencer Schwellenbach in the bullpen, along with Spencer Strider if he is available. Will the Braves acquire someone? Are we rolling with Bryce Elder, Game 2 starter? It’s what it looks like at this point. Bryce Elder on a roll is good, so it could work out. Bad Bryce Elder would be bad, clearly.
BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 31: Andrew Painter #24 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 31, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night, Andrew Painter gave the Phillies pretty much all they could ask for. Six innings where his only mistake was a two-run home run by Pete Alonso, Painter looked pretty good in his return to the major leagues. He was able to get some swings and misses on his stuff, not as many as maybe he would have liked, but still effective enough to keep Baltimore at bay.
The question is: where are you on Painter’s future with the team as far as 2026 goes? Is that one start enough for the team to anoint him the fifth starter the rest of the season? They have had some struggles at the spot and have been actively looking for another starting pitcher to add to the rotation on the trade market.
For me, nothing Painter did was bad at all, but it should not exempt them from trying to upgrade that spot in the rotation at the trade deadline. Maybe it only means they should be shopping in the rentals aisle of the market, but if there is someone available that is an upgrade, the team should look at it. If anything, maybe it means Painter doesn’t need to be moved in return for anyone in a deal.
The Indiana Pacers just unveiled their new “statement” jerseys for the 2026-27 season. For anyone who has not kept up with the naming conventions Nike introduced a decade ago, the old “home”, “away”, and “alternate” jerseys are now called “association”, “icon”, and “statement”. The Pacers’ new threads are an ode to the 90’s and look fantastic. With Tyrese Haliburton coming back from injury and a revamped squad in a wide-open East, it makes sense why they would switch it up now. I love the new (old?) look of the pinstripes, and, honestly, it makes me a little jealous. The Mavericks have not made any such jersey announcement, which got me thinking: when was the last time Dallas changed their “core three” uniforms?
The answer is 2022-23, when they swapped their navy “statement” jerseys for… navy jerseys with bigger letters? And that is just the last time they literally changed a uniform. Per basketballjerseyarchive.com, their home and away jerseys have been nearly identical white and baby blue threads since 2010-11. And their alternate (which has been referred to as the statement jersey previously) has been some version of navy since the year after. If you quickly scroll through that website, the first three jerseys dating back 15 seasons are nearly indistinguishable. To say Dallas is in need of new uniforms would be underselling the desperation.
To be fair, new is not always better. I look at the Raptors’ rebrand in 2020-21 as a prime example. Who asked for a triangular band across the chest, and why were they not shut down? But Dallas’ jerseys are growing stale, and the blues (both navy and light blue) are uninspiring and boring. The whites are okay, but we have been looking at them for over 20 years (they are the longest unchanged uniform the Mavericks have, introduced in 2001). Something new, even with the risk of pulling a 2011 Wizards or 2020 Raptors, is long overdue for the city and fans of Dallas.
The Mavericks aren’t the only team that has had little turnover through the years, however. San Antonio has effectively had the same white and black home and away outfits since 1978. But the Spurs have won many rings in those jerseys. They are a pillar in the history of the NBA, and it is understandable why not changing them due to legacy would make sense. The Mavericks won a championship in their light blues, of course, but their most recent Finals appearance will be remembered in the city edition black jerseys, and their first Finals loss was in the white ones. The legacy and tradition are not there as consistently to justify keeping the three colorways for years to come.
Plus, they have a chance for something most teams do not: redemption. No, I am not talking about winning a championship, though of course those expectations will come with time. I am talking about the opportunity to rebrand between eras. They had a layup marketing pitch when Dirk Nowitzki retired. New jerseys to be associated with young Luka Doncic made too much sense. Yet, they kept the same ones Dirk wore nearly his whole career. Now, as the franchise transitions from Doncic to Cooper Flagg, they can right their wrongs.
What the players wear matters. When you see the home whites or the light blues, you think of Dirk. When the navy jerseys with comically large letters are out, Luka Doncic comes to mind. Flagg deserves the same opportunity. Get him something fresh and memorable and wear them in big games so we will always be reminded of the good times he brought. Plus, the fans deserve something new to look at on a nightly basis.
COVERS INTEL: Fried’s 
