Category: Sports News

There’s been a lot of smoke around the idea of the Royals trading Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo. A lot of it has come from the media, including Jim Bowden and Andy McCullough of The Athletic, one who proposed an unlikely trade to the Cubs and the other who said the Royals need to bite the bullet and make it happen. Certainly, Royals Review writers have repeatedlybegged for itto happen.

But one question keeps coming up, including from the Royals’ own front office: If the Royals trade Wacha, who will pitch next season?

Well, there are actually a lot of candidates. They may not all seem appealing at first glance, but well, let’s take a closer look at them, shall we? Here’s a list, courtesy of Suff76’s Feed post (Thanks for doing all that work so I didn’t have to!):

First, I want to mention a few guys that got left off Suff76’s list who could also be options.

Michael Lorenzen has a club option for next year that doesn’t feel particularly likely to be picked up. Yes, he’s been awful this year, but the underlying numbers suggest he’s actually pitching somewhere between as well as he did in 2024 and 2025. If he came back to the Royals, could they help him make the most of what he’s got again? He wouldn’t be projected to be as good as Wacha, but he’d also be cheaper. And he might be comparable to Lugo.

Tatsuya Imaihas an opt-out, or player option if you prefer, after the conclusion of this season. He’s set with an AAV of $18 million and another opt-out after that, so maybe he doesn’t take it this time, considering how poorly his first season with the Astros has gone. But he has also pitched slightly better than his numbers, and his biggest problems have been walks. That’s something he struggled with when he was younger in Japan but had seemed to figure out in the last couple of years. I’d bet on him improving it again, and if the Royals could either sign him or trade for him, I’d like their odds of helping him.

Jordan Montgomeryhasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2024, but he’s currently rehabbing in the Rangers’ system. It hasn’t gone spectacularly, but he’d be someone you could consider on a bounce-back contract for next season.

Now we can jump into the list.

Kevin Gausman isn’t the problem for the Blue Jays this year. He hasn’t pitched poorly, and his metrics suggest he’s pitched better than his numbers with an unusually low strand rate. Even at 36, he’s striking out more than a batter per inning, and while he’s making a lot of money this year, his next contract will probably be for less than Lugo will make. I’d actually be very excited about a one- or two-year deal for him at $12-$14 million per year.

Shane Bieber is 33 and was still really good when healthy last year, but appears to have lost all semblance of command this season. He’s maybe not someone you want to rely on, but if you can get him for seven digits, you can pray for health and a bounce-back. You might get lucky and get the really good Bieber again.

Jack Flaherty was one of the top pitchers dealt at the 2024 deadline and then returned to Detroit on a two-year deal. He’s actually been better than you probably think, and he’s only 30. Like almost everyone else on this list, you don’t want to give him a ton of money, but he’s not a free agent to completely ignore either.

Clay Holmes is on the opposite side of the spectrum from most of the guys we’ve discussed so far. His 2.39 ERA is probably a performance a bit beyond his skis. That said, if you can pay him like the 4.00 SIERA guy he’s actually been, it could work!

Shota Imanaga is probably my favorite target on this list. I’ve long coveted adding a splitter to the Royals’ pitching repertoire, and he brings a good one. He surprised everyone after opting out of his Cubs deal by taking the Qualifying Offer they made, and his ERA is almost identical this season to last, but with more strikeouts and groundballs. At age 32, if you’re looking for someone to be who Wacha and Lugo were when the Royals first signed them, he might be the guy you’re looking for.

Robbie Ray is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. It really just feels like you never know what you’re going to get from him. For that reason, I’d probably pass on him even though he’s in a second straight season with a sub-4.00 ERA. Let someone else pay him and roll those dice.

Zac Gallen took a significant step back in 2025 but was still much better than you probably realized. This year he’s been awful. He’s another guy I might give a small one-year deal to and see if you can fix him, but not a true Wacha/Lugo replacement.

Chris Bassitt is one of the best cases for the Royals trading Wacha and Lugo sooner rather than later. He came into his own in his early 30s as a starting pitcher but fell off a cliff this season at 37. And there’s a reason he struggled to find a contract; everyone else knew that was a strong possibility. Reminder: Lugo will be 37 next year while Wacha will be 36.

Tyler Mahle was always pitching over his head last year, but has actually improved in several key ways this year, including K-BB% despite having significantly worse results. At 31, he reminds me of 2023 Lugo/Wacha with less health and more walks. He’s probably not a great target to replace them, but the Royals will need pitchers in addition to replacements for them with Ryan Bergert, Cole Ragans, and Stephen Kolek shelved until midway through next season at least.

Brady Singer could be a reunion target. But his ERA has been on a steady rising pattern since his terrific 2022 season. He still has no offspeed pitch, and unless he’s finally willing to actually work on one, the Royals should probably pass.

Zach Eflin had Tommy John surgery at the start of the year. He might be back to start next season, but I’m not writing his name in pen anywhere, especially not in the Royals rotation.

Trevor Rogers is the second Oriole on this list, and he’s right up there with Imanaga on my list. He had a breakout 2025 season, and the Orioles were counting on him to be an ace this year. Unfortunately, he regressed a bit and hasn’t been nearly as good. Still, he’ll only be 29, and the Royals would be one of the teams I think could help him find his 2025 form again.

David Peterson is yet another guy with some secondary metrics that suggest he should have had better results than he’s shown. Certainly worth a look for his age-31 season next year.

Matthew Boyd has been very good when healthy, but he’s had a really hard time staying healthy with a pair of IL stints already this year. The Royals already have a really good lefty who can’t stay on the field; they probably shouldn’t mess with Boyd. But if he could be had for cheap, I don’t mind adding him – just not as a Wacha/Lugo replacement.

Taijuan Walker was so bad that the Phillies decided to cut him. He’s currently a free agent. The Royals might consider him to replace Lugo and Wacha this year because they need the innings, but he’s not someone I’d consider for next season without an astonishing finish to 2026.

Jameson Taillon is our third of three Cubs pitchers. A lot of his underlying metrics say he’s the same guy he was last year, but this year, when batters hit the ball, they hit it hard. You can probably pass on him.

Jeffrey Springs was one of the guys helping to power the Athletics to their surprising start, but he fell off and he fell off hard. I’m not saying there’s no value to be had with him, but if I were a GM, I think I’d only go to him as one of my last resorts.

Dustin May is a really interesting guy. He’s having a career year at age 28, seeming to have finally put all the pieces together in St. Louis. But he also has a 4.59 ERA thanks to a really rough July that appears to have been kick-started by his awful performance in Kansas City on June 21. He rebounded in his last start. He might be fun, but I think with his pedigree and the bounceback, someone will want to pay him a lot, and I don’t trust him enough to do that myself. If you can pay him like Wacha, though, sure, do it.

Nick Martinez is one of the weirdest pitchers I can think of. He rarely gets any respect during the season, but he gets paid every offseason and puts up respectable numbers. I don’t want to be the one holding the bag when it all crashes around him, though.

Zack Littell appears to have already fallen off the cliff at age 30. He’s a guy you can sign to be a Lorenzen-esque swingman, but he’s no Wacha/Lugo.

Lucas Giolito can’t stay healthy, and he’s walked more than he’s struck out when he’s been on the mound this year. Pass.

Before we even get to the summary of all that, I want to talk about how the Royals have spoken of Lugo and Wacha. The team has argued that if they trade either of those guys, they’ll need to find a replacement in free agency. That’s true; they don’t have anyone close to ready in their farm system. But it also relies on the faulty assumption that Lugo and Wacha will be at least as good next year as they are this year. Refer back to my comments on Chris Bassitt. There simply is no guarantee, or even a likelihood, that Lugo and Wacha will be quality pitchers next season. If the Royals aren’t going to be willing to carry large payrolls, they can’t afford to pay guys like Lugo and Wacha to be bad. They should get rid of those salaries now and find cheaper replacements from the above list.

Speaking of the list. Yes, there are some absolute duds on there. But there are some dudes, too. None of these are top starting pitching free agents. As Suff76 notes, the Royals probably won’t be involved in the bidding for Tarik Skubal, Michael King, Casey Mize, or even Freddy Peralta. By my math, that still leaves five or six guys that the Royals could target to replace Wacha and Lugo. I don’t think any of them would cost more; several could cost less. Even without dumping Lugo and Wacha’s salaries next year, the Royals are set to spend about $60 million less than they are this year, according to Roster Resource.

Consider that both sides of the current CBA negotiations are aiming toward some sort of spending floor/encouragement, the Royals might find themselves needing to spend even more than that next year. They’ve got room to spend on multiple pitchers. They could even sign several of those guys that I was less sure about with the idea that everyone can compete for the rotation and whoever doesn’t make it goes to the bullpen. The team has done a much better job scouting starter talent than reliever talent, so maybe that’s how they can do an end-around on the problem.

If you’re curious, here is my list of guys I’d consider adequate Lugo/Wacha replacements at similar or lower salaries, acknowledging that I don’t know what the coaching and scouting staff know about who would need what help, whether the team can provide that help, or whether any of them would be interested in pitching for KC:

• Shota Imanaga
• Trevor Rogers
• Kevin Gausman
• Jack Flaherty
• Dustin May
• David Peterson
• Tatsuya Imai

Here’s the list of guys I’d take a look at for the rotation after replacing Lugo and Wacha:

• Shane Bieber
• Zac Gallen (He’s right on the edge, though, if the Royals think they can fix him)
• Robbie Ray
• Jordan Montgomery
• Clay Holmes
• Nick Martinez

And here, just for fun, is a StatCast comparison of all of the potential replacement pitchers from above in 2026 to how Wacha and Lugo were pitching in 2023:

There’s a lot of blue on that image, to be certain, but none more than Lugo (except maybe Peterson, yikes!) That said, it seems like people have forgotten that Lugo and Wacha were not considered amazing pitchers before they came to KC. They weren’t awful, but no one thought they’d end up being All-Stars in Kansas City. Certainly no one figured either would get Cy Young Award votes. If the Royals could do it with Lugo and Wacha, they can do it again. Randy Dobnak is somehow a serviceable starter and getting better every time out for KC after not throwing as many as ten big league innings for FIVE YEARS since 2021. Don’t look me in my face and tell me they can’t work some magic with some or even many of these guys.

And if they can’t do it again, then none of it matters anyway because even if Lugo and Wacha are good next year and the year after that (big ifs), they won’t be good forever.

The Marlins are reportedly listening on their young players and there are three players the Guardians should be in on… so let’s start with their lefty masher, Heriberto Hernandez.

You can view our larger trade deadline piece here as we discuss a wider pool of options the Guardians may consider. To make my position clear, I expect the Guardians to make smaller moves, like trading Bo Naylor and getting a castoff/undervalued reliever. But, in the interest of exploring potential larger moves, we are doing a series looking at some of those bigger names. So far, we have discussed Spencer Steer, Luis Arraez, Shea Langeliers, Taylor Ward, Heliot Ramos, Jo Adell, Ty France and Tyler Soderstrom. Although the Guardians’ greatest need is hitting, the market is aflush with starting pitching so it also may make sense for the Guardians to see if they can find a good value there, as we wrote here and looked at specifically with Jose Soriano.

Hernandez is a 26 year-old right-handed hitting outfielder with a career 129 wRC+ against LHP and a 105 wRC+ against RHP, good for a career 115 wRC+ overall with a 26.4/9.5 K/BB%. Hernandez is probably mostly a left-fielder, slightly below average there by Defensive Runs Saved at -2 and above average by Outs Above Average at +4 for his career. He has a career .457 slugging percentage and Baseball Savant has his career total of 25 homers as being the same at Progressive Field as it has been with Miami as his home stadium, a rarety among right-handed hitters.

It will not be cheap to acquire Hernandez who is about as good a lefty masher as potentially available at this deadline. However, his numbers look good enough where he can be considered a lineup regular here in Cleveland. The Marlins might even be interested in fixing Kyle Manzardo to go along with a top 100 prospect among the Velazquez/Caceres/Doughty/Chourio/Genao/Ingle bunch. Alternatively, one of those prospects with a major league bullpen ready arm like Hunter Gaddis, Franco Aleman or Daniel Espino could push former CTC commenter and Marlins GM Peter Bendix to pull the trigger on a deal.

Acquiring Hernandez would allow the Guardians to field a lineup something like this:

1. Kwan CF
2. Jose 3B
3. DeLauter DH
4. Hernandez LF
5. Bazzana 2B
6. Angel Martinez RF
7. Manzardo 1B
8. Bailey C
9. Rocchio SS

What do you think about doing business with Bendix and landing Hernandez? Let us know in the comments below.

Good morning friends!

The Mariners had yet another underwhelming offensive performance last night, dropping the middle game to the Dodgers 4-2.

Given the complete inevitability of the Dodgers, is there any team you hate watching the Mariners play more than them?

In Mariners news…

• Chris Towers at CBS Sports marveled at how Dominic Canzone became a legitimate threat against left-handed pitching.

Around the league…

• In a major AL West trade, the Rangers acquired right-hander Chase Silseth and catcher Logan O’Hoppe from the Angels for infield prospect Angel Arredondo.
• Tarik Skubal seems to think he just pitched his last game in a Tigers uniform yesterday, tipping his cap to the fans as he walked off the mound — a game in which he also recorded his 1,000th career strikeout.
• Twins outfielder Byron Buxton is back on the injured list with the same hip ailment that has been nagging him for much of the season.
• In case you missed it, the Dodgers activated closer Edwin Díaz from the injured list. It’s his first time back on the active roster in over three months after getting surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow.
• The Rangers have re-signed Jarred Kelenic to a minor league deal after releasing him just three days ago.
• The City of Vancouver has selected a prospective owner to pursue an MLB expansion franchise.
• Jeff Passan at ESPN unveiled his final major trade deadline preview with under a week to go until the the big day.
• Ashok Selvam reviewed the White Sox’s brand new sushi menu item in their concessions stand.
• Chandler Rome at The Athletic told the story of Steven Okert, the 35-year-old left-hander for the Astros who has suddenly become an extremely lode-bearing piece of the Houston bullpen.
• With Curtis Mead hitting the IL just one game into his Red Sox tenure, Mike Carlucci at Over the Monster remembers some of Boston’s greatest one-game wonders.

Diamondbacks News

(Arizona Sports) Diamondbacks going back to closer-by-matchups

The Diamondbacks are going to play the matchups with a bullpen that has been deeper than in previous seasons.

“I’ve made an adjustment,” Lovullo told Diamondbacks broadcaster Todd Walsh on the postgame show. “I’m going to mix up some roles a little bit and get Paul back on his feet. … We’re going to have roles, matchups to get it done.”

(SI.com) Evaluating All 6 D-backs Closer Options After Paul Sewald Demotion

Manager Torey Lovullo did note that, for now, the D-backs would likely go based on matchups. But a closer-by-committee tends to be more successful when there is one or two primary closers.

Arizona currently carries eight relievers. They’ve all had some level of success this year and have overperformed as a group.

With the exceptions of Sewald and of right-hander Gerardo Carrillo — who is a rookie, and currently the long man of the bullpen — let’s take a look at the potential closer committee members

(Arizona Sports) Diamondbacks will not make a trade that leads to luxury tax penalties

The Diamondbacks are only $6-7 million away from facing luxury tax penalties for the first time in franchise history, Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported.

The club will not set off those penalties, which include an increasing tax rate and the loss of money it receives from redistribution.

MLB News

(Yahoo! Sports) Angels deal Logan O’Hoppe, Chase Silseth to Rangers ahead of trade deadline as struggles continue

The Angels struck a deal to send both starting catcher Logan O’Hoppe and relief pitcher Chase Silseth to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, just days ahead of the MLB trade deadline. In return, they’ll acquire minor-league infielder Angel Arredondo. 

The move was announced minutes before the Angels and Houston Astros were set to start the third game of their series in Anaheim. O’Hoppe, who started behind the plate in the Angels’ 3-2 loss on Tuesday, was not in the lineup.

(CBS Sports) Tarik Skubal gets standing ovation in possible last Tigers start as trade deadline looms

Skubal made history early in his start on Wednesday. He entered the game with 999 career strikeouts and fanned Taylor Ward, the game’s first hitter, to join the 1,000-strikeout club. Skubal got there in 857 career innings, far and away the fewest in Tigers history. The previous franchise record holder, Max Scherzer, recorded his 1,000th strikeout in 944 ⅔ innings.

(NBC Sports) CC Sabathia: Detroit Tigers “have to trade” Tarik Skubal at deadline

As the Tigers (51-58) fade in the AL Central and Wild Card races, Sabathia believes now is the ideal time for Detroit to acquire “all the pieces” it needs to replenish its farm system and MLB roster. A potential deal for Skubal could see the Tigers “run through” a team’s farm, with multiple top prospects and MLB-ready talent likely coming back to Detroit in any deal for the two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner.

That’s why Sabathia is adamant about the rare opportunity Detroit has in front of it, saying it “makes no sense” to keep Skubal when the chance to re-tool on the fly is on the table.

(Yahoo! Sports) Curtis Mead reportedly expected to miss most if not all of the remaining regular season due to wrist fracture sustained in first game with Red Sox

Boston Red Sox infielder Curtis Mead is tentatively expected to miss 6-8 weeks due to the wrist fracture he sustained in his first game with the team, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported Wednesday.

The timeline threatens to sideline Mead for most if not all of the remainder of the regular season.

In these waning days in the Phillies organization for some players, let’s look at how some minor leaguers performed.

Buffalo 5, Lehigh Valley 4

Keaton Anthony hit a home run for the IronPigs yesterday, which makes me wonder about his trade value. He’s a right handed hitting first baseman that can’t really play in the outfield, isn’t really that great a shakes with the glove and is probably just suited to be a DH. How much value does he actually have? Is he something of a second piece? A third piece? On the pitching side, Alex McFarlane had one innings where he struck out two. Personally, I think he’s headed out the door as a trade piece, no matter that he would probably be a better option than at least one pitcher in the current bullpen.

Binghamton 7, Reading 6

For the Fightin’ Phils, Bryan Rincon had a double and scored two runs, Aroon Escobar had two hits and two runs scored and Wuilfredo Antunez almost copied that line, only he had a double as one of the two hits. Pitching wise, Jean Cabrera allowed four runs in four innings, which wouldn’t have been an issue had Mavis Graves not exacerbated the issue by walking four and allowing two runs in a single inning of relief. In a week, I don’t think this team will look the same.

Jersey Shore/Hudson Valley

Jersey Shore was rained out last night.

Clearwater 16, Jupiter 8

I think the Phillies might want to consider taking some lessons from the Threshers. Continuing their solid season in Low-A, the Threshers put up 16 on the Hammerheads, led by Jonathan Hogart (3-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI) and Victor Cardoza (3-6, 3 R). Nolan Beltran and Will Vierling kicked in two hits each, Vierling hitting a home run as part of it. On the mound, Brad Pachecho continued raising his own stock, throwing six innings and only allowing three runs, one of them earned, scattering five hits and striking out seven. He’s starting to be someone to watch for the player development system.

All in all it was a very successful day down on the farm as multiple teams came away with wins. Above all else, there were plenty of individual performances to highlight.

(53-48) Gwinnett Stripers 7, (46-55) Durham Bulls 3 (GAME ONE)

• Patrick Clohisy, CF: 2-4, HR, 2B, RBI, 2 R
• Sean Murphy, C: 3-4, RBI, R
• Andrew McCutchen, LF: 3-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI, R
• Ha-Seong Kim, SS: 1-4, R
• Herick Hernandez, SP: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K

Box Score

The bats showed up and showed out in game one of Gwinnett’s doubleheader, beating Durham by a 7-3 final.

The main question from Wednesday’s first game is: will Patrick Clohisy ever cool off? The answer probably trends toward yes, but he’s shown no signs of slowing down since his promotion to triple-A. In 11 games (45 plate appearances) Clohisy has posted a slash line of .488/.523/.829 in addition to pair of homers, six doubles and a triple in the process.

Clohisy was at it once again on fire on Wednesday, going 2-4 with a double and homer to pace the Stripers’ offense in the win. Clohisy’s fourth inning homer was launched to left center field, just out of reach of the Durham centerfielder.

CONFIRMED: PATRICK CLOHISY IS HIM. pic.twitter.com/pwFIL2sTtd

— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) July 29, 2026

Again, Clohisy will eventually come back down to earth, but he’s been a fun watch and his bat has clearly shown it can compete at the triple-A level, which may move him up a slot or two when it comes to prospects being considered for a big league bench job sometime down the line.

Back to Wednesday’s action, Sean Murphy posted another solid outing in his rehab stint, going 3-4with an RBI and a run scored, in which one of his singles registered an exit velocity of 105 MPH. Overall, Murphy is hitting .286 on his rehab assignment and appears to be close to rejoining the big league club.

Andrew McCutchen has also been a bat on fire since his promotion to triple-A, as he went 3-4 with a pair of doubles on Wednesday to raise his OPS at the level to 1.100 across six games for Gwinnett.

On the mound, Herick Hernandez got his first career triple-A win in the books by tossing five innings of three-run ball, striking out six and walking four in the process. Meanwhile Blake Burkhalter tosses a pair of scoreless frames, scattering a pair of hits and striking out one in his respective outing.

(53-49) Gwinnett Stripers 4, (47-55) Durham Bulls 5 (GAME TWO)

• Brett Wisely, SS: 2-3, HR, RBI, R
• Rowdy Tellez, 1B: 1-4, HR, RBI, R
• Cal Conley, 2B: 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI
• Austin Gomber, SP: 4 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 4 K

Box Score

While things went in Gwinnett’s favor in game one, the same couldn’t be said in the final game of the doubleheader as the Stripers fell by a 5-4 final.

Austin Gomber got the start and put up a solid outing, tossing four innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out four along the way.

Rowdy Tellez got the scoring started for Gwinnett by launching a two-out, solo homer in the top of the first to put the Stripers on top 1-0. In the next inning, Cal Conley came through with one of his two hits on the day, this one a double, to plate both Jair Camargo and Luke Williams, to extend the Gwinnett lead to 3-0.

The final run of the day came courtesy of Brett Wisely, who also went 2-3 on the day, after he launched a solo homer in the top of the fourth to build the Gwinnett lead to 4-0.

Pretty Wise, if you ask us@GeorgiaAccesspic.twitter.com/YOvk5CtULR

— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) July 30, 2026

Despite carrying a 4-0 lead through three innings, the Stripers were ultimately unable to hold on.

Following Gomber was Joel Payamps, who gave up three runs in two innings as Durham managed to tie things up. In the bottom of the seventh, Ian Hamilton managed to record one out before giving up an RBI-single that allowed the Bulls to walk off the Stripers and hand Gwinnett the loss.

(44-49) Columbus Clingstones 4, (49-48) Rocket City Trash Pandas 5

• Jordan Groshans, 3B: 1-5, HR, RBI, R
• Will Verdung, 2B: 1-4, HR, RBI, R
• Carson Taylor, 1B: 2-5, 2 2B, R
• Ian Mejia, SP: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 2 K

Box Score

Columbus came up on the short end of this one, losing by a narrow 5-4 margin to Rocket City.

Ian Mejia got the start and spun 4.2 innings of two-run ball, striking out two and walking one on the night. It’s a nice change of pace for Mejia who has had a rough go of it at the double-A level, as he’s currently carrying an ERA of 8.54 at the level across 13 appearances (nine starts).

Hopefully he’s able to turn things around in the home stretch.

Back to Wednesday’s action, the Clingstones actually put up a respectable offensive performance, scoring four runs on eight hits on the night.

The biggest blows offensively came courtesy of Jordan Groshans and Will Verdung — both of whom launched solo homers on the night — to pace the Clingstones’ offense.

Air Jordan Takes Flight 🪽@ValeroEnergy | #ClingtoColumbuspic.twitter.com/PLqYQALiX1

— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) July 29, 2026

Meanwhile Carson Taylor went 2-5 with a pair of doubles and a run scored as well. On the season, Taylor is hitting .412 with an OPS of 1.268, albeit in five games played for Columbus.

(47-48) Rome Emperors 12, (44-54) Hub City Spartanburgers 1

• Eric Hartman, CF: 3-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R, BB
• Alex Lodise, SS: 3-6
• Mason Guerra, 1B: 4-5, RBI, 3 R
• Owen Carey, RF: 1-5, R
• Ethan Bagwell, SP: 7 IP, 3 H, ER, 8 K

Box Score

To say the Emperors absolutely dominated on Wednesday could be considered a vast understatement.

All told, Rome tallied 12 runs on 15 hits — only two of which were for extra bases — while the pitching staff held Hub City to just one run on four hits.

Ethan Bagwell was simply dominant on Wednesday, as the 20-year-old put up arguably his best start at the high-A level. Across seven innings, Bagwell held the Spartanburgers to one run on three hits, while striking out eight batters in the process.

At low-A Augusta, Bagwell made 13 starts, tossing 68 innings of 2.78 ERA ball, striking out 69 in that same span. While it is a smaller sample size, Bagwell has actually improved upon those numbers since making the leap up to Rome.

In five starts (28.1 innings pitched) Bagwell is carrying an ERA of 2.22, along with 27 strikeouts and just four walks to his credit thus far. Regardless of where he pitches, Bagwell continues to maintain his consistency for throwing strikes, while also managing to miss bats at a higher clip this season. When it comes to arms in Atlanta’s farm system to keep an eye on, every conversation should at least include Bagwell’s name.

Getting back to Wednesday’s action, Bagwell didn’t have to worry much about offensive support, as the Emperors provided him with plenty of runs — scoring at least one run in six separate innings in this one.

In the top of the first, Eric Hartman — because of course he did — led off the scoring charge with a two-run shot to plate John Gil and give the Emperors an early 2-0 lead.

The homer hit off the top of the wall, which initially made it look like a double. However, the home plate umpire signaled it was a long ball, awarding Hartman with his first homer of the night. More on him later.

It all looks the same on the box score. 🤷‍♀️#Braves No.2 prospect Eric Hartman gets us going with a 2-run homer! pic.twitter.com/AHVn1ZmKkj

— Rome Emperors (@GoEmperors) July 29, 2026

The Emperors tacked on an additional run in the top of the fourth and two more in the sixth to extend the lead to 5-1.

Leading 10-1 headed into the ninth, Hartman once again came through with his second homer of the game — this one was a no-doubt, two-run shot over the right field wall — to extend the Rome lead to 12-1, which held as the final.

For Hartman, his two homers put him within two of the all-time single season Rome record. Barring a cold streak of epic proportions, Hartman will eclipse that record with flying numbers before this season is out.

(53-45) Augusta GreenJackets 8, (51-47) Columbia Fireflies 9

• Conor Essenburg, RF: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI
• Luis Guanipa, CF: 2-4, RBI, 3 R, 2 BB
• Manuel Campos, SS: 1-5, 3B, RBI
• Gensi Angeles, SP: 1.1 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 7 ER, BB, K

Box Score

Despite mounting a tremendous comeback in this one, Augusta fell short by a 9-8 final.

Gensi Angeles made his first start for the GreenJackets and it couldn’t have gone much worse. Tossing just 1.1 innings, Angeles gave up eight runs — seven earned — along with six hits and a walk to put Augusta in a deep hole early on.

Trailing 9-0 in the third inning, the GreenJackets got their first run in this one courtesy of a Manuel Campos triple — his first hit at the low-A level — to plate Luis Guanipa.

The biggest offensive blow of the night came in the bottom of the sixth inning, as the GreenJackets scored five total runs to close the gap to 9-6. Luis Guanipa and Conor Essenburg both laced RBI-singles to lead the charge on the night — more on Essenburg later.

Cooper McMurray singled home Cody Miller in the bottom of the seventh to pull Augusta within two runs, while an Essenburg double in the home half of the eighth scored Guanipa to make it a 9-8 game and pull the GreenJackets within one run.

From down nine to within one! pic.twitter.com/2a0tTZ4WZY

— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) July 30, 2026

However, Augusta failed to score in the home half of the ninth, ending the comeback bid and handing the GreenJackets the loss.

Tarik Skubal's name continues to loom over the 2026 MLB trade deadline, even as questions remain about whether the Detroit Tigers have any real interest in moving their ace.

Skubal threw 6⅔ scoreless innings with six strikeouts during his start against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, July 29. He left with the Tigers leading 7-0, but the Orioles rallied for a 10-9 extra-innings win. It was a gut-punch of a loss that caused some to believe it will be Skubal's last start in a Tigers uniform.

With contenders across baseball searching for front-line pitching, Skubal – who has won the past two American League Cy Young Awards – obviously stands out as one of the most impactful players who could potentially become available. Detroit heads into Thursday with a 51-58 record, six games out of first place in the American League Central, and 4½ games out of the final wild-card position.

Follow along here for the latest reports, rumors and news surrounding Skubal's trade market as the deadline approaches.

When is the MLB trade deadline?

Teams must have their trade details finalized and submitted to the league office by the deadline in order for any acquired players to be eligible for the playoffs. After that, players on 40-man rosters can't be traded.

• When: Monday, Aug. 3
• Time: 6 p.m. ET

Will Tigers trade Tarik Skubal?

Just in case the Tigers needed further clarity on what to do with Tarik Skubal, his teammates determined his fate Wednesday in an excruciating loss that was a microcosm of their season.

The Tigers led 7-0 entering the seventh inning and blew it.

It not only resulted in a 10-9, 12-inning loss to the Baltimore Orioles, but left the Tigers no choice but to trade the two-time Cy Young Award winner.

It leaves the Tigers five days to find the best trade partner for Skubal before the Aug. 3 deadline.

It will be a painful move, but a necessary one, writes USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale.

Nightengale: Chances of Tarik Skubal getting traded at least 80%

Before Tarik Skubal's start against the Orioles on Wednesday, USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale said he believes there was at least an 80% chance of the Tigers trading Tarik Skubal before Monday's deadline.

"I just think with the way they have played, being six games under .500, they have no choice," Nightengale said Wednesday while appearing on "Foul Territory." "I think they'll try to thread the needle here and say, you know what, tell teams we'll trade him but we need a starter back that can fit in the rotation right now and get some help for the future."

Nightengale also named his top contender for Skubal's services: "I still think the Dodgers are the No. 1 fit."

Tarik Skubal landing spots

Which teams are going to be in on adding Tarik Skubal to its rotation? According to USA TODAY Sports' Jon Hoefling, don't be surprised to see the usual suspects.

• Chicago Cubs
• Tampa Bay Rays
• Atlanta Braves
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• Milwaukee Brewers

Passan: Tarik Skubal is going to be traded

While appearing on SportsCenter on Wednesday night, ESPN's MLB insider Jeff Passan said he had no doubt about Tarik Skubal's future.

"Yeah, Tarik Skubal is going to be traded," Passan said. "The Tigers haven't gone to teams that are interested in him and said as much at this point, but the expectation is that's going to happen within the next day or two.

"And frankly everyone has been expecting it when you see how the Tigers have played recently, and certainly their game Wednesday was a perfect encapsulation of their season, they understood that they needed to go on a really big run in order to have Tarik Skubal stick around. And they didn't do it."

Passan went on to name the top contenders to land Skubal.

"Milwaukee Brewers, who have a tremendous farm system, and of course the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are the favorites at this point, and frankly have been since the possibility of Tarik Skubal getting traded first surfaced a couple months ago," Passan said.

Do Dodgers need Tarik Skubal?

Considering the injuries that have impacted the Dodgers' rotation this season, they could certainly benefit from bringing in the reigning two-time AL Cy Young Award winner.

Shohei Ohtani had a setback in his recovery from a left knee injury, delaying his scheduled bullpen session on July 25 in New York.

Tyler Glasnow (back injury) is expected to return some time in August from the 60-day IL. The 32-year-old pitcher was cleared to resume throwing off the mound in early July and was scheduled to face live hitters last week.

Blake Snell is also taking steps toward a return. The 33-year-old southpaw is expected to make his third minor league rehab start at Triple-A Oklahoma City on July 29. — James Williams

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tarik Skubal trade rumors: Latest updates, landing spots for Tigers ace

On Thursday morning, Emily Waldon of Baseball America and Just Baseball Media reported that the Detroit Tigers plan to call up top prospect, center fielder Max Clark, in advance of their series with the Athletics in Sacramento starting Friday night. Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic Detroit confirmed that report later.

With outfielder Matt Vierling seemingly headed to the injured list after suffering a lower body injury, and left-handed hitting center fielder James Outman struggling mightily at the plate, the Tigers have decided the time is right for Clark’s major league debut. It’s certainly a tricky time for the Tigers as they head out west with reports that Tarik Skubal will be traded soon swirling, and only the Tigers themselves fully knowing what course they’re plotting into Monday’s trade deadline. So, Clark will immediately be thrust into tumultuous time for the franchise.

The 21-year-old was already on his way after catching fire in July at the Triple-A level. Clark currently holds a 1.086 OPS for the month of July, with five home runs after hitting six total from April to June. As we’ve noted in our scouting reports on him all year, the sign we were looking for to declare him ready to go was starting to tap into his above average raw power, and Clark has followed through on that request. He’s hit three homers just in the past week, and importantly, has balanced his splits perfectly with an .802 OPS from either side of the plate, though he does strikeout more against left-handed pitching.

Clark rarely swings and misses. His swinging strike rate for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens is a miniscule 5.3 percent. He also holds an excellent chase rate of 22.2 percent and Clark has walked in 11.9 percent of his plate appearances this season. His strikeout rate is just 15.3 percent. His contact rate on swing in the zone is an extremely good 94.1 percent. Those numbers aren’t terribly dissimilar from his friend Kevin McGonigle’s work, although obviously Clark is at an easier level of pitching. The big step for Clark will be driving the ball more consistently in the air to the pull field at the major league level. That will probably take some time.

Clark will take some called strikes waiting for a pitch he likes, but he has a strong two-strike approach and can put together really pesky at-bats that wear on opposing pitchers. He’s also quite fast and generally gets out of the box well. Clark will beat out his share of infield hits and he can handle the bat and drop a bunt down as well. A true contact hitter, he’ll need time to acclimate and to find the power stroke at the major league level, as has been his pattern at each level of his development. Expect him to spray line drives and ground balls to all fields early on, with gap and then over the fence power following as he settles in.

What the Tigers will get offensively from Clark is a true leadoff hitter type who runs the bases well and has improved his reads on pitchers and ability to steal bases this year. He has 21 stolen bases for the Hens this season, having been thrown out just twice. He’ll eventually hit for average power in my opinion. It may just take until next year for him to start putting many balls in the seats once he’s learned the league.

In Clark, the Tigers will also get an upgrade defensively in center field over Outman, Vierling, or Javier Báez. Clark has the speed to cover a lot of ground, and while he hasn’t always had the most refined approach in his route running, that too has been a focus for him this season and he’s cleaned up some of the rough edges in his defensive game as well, rarely making any mistakes, and showing off an accurate throwing arm with six assists this season.

Clark would have retained rookie eligibility for 2027 had the Tigers waited until August 15, but the incentive picks for promoting a prospect for a full season and having them win Rookie of the Year might not even survive the new collective bargaining agreement. Of course, the 2027 season could potentially not survive the new collective bargaining agreement either, so it’s an interesting decision to go ahead and start his service time clock right now. Probably neither speculative factor really moved the needle on the decision either way.

It is a bit peculiar that the Tigers didn’t already call Clark up in place of Outman if they weren’t concerned with the rookie eligibility issue. Presumably, like all the prospect watchers out here, they were just waiting for him to heat up at the plate and look in full control of the Triple-A level before the next challenge.

Max Clark will be the 6th high-schooler (and 50th player overall) from the 2023 draft to reach the majors. He joins:

Bryce Eldridge
Kevin McGonigle
A.J. Ewing
Colt Emerson
Cooper Pratt

— Chris Brown (@ChrisBrown0914) July 30, 2026

Expect that whatever the Tigers do in the trade market over the next few days, they’re going to insist that they’ll continue to push for a wild card spot in the postseason. Max Clark in center field certainly helps them do that more than any of the Tigers other options. This isn’t going to be a fullscale teardown and tank job. Putting their prized rookies in that situation is no way to start them off in the league anyway. Instead, they’re more likely to simply accept the reality of the Skubal situation and their modest postseason odds and make a trade or two to acquire young, controllable talent, without really putting the rest of the team up for bids. If they could get the backend of their bullpen sorted out, they’d still have a decent shot anyway, but that’s been the story all season long without remedy.

Clark was the Tigers first round pick, and third overall, in the 2023 amateur draft. He’s moved very quickly through the system and found success at early level consistently ranking among the top few outfield prospects in baseball. A few months younger than Kevin McGonigle, Clark will actually reach the major leagues at the same age. Don’t expect him to immediately rake the way McGonigle has, but the duo will make for a talented 1-2 punch atop the Tigers order for a long time to come, and Clark will bring a lot of energy and speed to the Tigers lineup and outfield defense.

Welcome to the Show, Max Clark. This should be fun.

There are so many cracks on this Red Sox roster, it’s hard to pinpoint a top priority to address, but if we keep it broad I think we can focus on five general areas of need.

• Significantly more offense in left field, where the Red Sox have the second lowest OPS of any team in the American League at the position.
• A solution in the middle infield, where over the next six weeks they’ll have some combination of Andruw Monasterio, Nick Sogard, Trevor Story, Marcelo Mayer, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Romy Gonzalez available, but no obvious path forward.
• Another arm in the rotation to combat injuries, the trade of Connelly Early, and the fact both Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett are set to blow by career highs in innings pitched.
• Multiple seventh inning options in the bullpen to slot into the same general tier as Justin Slaten and Tyron Guerrero. (Once you get beyond those two guys, it’s a real game of pick your poison to get to Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman.)
• An upgrade at catcher, because there’s just no ceiling there with Connor Wong and Carlos Narvaez.

Here’s the problem: I don’t know what I want the Red Sox to do about these holes because I don’t know the September status of Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony, and Curtis Mead.

On the flip side, I know exactly what I really, really DON’T want the Red Sox to do, and that’s take a significant stab trying to upgrade about half of these needs before getting to the heart of September and realizing Crochet, Anthony and Mead are fully out of the picture.

To put it mildly, this is quite a pickle. I firmly believe a roster with Crochet, Anthony and Mead can make a very deep run in October, and if you look at those five areas of weakness highlighted above, those three guys fully solve two and a half of them. In other words, there are scenarios in the deck where Boston gets good news on the injury front and is only a couple of pieces away from going to the World Series as constructed right now.

Unfortunately, we have no idea if we’re living in that world. This is like being asked to bet on a poker hand without being able to look at your cards. How confident are you there’s an ace sitting under there?

Despite their absence the last three months, Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony remain the two most important championship building blocks for this team over the next five years. They’re young, they’re locked up long-term under contract, and they each have extraordinarily high ceilings. You can build a playoff team without them, but I’m not sure you can build a championship team without them unless you’re willing to completely mortgage the future, and this is where the calculus gets really sticky.

If these guys are truly done for 2026, the Red Sox are sailing blind into a waterfall. They could royally screw themselves for the next five years by making the wrong moves in next five days. All they have to do is give up significant pieces that could help them in 2027 and beyond and not have Crochet, Anthony and Mead available down the stretch. In that scenario, you’re probably getting quickly bounced this fall, and then have much less firepower to work with in a year where Crochet and Anthony actually are vying for Cy Young and MVP awards.

Adding more fuel to this fire is the playoff format. Right now, the Red Sox find themselves seven games off the division lead, and would also need to leapfrog the Yankees to get there, who are 4.5 games ahead. This is all another way of saying that the Red Sox are probably going to end up in that Wild Card round no matter what they do.

Even if they do nothing else this deadline, I think they still get into the Wild Card round given the ridiculously bloated playoff format at this historically awful American League. They could probably even sell a piece or two and still get there — that’s how much the other middling teams in the AL suck! On the flip side, is there anything the Red Sox could realistically do at the deadline that will dramatically improve their chances of winning the division?

Even if you believe the Red Sox can become the best team in the AL by October with a healthy return of Crochet, Anthony and Mead — and I do — those guys wouldn’t enter the picture until late in the proceedings. In other words, start booking your vacation days for Tuesday, September 29th through Thursday October 1st.

Given this dynamic, I’m petrified of what the Red Sox might do over the next handful of days. The fan in me wants them to buy, but I also realize you’re pretty much building this whole thing for a three game Wild Card series where the two most important players to your franchise may or may not be available. Does that sound like a solid investment?

Perhaps the real play here is to go for the long-term options. Guys under control for multiple years so you get a shot a both the 2026 World Series and others beyond it. But then again, that’s only going to cost more, potentially further damaging your ability to build around the core going forward.

Can you see why I’m nervous yet? Why every step forward here could lead to a trap door? Let’s hope the Red Sox know a little more about the timelines of Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony internally than they’re letting on, because if they don’t, they may cost themselves the 2027 or 2028 World Series trying to capture an unwinnable game in 2026.

Your move Craig.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (38-37/12-15)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (27-42/9-19)

READING 7, BINGHAMTON 6 (BOX)

Coming into the ninth, the Rumble Ponies were barely hanging on, holding a slight 6-5 lead, looking to take the first game of the series. With two men on and one out, Garret Stratton bungled a chopper hit to him, throwing away the ball and turning what should’ve been a game ending double play into a game ending throwing error.

·  SS Mitch Voit: 3-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 3B, BB

·  LF Chris Suero: 0-3, R, 2 BB, SB (25)

·  CF John Bay: 1-3, BB, K, HBP, CS (1)

·  2B-3B Nick Lorusso: 2-5, 2 RBI, K

·  DH Jose Ramos: 1-2, R, RBI, 2 BB, K

·  RF D’Andre Smith: 1-5, R, 2B, RBI, K

·  1B Corey Collins: 2-4, R, HR (2), 2 RBI, BB

·  C Kevin Parada: 0-4, BB, 2 K

·  3B JT Schwartz: 0-4, K

·  2B Wyatt Young: 0-1, K

·  RHP Channing Austin: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

·  LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

·  RHP Danis Correa: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, BS (1)

·  RHP Brendan Girton: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, H (2)

·  RHP Zach Peek: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, H (3)

·  RHP Garrett Stratton: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HBP, L (1-3), BS (1), E (1)

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (25-40/15-16)

BROOKLYN 8, WINSTON-SALEM 6 (BOX)

Twin four-run innings evened up the series for the Cyclones. The first, in the sixth, saw Antonio Jimenez, Colin Houck, and Trace Wilhoite string together a few hits. The second, in the bottom of the ninth, saw Randy Guzman drive in a run and Daiverson Gutierrez walk things off with a two-run homer.

·  CF Trey Snyder: 0-4, BB, K

·  C Ronald Hernandez: 0-4, BB, E (12)

·  LF Randy Guzman: 3-4, 2B, RBI, HBP

·  PR Yonatan Henriquez: 0-0, R

·  2B Jamari Baylor: 1-5, 2 R, K, SB (6)

·  DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-5, R, HR (6), 3 RBI

·  SS Antonio Jimenez: 1-3, R, 2B, RBI, BB, K

·  3B Colin Houck: 4-4, R, RBI, SB (6), CS (3), E (14)

·  RF Yohairo Cuevas: 0-3, R, BB, K

·  1B Trace Willhoite: 1-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB

·  RHP Nicolas Carreno: 3.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, WP

·  LHP Luis R. Rodriguez: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

·  RHP Juan Arnaud: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, WP, HBP

·  RHP Bryce Jenkins: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Ryan Dollar: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, W (2-1)

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (33-33/12-19)

DUNEDIN 14, ST. LUCIE 9 (BOX)

Another game where the St. Lucie offense was clicking on all cylinders; unfortunately, pitching was just as bad as the bats were good.

 ·  DH Elian Peña: 2-4, 2 RBI, K, HBP

·  REHAB ALERT 3B Cole Mathis: 1-4, R

·  PH Julio Zayas: 0-1

·  2B Marco Vargas: 1-3, 2 R, BB, K

·  2B Vladi Gomez: 0-1, K

·  RF Kuhio Aloy: 0-5, 3 K

·  C Yovanny Rodriguez: 1-4, R, HR (1), 3 RBI, BB, 2 K, E (1)

·  1B Branny De Oleo: 1-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB, K, E (12), CS (8)

·  LF Simon Juan: 1-4, R, HR (8), 2 RBI, K

·  CF Bohan Adderley: 2-4, 2 R, HR (1), RBI, K, SB (1), E (1)

·  SS Dylan Carey: 1-3, R, HBP

·  REHAB ALERT RHP Owen Woodward: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

·  RHP Jose Lopez: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 6 BB, 2 K, WP, BLK

·  RHP Elwis Mijares: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HBP

·  RHP Zack Mack: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, WP, L (4-2), BS (2)

·  RHP Joe Scarborough: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3 WP

·  RHP Caden Wooster: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Rookie: FCL Mets (24-33)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Daiverson Gutierrez

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Garrett Stratton

Three different teams went over double digits in a day of great offensive performances in the Dodgers minor league system.

Player of the day

If there was a case to be made for a couple of other names to be the Player of the Day on Tuesday, Jake Gelof this time made it a no-contest. The Drillers’ third baseman hit three home runs as the protagonist of a 6-2 win.

Have yourself a night, Jake Gelof!

Gelof homers for the THIRD time tonight! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/s7qyZtMmpA

— Tulsa Drillers (@TulsaDrillers) July 30, 2026

One of the more dominant hitters in Double-A presently, Gelof recorded his fourth straight multihit performance, now with 21 long balls this campaign. The more power-oriented approach seems to be paying off, as Gelof carries a .880 OPS, having already set a career high in strikeouts.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Scoring a run in seven of the eight innings in which they hit, the Comets took down the Aviators in an 11-2 game. Jack Suwinski, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Ryan Ward all left the yard, with the latter of the trio knocking a couple of solo shots to make it an even 10 for him this season.

Two AB's, two dingers by Ryan Fitzgerald ☄️☄️ pic.twitter.com/e3FdtwGN37

— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) July 30, 2026

Not that the Comets needed such a high level of performance on the mound, but Landon Knack was at his finest, allowing just one hit in five innings, punching out one batter per frame.

Surprisingly, perhaps the Comets’ best hitter this season, at least one of them, James Tibbs III, was the only batter in the starting lineup to go hitless. Hyeseong Kim didn’t record an RBI but made up for it by reaching base in four of five plate appearances, scoring three runs.

Double-A Tulsa

It was a game of rare individual accomplishments with the Drillers beating the Naturals at home. Starter Payton Martin allowed a solo shot in his first inning of work and another one in his last frame—that was all the scoring the Naturals did, as Martin was a machine across eight innings to earn his fifth win of the season.

The Drillers’ offense delivered as much of a one-man show as you could see, with Jake Gelof carrying the offense from start to finish with his three home runs.

Jake Gelof has homered in back-to-back games 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XoRx7CDUcF

— Tulsa Drillers (@TulsaDrillers) July 30, 2026

The other two RBI came from Frank Rodriguez, the only other Driller to hit a long ball. One aspect of the Drillers’ performance left a lot to be desired, though, and probably stood in the way of a larger win: the running game. Three different base runners were caught stealing, including Josue De Paula twice, as the Drillers didn’t steal a single base.

High-A Great Lakes

With the two teams combining for 29 strikeouts and no home runs, scoring could’ve been even scarcer than the final 5-4 result in favor of the visiting TinCaps. With the teams tied at two all after nine innings, the 10th frame saw Fort Wayne score three runs and still nearly let the Loons back into the game, stopping one run short.

Nico Perez hit a two-run single in the 10th and even stole second with just one out—only Chase Harlan and Jaron Elkins couldn’t do anything with it, stranding the tying run in scoring position. Elkins ended the game with his fourth strikeout for that Golden Sombrero.

Single-A Ontario

Maybe it was the confidence boost of playing behind a big-league ace, but the whole team showed up performing at a high level as the Tower Buzzers thrashed the Grizzlies in a 12-3 win. Blake Snell was sharp in his command with 45 strikes on 60 pitches to complete four scoreless innings, punching out nine with zero walks.

Mairoshendrick Martinus recorded a team-high three hits, including the game’s only home run, a solo shot in the fifth. Ching-Hsien Ko had a rare triple, retired just once in five plate appearances, with two hits and a couple of free passes. Easton Shelton was a rare Ontario batter to go hitless, but he still found a way to drive in his 95th run, closing in on the 100 mark.

Transactions

Blake Snell started a rehab assignment with the Ontario Tower Buzzers.

Wednesday’s scores

• Oklahoma City 11, Las Vegas 2
• Tulsa 6, NW Arkansas 2
• Great Lakes 4, Fort Wayne 5
• Ontario 12. Fresno 3

Thursday’s schedule

• 4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (TBD) vs. Fort Wayne (Carson Montgomery)
• 5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Adam Serwinowski) vs. NW Arkansas (Drew Beam)
• 5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (TBD) vs. Las Vegas (TBD)
• 6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Fresno (Brady Parker)