Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) throws the ball to first base during home opener at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Columbus looked like it had done enough to win, scoring a go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning, but the bullpen couldn’t hold it.
Cooper Ingle went beast mode, going 4-for-5 from the leadoff position while Angel Genao went 2-for-4 with a walk and Juan Brito also went 2-for-4 with a double. Milan Tolentino walked twice and stole a base.
Starting pitcher Austin Peterson did his job, allowing two runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and a walk in 5.1 innings.
Ryan Webb added 1.2 scoreless, hitless frames and the recently-activated Carlos Hernandez added a perfect eighth inning before Jack Leftwich gave up three hits in the bottom of the ninth to take the loss and earn his first blown save of the season.
Josh Hartle pitched one of the best games of his career, but it wasn’t enough as Akron’s offense was a no-show on Thursday.
Hartle dominated, striking out eight and walking one in 5.2 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits. This was his second straight scoreless outing of at least five innings so hopefully he’s turning a corner in the second half.
Jay Driver was excellent in relief, adding 2.1 scoreless frames with four strikeouts. Unfortunately, Izaak Martinez gave up one run in the top of the ninth inning and Akron couldn’t answer.
Nolan Schubart reached base safely twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Aaron Walton also walked twice. Tyresse Turner went 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base.
Half of your offense has been promoted to Akron? No problem!
Rake County was at it again on Thursday. Crazy as it sounds, despite having position players Jaison Chourio, Luke Hill, Nolan Schubart, Bennett Thompson, Ryan Cesarini, Aaron Walton and Dean Curley all get promoted to Double-A, the team just continues to blast baseballs.
A whopping seven players in the lineup still have an OPS over .800.
Everyone got in on the action Thursday, with Juneiker Caceres leading the charge by going 3-for-6 with two doubles. He now has an OPS of 1.032 despite having been promoted a level recently.
Also standing out was Welbyn Francisca, who has been heating up big time. Francisca went 3-for-5 with a home run and a double. Jeffrey Mercedes also had a three-hit game, going 3-for-4 with a home run and a walk.
Jonah Advincula could have pouted about being demoted, but he is raking instead. He went 2-for-5 with a double, a walk and three stolen bases. Jace LaViolette also broke out of his recent slump, going 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two walks.
Starting pitcher Will McCausland didn’t have his best stuff, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits in 3.0 innings. He struck out three and walked one.
Melkis Hernandez was sensational out of the bullpen. He struck out a whopping eight batters in 3.0 scoreless innings without walking anyone. Logan McGuire finished off the win with 2.0 scoreless frames.
In game one, catcher Reiner Herrera missed hitting for the cycle by a single, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a triple and a double.
Riley Nelson also had a terrific game, going 2-for-2 with two walks. Also homering were Cannon Peebles, who went 1-for-3 with a walk; and Luis De La Cruz, who went 1-for-4. Dauri Fernandez singled and walked, but was caught stealing twice.
Starting pitcher Aidan Major allowed four runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings with three strikeouts and no walks. He was relieved by Evan Chrest, who was tattooed for five runs in just 1.1 frames. The game was tied until the eighth inning when Javi Torres allowed the ghost runner to score to take the loss.
Hill City was in control of game two all the way until the final two innings.
Victor Izturis went 2-for-3 with a double and Riley Nelson tripled.
Starting pitcher Miguel Flores allowed four runs on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Luke Fernandez had a nightmare relief outing, allowing seven runs on five hits with three walks in just 1.1 frames.
May 19, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Jacob Lopez (57) delivers to the plate in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Welcome to Friday A’s fans! We made it.
After a day off the club is back at it tonight, this time in Minnesota set to take on the Twins for a three-game weekend series.
The two clubs are in different spots heading into this weekend. While the Athletics have seen their playoff hopes evaporate over the past month, the Twins are still in the thick of things. At 51-53 they’re 4 1/2 games back of the AL Central lead but a much more manageable 2 1/2 back for the third and final Wild Card spot. That’s much better than many expected entering the season, but is it good enough to prevent them from selling?
The Twins would have a few interesting pieces if they decided to make players available. Starting pitcher Joe Ryan would instantly become the #2 starting pitching target on the trade market if the Twins were to make him available. Catcher Ryan Jeffers has been linked to every team that needs catching help and may even find himself on the move in a win-now move for the Twins. And then you have the talented but often-injured center fielder Byron Buxton, who is having his best season in years and would also demand a hefty prospect package to pry him out of Minnesota (though he’s said he won’t wave his no-trade clause).
That said, their owner has made public statements indicating he’d rather not sell off pieces and wave the white flag when they’re this close to a playoff spot. Whether they went into sell mode depended on how they did coming out of the break and they’ve gone 3-4 since. How they act at the deadline will be interesting to watch. Even if they elect not to sell off pieces, they’re not likely to be buyers either as they’re focused on the long-term right now. Now would be a great time for the A’s to get hot and play spoiler.
The A’s meanwhile are just about out of the playoff race and are likely fielding calls on players. They just lost two of three in Arizona and at 43-59 the idea of October baseball is a fantasy. How far the A’s go in selling this trade deadline will be interesting to watch. Are only short-term rentals available, or are any of the medium or long-term assets on the table? We have 11 days until the deadline.
Now looking ahead to this weekend’s series matchups. The A’s will send left-hander Jacob Lopez to the bump to kick off the series in the Twin Cities. Lopez made a successful return to the starting rotation in his most recent appearance, allowing just a pair of runs on just two hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. The A’s will be hoping that the lefty can provide more length tonight without sacrificing those results. The Twins will counter Lopez with third-year right-hander Zebby Matthews, who is having a tough year with a 5.40 ERA in 12 starts.
After Lopez the A’s have not named a starter but we can still guess, right? The club is without J.T. Ginn for the immediate future so they’ll need a short-term option for the rotation. Right-hander Mason Barnett was recalled to take Ginn’s spot on the roster and his last appearance in any game was last Saturday so he’d be well rested for the start. Odds are it’s him getting the ball but if Lopez has a short outing tonight Mark Kotsay may need a long man outing from the righty and the club figures Saturday out when it comes around. We’re at that point in the year, folks. Minnesota isn’t much better though as they’ve yet to announce who’ll get the ball on Saturday either. This should be a fun one.
Then the series wraps on Sunday with a matchup of veterans featuring Jeffrey Springs and Joe Ryan. The lefty Springs had a tough first half and ended it on a low with a few less-than-stellar outings. He managed to bounce back in his first start out of the break and we’ll all be hoping he can continue that in the finale. Minnesota meanwhile has their ace in Ryan lined up for this start. While the right-hander has had a great season to date, he got ambushed for eight runs in his most recent start so maybe the A’s are catching him at the right time.
First pitch is at 5:10 tonight. Have a great day and weekend everyone!
Shortly after Steve Cohen bought the franchise, he shared his desire to turn the Mets (43-60) into an east coast version of the Dodgers (65-38). Simply put, that hasn’t happened yet, as the Mets have spent quite a bit of money on their major league payroll but haven’t been consistent when it comes to making the playoffs and have yet to win the National League East during Cohen’s tenure.
As per usual, the Dodgers are having a great season and considered one of the favorites to win the World Series. If they were to accomplish that feat, it’d make them back-to-back-to-back World Series winners, a rarity in Major League Baseball. And they’re doing just about everything well, as they’re third in baseball in scoring with 5.19 runs per game and the best team in baseball at run prevention with just 3.67 runs allowed per game.
Among Dodgers hitters with at least 100 plate appearances this year, Tommy Edman—who has exactly 100 plate appearances—leads the team with a 171 wRC+ that’s driven by his staggering .360 batting average and .439 batting average on balls in play. Among qualified hitters, Shohei Ohtani has been their best, though his 146 wRC+ is relatively pedestrian by his absurd standards. He’s recently taken a break from pitching, and whether or not he returns to his two-way role moving forward remains to be seen.
After Ohtani, Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman are in the 130s with their wRC+, and Dalton Rushing and Andy Pages are both comfortably above league average at the plate. Miguel Rojas and Will Smith are hovering just above league average, too. And all of those hitters are doing plenty to make up for the fact that Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker each have a 94 wRC+, while Teoscar Hernández has a 92 wRC+.
The Dodgers’ bullpen is the seventh-best in baseball this year with a 3.77 ERA. Their rotation ranks second with a 3.42 ERA. No team is flawless, but it’s a lot harder to find flaws when you’re looking at the Dodgers.
As for the Mets, they’re coming off a 3-3 road trip against the Phillies and Brewers, a perfectly cromulent outcome for a team that’s having one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. When it comes to run prevention, the Mets are below league average with 4.69 runs allowed per game. And their lineup has been the fourth-worst in baseball with 4.07 runs scored per game.
Whether or not Juan Soto is fully healthy is something we’ll find out during this series. The Mets gave him the day off in their series finale in Milwaukee on Wednesday ahead of their off day yesterday, refusing to even pinch hit him in a couple of late and close spots where he might’ve swung the game in the Mets’ favor.
Anything better than getting swept this weekend would be a relatively welcome outcome here. But if you’re feeling optimistic, hey, maybe the Mets will sweep the Dodgers. And hopefully it won’t be too much longer before the franchise looks like the perennial contender that Steve Cohen set out to turn it into.
Friday, July 24: Sean Manaea vs. Roki Sasaki, 7:10 PM EDT on WPIX
Considering how his season started, it’s impressive that Manaea’s are this decent. His most recent start, during which he faced the Phillies, wasn’t so good, but he has a 4.14 ERA since the beginning of June. That’s still disappointing given the contract he signed with the Mets ahead of the 2025 season, but if the Mets’ lineup were better, the team would probably be winning a decent chunk of his starts while he’s looking like a serviceable starting pitcher.
While it often feels like the Dodgers can do no wrong, the 24-year-old Sasaki struggled in limited work in 2025 after coming over from Japan and has either been slightly worse or slightly better than that this year, depending on whether you prefer ERA or FIP—or another ERA estimator.
Saturday, July 25: Nolan McLean vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 7:15 PM EDT on FOX
It would’ve been great to see McLean in the Cy Young mix in the National League this year, but the fact that he isn’t really has just as much to do with how great some of the starting pitchers in the league have been as it does with McLean himself. After some struggles earlier in the season inflated his ERA, he’s recovered very nicely, as he has a 2.11 ERA in eight starts since the beginning of June. He’ll face the Dodgers’ best pitcher of this series, but he is clearly the Mets’ ace at the moment.
While his peripherals look very similar to McLean’s, Yamamoto is sporting an ERA that’s a half-run better. He’s also not really in the Cy Young race at the moment, but he is in the top ten in ERA among qualified starting pitchers in the National League. It’d take slip-ups by Jacob Misiorowski and Chris Sale for anyone else to really have a shot, but if those two do falter, Yamamoto could work his way up into that mix. Now in his third season in Major League Baseball, the 27-year-old has really been a boon to a Dodgers team that was already very good before his arrival.
Sunday, July 26: Freddy Peralta vs. Emmet Sheehan, 1:40 PM EDT on SNY
Even if you came into the season without the expectation that Peralta would be the ace the Mets made him out to be when they traded for him, you’d be pretty disappointed in what he’s done in his time in Queens. Over his last six starts—an arbitrary selection of endpoints, but still—he has an 8.44 ERA. Over the last three of those starts, it’s been a 6.28 ERA. Ideally he’ll make a couple of better starts before the trade deadline, but facing the Dodgers this weekend obviously doesn’t make that easy.
Coming off an excellent 2025 season that saw him throw 73.1 innings for the Dodgers and finish with a 2.82 ERA and a 2.93 FIP, Sheehan was a pitcher to watch coming into the 2026 season. The 26-year-old hasn’t lived up to those lofty expectations, though, and like Peralta, he’s struggled recently. Over his last six starts, Sheehan has a 6.04 ERA.
TORONTO, CANADA - JULY 23: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after his team defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on July 23, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Thursday was a rare quiet day across the American League, with just three games going on and only two of them on our radar. The Yankees were one of many that had the day off as they travelled to Philadelphia, so they had nothing to do but see if the Blue Jays could do them a favor and get them a half-game closer to the Rays. Surprisingly, they were up to the task.
Tampa Bay Rays (59-43) 1, Toronto Blue Jays (47-56) 3
The Rays were on the verge of sweeping this four-game series in Toronto, having taken the first three games with Wednesday’s 4-2 result being the only close one compared to two blowouts. Shane Bieber had other ideas in the finale, tossing a gem to give Toronto a chance. He only picked up three strikeouts on the night, but he kept baserunners from running rampant thanks to some good defense and enough soft contact on top of not walking a single batter in his seven innings of work.
Tampa Bay tested him in the first inning, Yandy Díaz leading off with a six-pitch at-bat that led to a pop-up before Jonathan Aranda took a golf swing at a ball down below the zone. He still managed to drive it, going all the way to the warning track in the right-center gap, but Miles Straw had a beat on it from the jump and managed to track it down before colliding with the wall. Junior Caminero lined out, and that clean first inning set Toronto up to do something they’d rarely done all series: take a lead.
Casey Legumina got the start as an opener for the Rays, and he got two quick outs to open the frame. Ernie Clement attacked a first-pitch slider at the top of the zone for a single to start a rally though, and George Springer worked an eight-pitch walk to keep the pressure on. Alejandro Kirk stared at a slider that landed dead-center for strike one and then fought off a couple of heaters well out of the strike zone before getting the slider again, and got another mistake pitch from Legumina. This time he swung, and even though he only got a weak dribbler out of it luck was on his side — Caminero came charging at the ball but couldn’t field it, letting it slip behind him and briefly losing track of the ball. Clement had the play developing right in front of him and never stopped hustling as he rounded third, easily scoring despite the ball never leaving the infield.
The second inning was light work for Bieber, who induced three easy grounders around the infield. Toronto worked a leadoff walk in the bottom half but erased it immediately on a double play, sending us to the top of the third where Tampa saw their first real chance of the game. Bieber started off with two more grounders for outs, but he threw a mistake fastball down the middle to Hunter Feduccia that got ripped to right field for a double. The top of the order was back up and Díaz didn’t get cheated on a knuckle-curve low in the zone, sending a single out to right to tie the game at one apiece. Toronto picked up their pitcher though, responding against the new pitcher Ian Seymour with a leadoff double in the bottom of the third off the bat of Yohendrick Piñango and scoring him on a Springer single to left.
The fourth could have been déjà vu as the Rays made two quick outs before collecting another double, this time off the bat of Jonny DeLuca, but Chandler Simpson flew out on the first pitch to end that threat as quickly as it materialized. Bieber and Seymour traded outs until the seventh inning, when Straw worked a seven-pitch walk aided by a successful ABS challenge. Straw stole second base to put himself in scoring position for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and though the Jays superstar has been having one of the worst seasons of his career he came through with an RBI single here to give them some insurance.
Tyler Rogers and Louis Varland were tasked with taking the eighth and ninth innings respectively after Bieber’s night ended, and both were more than capable of neutralizing Tampa’s bats. Varland ended the night with back-to-back punchouts to secure the save and prevent the sweep, giving Toronto some reprieve in what’s been a lost season for the AL champs. More importantly for the standings, the Rays’ loss brings them back to two games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the AL East.
Other Games
Cleveland Guardians (54-50) 1, Minnesota Twins (51-53) 3 (12 innings): The Twins just refuse to go down, splitting a four-game set with the Guardians after losing the first two games of the series. Wednesday was a barnburner of a game that saw 16 runs cross the plate, but this time we’d see each team only score once through 11 innings of stellar pitching. Gavin Williams got the start for Cleveland and delivered an ace performance, tossing seven innings and striking out 11 batters while allowing just two hits for no runs. He even had an immaculate inning in the fourth, overpowering the Twins’ batters. Taj Bradley wasn’t quite as sharp but he got the job done, matching Williams in length with seven innings under his belt and just a lone run coming on a Patrick Bailey solo shot in the fifth inning.
Unfortunately for Cleveland, things got messy as soon as their bullpen factored into the game. Hunter Gaddis relieved Williams to start the eighth and promptly walked Royce Lewis, who then stole second base. Gaddis picked up a strikeout but issued another walk to Luke Keaschall, and with a pinch-hitter in Alan Roden coming Guardians manager Stephen Vogt chose to go back to the ‘pen summoning Cade Smith. The switch didn’t work, Roden smacking the first pitch he saw from Smith up the middle for a game-tying RBI single.
The Guardians still had a chance to right their wrongs, getting two batters on in the ninth inning against Yoendrys Gómez, but Kyle Manzardo struck out to strand them. To extras we went, and the Manfred Runner surprisingly proved ineffective in the 10th and 11th as both sides went down without incident. In the 12th inning the tide finally came crashing down though, Trevor Larnach poking a single through the infield to score a run followed by Keaschall also singling to the left side to make it 3-1 Minnesota. Jack Anderson got the assignment to convert the save and did just that, allowing a walk but escaping without even endangering the insurance run.
The Twins didn’t start off hot out of the All-Star break, but working their way into a split with Cleveland has given them a life preserver. They sit three games back of Cleveland for second place in the AL Central and are 2.5 games behind Boston for the final Wild Card slot, still well within reach if they choose to push for it. Not great news if you’re the Yankees, as they would certainly like the Twins on the seller’s side of the Trade Deadline, but there’s still a week and change to go.
Jul 21, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) throws against the Cincinnati Reds during the fourth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Hello everyone and happy Friday!
The M’s are back in action this afternoon, traveling to Arlington to face the Rangers. What would you need to see from the club’s upcoming road trip to Texas and Los Angeles to consider it a success?
Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon at The Athletic provided the latest trade deadline intel regarding the Mariners, who are reportedly listening to offers on Luis Castillo and Emerson Hancock.
Rintaro Sasaki — the Japanese slugger who made headlines a few years back when he chose to attend Stanford rather than enter the NPB draft — explained his reasoning for signing with the Marlins after being drafted in the 8th round, rather than heading back home to compete in NPB.
How exactly does a three-team trade come to be? Stephen J. Nesbitt and Zack Meisel at The Athletic talked to some architects of recent three-team deals — including Jerry Dipoto — for a behind-the-scenes look.
Former Angels shortstop José Iglesias is headed to Broadway to join the cast of Buena Vista Social Club. Evan Drellich at The Athletic has the story. ($)
José Caballero continues to make enemies of umpires around the league.
Passing along a plug here to help a local Harleem baseball icon’s family pay for his funeral expenses.
Jul 23, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt (32) throws against St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Blaze Jordan (33) during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
“Not easy to do what he did,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “He comes to the ballpark, he’s always preparing to play. I know that. But the lineup goes out the night before, and there’s a couple things he’s probably going to come here and work on. And all of the sudden transitions an hour before the ballgame starts and he’s going to be starting at first base. I think he’s got the right mindset. He’s always ready.”
And when the Diamondbacks recalled first baseman Tyler Locklear on July 17, even his exceptional Triple-A hot streak offered little reason to assume he’d produce at a level he’s never shown success at before.
Carroll reached 55 career triples in just 587 games. By comparison, Marte and Trout each needed more than 1,500 games to reach that same total. The feat further establishes the 25-year-old Diamondbacks outfielder as one of the game’s premier extra-base threats, combining elite contact, speed and power.
Carroll’s pace doesn’t just stand out among active players — it also puts him alongside one of baseball’s greatest legends.
According to Sarah Langs, Carroll is just the second player in MLB history to record at least 55 triples and 85 home runs through his first 587 career games, joining only Lou Gehrig.
The Detroit Tigers ace found himself clearing the air Thursday after a discourse outbreak around his decision to not undergo an MRI last offseason, which could have revealed an issue in his elbow at a more convenient time. Instead, he underwent a novel treatment for loose bodies in May and missed a month and a half.
In comments to The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen published Wednesday, Skubal recalled feeling like “something was wrong” in his pitching elbow in January. He said he chose to ignore the symptoms rather than undergo the MRI.
[Ed. Note] I recognize that the Diamondbacks were never going to be in on the Skubal sweepstakes this offseason, but this makes me glad they aren’t. To risk so much over a one off arbitration hearing? Just wildly irresponsible.
Anyone entering the fountains is subject to immediate arrest, transportation to the police station, and prosecution, according to the Royals’ ballpark rules.
Following the game, Perez asked authorities to show leniency.
“Please, police, just take care of the job please and send him home,” he said. “If I was him, I’d maybe jump too and try to get that ball, so please. And thank you for the hard work in trying to get that ball.”.
Harbinger Sports Partners, the private equity firm backed by the former Dallas Mavericks majority owner, has purchased a minority stake of undisclosed size in the Athletics ahead of their move to Las Vegas, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Mick Akers.
Apr 21, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter (30) strikes out to end the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images
If you’d told me on March 1st that Kerry Carpenter would be batting 6th on July 20th, I would have assumed the Tigers had the best offense in baseball, or at least that a lefty was on the mound. I would certainly have been wrong.
After years of menacing right-handed pitchers from the top of Detroit’s lineup – his 132 wRC+ from 2024-25 was tied for 23rd, among sluggers like Pete Alonso or Matt Olson – 2026 has been more of a struggle for Detroit’s resident cult favorite. Over 76 games so far, almost every stat has gone the wrong direction, leading to an underwhelming 93 wRC+ and -0.5 fWAR. This is not the Kerry Carpenter from the 2024 ALDS. If the Tigers want to see the 2026 ALDS, they’ll almost certainly need him back in form, so let’s start trying to figure this out.
The first thing to note: while injuries are part of the story, he doesn’t look injured in any observable way. Yes, he missed 3 weeks with a shoulder sprain after he ran into the wall on an insider the parker. Yes, the play was as ugly as you remember. No, I won’t show it to you; I’ll spare Kerry the embarrassment. However, that doesn’t seem to tell the whole story, as neither his sprint speed (27 ft/s) nor his bat speed (71.8 mph) have changed at all from his best seasons. It’s good that he isn’t playing through a nagging injury, but it also means a few days off won’t likely have him magically feeling better, either. If they want to fix Carpenter, they probably need to start with his gameplan at the plate.
Carpenter’s approach has typically been to swing often and hit the ball really hard. He didn’t want to walk, but by swinging early and often, he frequently ended the at-bat before he could strike out. Sure, he chased a lot, but he crushed baseballs and made a lot of contact with a fly ball heavy profile anyways, so who really cared? Unfortunately, either by choice or by chance, Carpenter has seemingly abandoned that approach in 2026 to disastrous results.
Zone %
Zone Swing %
Chase %
Strikeout Rate
Barrel %
2025
50.3
71.5
34.1
22.8
12.3
2026
45.1
66.6
35.8
29.7
9.8
To summarize: compared to 2025, Carpenter is seeing fewer strikes, swinging at a smaller proportion of those strikes, striking out more, and making worse contact, all at the same time. On their own, none of those are good,, but combined, they’re pretty disastrous. This new approach has dropped him from 51st to 103rd in barrel rate, and his small improvements in walk rate just haven’t offset the power drop.
So the symptoms are obvious. Carpenter’s entirely out of sorts at the plate, I just don’t know why. Is it a conscious approach change after only a 3.9% walk rate last year? Is he entirely focused on ABS and challenges and letting that throw him off his gameplan? Unfortunately, I couldn’t say from here. All I know is Carpenter went from one of the most feared sluggers when you challenge him in the zone, to a near pushover. He just has rarely been on time, and his distinctive swing, heavily weighted on his back leg and looking to snap the bat off that platform, has looked out of whack most of the year.
Unfortunately, it gets even worse. For some reason, Carpenter has spent more than 60% of his games in the outfield. That is an unwise decision. Despite a strong arm and close to average speed, Carpenter is rating as one of the absolute worst fielders in the game. He’s only played in the outfield for 330 innings – the season’s had close to 900 – and yet is tied for the 15th-worst defender at any position with -7 OAA. If, for some reason, he played every inning of every game, he’d rate about as well as Andrew Vaughn did in right field that one year. I cannot stress how little of a compliment that is. Roughly average offense and bottom of the barrel defense is not a winning combination.
Now, Carpenter’s starting from such a high place that even his fall from grace has him near average at the dish. That includes 27 straight at-bats without a hit before his single on Wednesday; before his dreadful July, he had a 120 wRC+ and a concerning strikeout rate, so the tools have all been there at points of 2026. Only in June did he really break out into good Carpenter territory for a sustained stretch. Unfortunately, as the Tigers learned in May, one bad month can pretty much ruin the whole season. To force the issue in the weeklong sprint to the deadline, and through what will be a months long chase to the finish line even if things go well, they’ll need Carpenter to start slugging again. He might have to start turning it loose more aggressively to do so.
How did Sergio De Larrea go from a relatively unknown Spanish prospect to a standout at the Summer League (SL), providing some of the most exciting highlights of the week?
Toni Canyameras, a journalist covering the NBA for Spanish sports media Mundo Deportivo from Toronto, followed De Larrea closely during SL. He was also able to interview both De Larrea, Mavs SL head coach Joe Boylan and his teammates about the Spanish rookie’s first experience playing in the US.
So I asked Toni Canyameras about his impression of his countryman during SL:
“The way he [Sergio De Larrea] has dominated on the offensive end through his understanding of the game has been really impressive. While we can’t compare the Summer League to the NBA, it was a completely new environment for him on and off the court and he has dictated the pace and the tempo of the possessions with his passing.”
The 20-year-old point guard averaged 10 assists and dished out 14 against the Thunder, which only three other players had accomplished in the SL, Canyameras pointed out.
“His ease in producing alley-oop passes has been incredible, and nobody knew how to stop it, despite it often being the same situation: De Larrea driving to his right to deliver the lob pass.”
This compilation by the Dallas Mavericks social media team provides some great examples of just that. De Larrea’s vision and passing ability, as well as the natural feel he seems to have for the game, stands out.
“A knack and feel” for the game and that it’s “innate”, “something you can’t teach”, as Mavs SL head coach Joe Boylan describes it. We will get back to that later.
De Larrea’s ability to scan and pass before the defender can catch up left defenses scrambling. And Dallas excited.
“The special thing about him is how quickly he sees everything and his fast decision-making,” Canyameras said.
Was Mavs coach Joe Boylan impressed with De Larrea’s passing, as well? To say the least:
“I mean, you saw some of those – he jumped up, looked at the corner, threw it to the wing. Just unbelievable passes,” Boylan told Canyameras.
“He’s [Sergio De Larrea] a guy, who is kinda wise beyond his years. He showed you guys the alley-oop pass and he has some things that you just can’t teach.”
When asked how De Larrea’s lob passing will translate to the NBA and to playing with the Mavericks bigs, Joe Boylan said:
“I think it’s a perfect fit. Everyone talks about how in the NBA it’s bigger, stronger, better athletes. I think that plays into Sergio’s strength. His ability to find guys above the rim… He does a great job of communicating with his teammates of things he wants to see to put them in positions to be successful.”
Being able to interview Sergio De Larrea in his native language, as well as having followed him and other Spanish players in their local leagues previously, gives Toni Canyameras a unique understanding of the Mavs rookie. Was he as mature off the court in SL as he seemed when he played?
“He looks like a humble, mature and very easy-going guy off the court. I feel he is very genuine, like when he is playing basketball. He gave us very honest and insightful answers and never wanted to brag about his passes; he always gave credit to his teammates for catching his lob passes and converting them into assists,” Canyameras said.
“He’s so poised, he’s so composed,” coach Boylan said about De Larrea.
“He was a little down on himself for some of the shots, but we don’t want to judge guys by just the results. We want it to be process oriented, and I think he took a bunch of great shots.”
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 9: Sergio De Larrea #55 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on July 9, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks clearly had great expectations for their new rookie backup point guard before SL, and he seems to have lived up to all of them.
And so it looks like Sergio De Larrea, affectionately called Larry in Spain – which was immediately adopted by Mavs fans and media alike – could be looking forward to a much bigger role next season than most people expected.
Though more moves could be on the horizon, it was very telling when Dallas traded backup point guard Ryan Nembhard earlier this week. He was part of a three-team trade, sending Nembhard to Atlanta and acquiring former number one pick, Zaccharie Risacher from France. Trading a pg for a wing seems to be a clear signal that the Mavs intend for De Larrea to play a bigger role than most expected.
The trade came right after SL, suggesting that the Mavs wanted to make sure De Larrea was as good as they hoped, before making any moves. And according to Boylan, they have no doubts.
He remained enthusiastic about De Larrea the whole week, offering details of what stood out to him:
“He handled the pick’n’roll. I thought he did a great job at handling a lot of the pressure. Summer League can be really difficult for taller guards, because you get these athletic pressure guards to try to get up under you.”
“Super impressive job. He was facing full court pressure the whole game. You saw he was exhausted… It was just an awesome performance by Sergio,” Boylan told Canyameras after the game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The story of the Dallas Mavericks’ connection to De Larrea goes back further than most of us realized. He was not a prospect they just stumbled upon.
They had kept an eye on him for a while, according to the 6’7 point guard himself. He emphasized that he wanted to feel ready before making the jump to the best league in the world.
“Dallas had been following me for a while, and I’ve been a fan since I was a kid. But above all, they had confidence in me, and I felt physically and mentally ready to make the leap,” De Larrea told Toni Canyameras.
And Boylan also revealed that the 20-year-old, still riding on the wave of winning the Spanish ACB league championship with Valencia, went straight to work as he came to Dallas.
“He’s got an amazing feel for the game. He was sending me clips last night about how to attack the defense that Memphis runs. He’s a student of the game. He’s studying on film. And then I just think some of it is innate. He has a knack and feel.”
VALENCIA, SPAIN – MAY 13: Sergio de Larrea, #5 of Valencia Basket celebrates at the end of the EuroLeague Play Off Game Five match between Valencia Basket and Panathinaikos Aktor Athens at Roig Arena on May 13, 2026 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by JM Casares/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images)
While De Larrea’s ball-handling had been questioned after the first games, perhaps looking somewhat loose, it improved vastly as the week progressed, Canyameras points out.
“Another thing that stood out to me was how confident he became in his ball-handling as the Summer League went on. I’d say that he still has to put a lot of work into his body but managed to beat high-ball pressure with his skillful handling. He knows very well how to change pace and direction with his crossovers.”
Joe Boylan:
“I agree. He faced full court pressure from NBA caliber guards for 40 minutes and he did a tremendous job of attacking their pressure. I mean, he was really vocal in the timeouts. Really stepped into a leadership role with some of our other guys out. Really, really proud of what he did tonight.”
But what about his SL teammates? What did they think about this youngster straight from the Spanish system and tradition?
“Always looking to create for others before himself,” was the first thing Mavs two-way player and SL teammate John Poulakidas said when asked what it’s been like to play with De Larrea.
“When you got a player like that on the floor it makes basketball a hell of a lot easier for everybody else,” he told Canyameras.
As always, when Europeans make the transfer to the NBA, there’s a lot of rumbling about whether they can handle the physicality and athleticism of the NBA. So I asked Toni Canyameras about his thoughts on this.
“That’s a good question. I think he will gain more ability to drive and break down defenses, attacking one-on-one’s. Due to his ease in making assists, teams might go for more switching to guard him in order to take away time and space for those passes, and in this context he will have to create advantages by attacking bigs on the perimeter.”
Here’s what Joe Boylan said when Canyameras asked him about the next step in De Larrea’s game. This also says a lot about how Dallas is planning on using him next season:
“A lot of teams will be so scared of him playing in pick and roll against coverage that he will face a lot more switching in the regular season, and there will be opportunities for him to create one-on-one and to go and finish at the rim and finish contested layups. I think that’s going to be the next step in his growth, just the ability to go and break down his man, going and finishing contested layups.”
And Boylan later got even more into details about how the Mavs intend to use De Larrea next season:
“He looks like someone who played point guard growing up. His passing, his vision, his IQ … then he hit a growth spurt and that probably allowed him to potentially play multiple positions. And I think the NBA is trending towards having as many point guards on the floor as you can at one time. I think that gives you a lot of flexibility and adaptability, you can play alongside another ball-handler.”
“I think he’ll get opportunities both as a primary and as a secondary guy,” Boylan said.
As the Dallas Mavericks are looking more international than in a long time, the influence of more team-oriented players will show, as well. Another thing to look forward to in the upcoming season.
El entrenador de Dallas Mavericks, Joe Boylan, sobre De Larrea a @mundodeportivo:
“Anoche me enviaba vídeos de cómo atacar la defensa de Memphis. Es un estudiante del juego, su trabajo fue impresionante. Tomó un rol de liderazgo con muchos chicos fuera” #NBApic.twitter.com/Zo2VvRFrKB
🏀 De Larrea y su siguiente paso según el entrenador de Dallas en la Summer League, Joe Boylan:
“Muchos equipos tendrán miedo en el pick and roll y se enfrentará a muchos más cambios. Tendrá más oportunidades de crear 1 vs 1 y finalizar en el aro”#NBApic.twitter.com/Hu5PNzkYl0
🟠 Sergio de Larrea, sobre los motivos para dar el salto ya a la #NBA este año desde el Valencia:
“Dallas llevaba tiempo siguiéndome y he sido fan de pequeño. Pero, sobre todo, que tenían confianza en mí y me sentía física y mentalmente preparado para dar el salto” pic.twitter.com/SrEKomW13F
💬 “Siempre busca crear para otros antes que para sí mismo. Cuando tienes un jugador así en la pista, hace el baloncesto muchísimo más fácil para los demás”
TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 10: Max Scherzer #31 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches to strike out Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies for his 3500th career strikeout in the first inning of their MLB game at Rogers Centre on June 10, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The other day the Rochester Red Wings faced the greatest pitcher in Nationals history. Max Scherzer was on a rehab assignment for the Blue Jays and faced the Nats AAA affiliate. I was worried this would be a little sad and the Nats Triple-A lineup would rock the 41 year old. However, I was wrong and Scherzer threw five no-hit innings, striking out seven.
In his six big league starts this year, Mad Max has certainly shown his age. His ERA is over 10, and the future Hall of Famer has looked washed up. However, with the Blue Jays out of the race, the Nats have a chance to take a flier on the greatest pitcher in franchise history. If he looks like he did in that rehab start, he would easily be an upgrade over the likes of Mikolas and Littell.
It is very unlikely to actually happen, but I actually think bringing in Scherzer makes a lot of sense for several reasons. The first one is that it is a cheap flier on a guy who still has some upside. It was only last year when Scherzer gave the Blue Jays extremely valuable innings in the playoffs. He proved that he still had the juice to start a playoff game. For crying out loud, he started game 7 of the World Series last year.
If the Nats do sneak into the playoffs, I would trust Max, even in this state, to be the Nats three starter. He has more upside than Littell, Mikolas and Alvarez. Last year, Scherzer looked over the hill and a complete liability. However, the old dog still had that ability to rise to the occasion. The fastball crept up a couple ticks, the slider was sharper and his command was more pinpoint. Mad Max can’t do it for a full season anymore, but he can tap into those reserves when he needs it.
It would also be a move that would cost you absolutely nothing. Scherzer turns 42 in a few days, and has not been effective this year. Honestly, you could probably acquire him for cash or a player to be named later. At most, you would have to give up an org player who is unlikely to ever reach the big leagues.
Even beyond his performances, I think Scherzer’s presence could help power the team. You cannot deny that he would put butts in seats and make the atmosphere at Nationals Park special. The Nats have not exactly had much of a home field advantage this year. In fact, they actually have the worst home record in all of baseball. I think the buzz that Scherzer would bring could actually be somewhat helpful in improving home performances. It would certainly bring better crowds.
Another reason to bring back Scherzer is for his impact on the clubhouse. Imagine all the things a young power pitcher like Cade Cavalli could learn from one of the greatest power arms of all time. Cavalli probably looked up to Scherzer growing up, and may have even had some conversations with him in 2021 Spring Training. It would be cool to see Scherzer pass his knowledge to the next generation of Nats arms.
He would also provide much needed playoff experience and wisdom to a team that does not have a lot of that. Also, it would likely ensure that Scherzer would go into the Hall of Fame as a National. Seeing the greatest player in franchise history finish his career in DC would be so special.
Max Scherzer reached 100 strikeouts in a season faster than anyone in @MLB history.
This is not going to be one of those trades that would make a lot of sense on Paul Toboni’s model. However, it is something he should keep in the back of his mind. The Nats need a third guy who could start a playoff game. Scherzer may be way past his best, but he has shown very recently that he still has the ability to be effective in a playoff setting.
It is time to finish the story. Let’s bring back the greatest pitcher I have ever seen in this uniform. I am probably just delusional and dreaming after one rehab start. However, I would truly love to see Mad Max take the mound at Nationals Park one last time rocking the Curly W.
Just like with Brown, it will be a while before anyone fully grasps that James is a Sixer. He was an All-Star before rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. existed. At 41 years old, he decided to take his talents to Philadelphia and try to win his fifth NBA championship.
Six or so weeks ago, Gansey held his introductory Sixers press conference. He didn’t speak like an ultra-polished executive who’d faced the media a million times before. His family listened from the first row, Sixers brass from the second.
Gansey declined to detail much about his plans. He seemed perhaps most confident when discussing his time in the Cavaliers’ front office.
“I was there 15 years,” Gansey said. “Worked my way up, intern to GM. I give (president of basketball operations) Koby Altman a lot of credit … and the Gilbert family. They let me do my thing. I had a ton of responsibilities. I think nowadays, when people can be a G League GM, that’s a huge stepping stone in their career. I was able to do that and it helped me when I became assistant GM, and then all the way to GM.
“I did all the day-to-day. I was talking to players, to agents, collaborating with the head coach. … And then obviously dealing with ownership. So I haven’t been the No. 1 guy, but I’ve been right there with Koby and Koby put a lot on my plate. I was very fortunate to be able to work as much as I did. He gave me a ton of responsibility.”
“Man, I don’t like talking about myself,” he said. “I just feel that I can lead. I can lead a group of people.
“There’s going to be alignment throughout the building. I’m going to be very collaborative with the head coach. Me and (Nick Nurse) are going to be attached at the hip. … We’ve got really good players. We’ve got some young players and we’ve got some vets that can really play. I’m just excited to get this thing started, get to know everyone in the building, and just get going.”
James will attract an absurd amount of attention, as he always does. He’s the sort of athlete who transcends sports and invites the circus to town. Anything related to James and the Sixers will be spotlighted, dissected and fiercely debated. As long as James is in the lineup and the Sixers are rolling, Xfinity Mobile Arena will be packed and passionate.
Though he’s unequivocally past his prime, James hasn’t been making All-Star Game after All-Star Game just because of his name. He averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in his final season with the Lakers. James drilled a heap of well-contested, clutch jumpers in Los Angeles’ Dec. 7 win last year over the Sixers and posted 29 points on 12-for-17 shooting, seven rebounds and six assists. All indications are that James has plenty left in the tank.
He deliberated over many options before landing on the Sixers. Gansey was obviously far from the only factor that mattered to James. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer has long admired Tyrese Maxey’s all-world work ethic, positive personality and ever-growing game. He knows Joel Embiid is a former MVP who often looked dominant last season when healthy. James will understand where the Sixers might be flawed and have a clear image of how a title-winning season could transpire.
He’ll talk about it all, the world will react, and opening night will eventually arrive in October.
After Gansey’s star-centric, almost unbelievable summer, James will be wearing a Sixers uniform.
Jul 22, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Fans cheer during the seventh inning of the game between the Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 23: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres tags out Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves at second base on a stolen base attempt during the fifth inning at Truist Park on July 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the third time in the four-game series the San Diego Padres lost a one-run game to the Atlanta Braves. The Padres struck first against Braves pitcher Chris Sale with a three-run second inning, but after a four-run fourth inning the Braves held a 5-3 lead and that deficit proved too much to overcome as San Diego dropped the game and the series with a 6-5 loss.
Kyle Hart started the game as an opener for Griffin Canning and recorded three outs against three batters to start the contest. Hart, a left-hander, faced two left-handed hitters and a switch-hitter in Ozzie Albies who batted from the right side. Michael Harris II led off the bottom of the second for the Braves and rather than continuing with the left-on-left matchup, Padres manager Craig Stammen went to Canning, a right-hander, in the second inning. Harris immediately got the home team on the board with a long home run to right field to make the score, 3-1.
Canning got the next three batters out to end the second inning and faced the minimum three batters in the third. He opened the fourth inning allowing a solo home run to Albies to make the score, 3-2 before getting Matt Olson to pop out. Canning allowed a one-out single to Harris and Mauricio Dubon reached on a catcher’s interference, the second one this week on Freddy Fermin, and Canning responded with a strikeout of Austin Riley. Canning was almost out of the inning, but Dominic Smith hit a 1-1 changeup that was left up and out over the plate over the right-field wall and Atlanta took a 5-3 lead.
The Braves tacked on another run in the bottom of the seventh when Baldwin golfed a home run out to right field off Matt Waldron, but that proved to be the game-winner. The Padres scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning when Manny Machado singled and Ty France brought him in with a two-run home run to pull San Diego within a run.
The Padres mounted a two-out rally in the ninth inning against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias when Jake Cronenworth and Fernando Tatis Jr. reached on back-to-back singles. Luis Rengifo who has been arguably San Diego’s hottest hitter, stepped in looking for a base hit to tie the game, but struck out on a high fastball on an 0-2 count to end the game.
The Padres are 2-5 after the All-Star break and start a three-game series in Miami against the Marlins today at 4:10 p.m.
Padres News:
The Padres traded reliever Ron Marinaccio, who was designated for assignment earlier this week, to the Pittsburgh Pirates for international bonus pool money.
Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, who is a free agent after this season, could be on the move at the trade deadline.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 04: A general view of a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap on top of a baseball glove during a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 4, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Ben Hsu/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Wins on the lower levels and losses on the higher levels marked the day of baseball in the Dodgers minor league affiliates.
Player of the day
Eduardo Guerrero and Hayden Gilliland both had four-RBI games with a home run, but the difference is that the Loons won their matchup, while Gilliland couldn’t carry the Drillers all the way to the finish line.
Not much of a power bat with a slugging percentage below .400, Guerrero now has five home runs, already an improvement on the three he accumulated in over 100 games across three different levels in 2025.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
The good news is that Kiké Hernández’s rehab is trending in the right direction, with the veteran utility man hitting a home run. The bad news is that the Comets didn’t have much scoring outside of that, losing to the River Cats by a score of 4 to 2.
Kiké Hernández leaves the yard for the first time during his rehab assignment!☄️ pic.twitter.com/PNml74LzA6
These days it is not easy to see a team finish an entire game without recording a walk, but that was what OKC did against the River Cats pitching staff. On the other side, the Comets bullpen game allowed seven free passes and recorded just four strikeouts.
Double-A Tulsa
Needing your catcher and eighth-hole hitter to secure all of your RBI in a game is not the path one normally takes to win a game. Hayden Gilliland did his best with a season-high four RBI—it wasn’t enough, though, with the Travelers winning at home 5 to 4 thanks to an eighth-inning run hit by Hayden Fitz-Gerald.
The top three in the order all went hitless for the Drillers, including an 0-for-5 performance from leadoff hitter Taylor Young. The only one of three to get on base safely was Mike Sirota, earning a walk. Three of Gilliland’s four RBI came on an opposite-field home run in the fourth.
The team effort that was lacking in the Drillers lineup was present for the Loons, with everybody but the ninth-hole hitter recording at least one base hit in an 8-to-5 win. The Eduardo brothers (not actually brothers) ran the show, with both Quintero and Guerrero leaving the yard, the latter of whom was responsible for half of the team’s eight runs driven in.
With starter Tyler Gough off his game, allowing four runs in as many innings, the key pitcher for the Loons was Jacob Frost, tossing four scoreless innings and earning what became his eighth win, lowering his season ERA to 3.11.
Single-A Ontario
It was a push-and-pull game for the Tower Buzzers pitching staff, allowing just three hits and at the same time handing out 10 free passes and seeing their defense commit three errors behind them—all of this wasn’t enough to take the win away from Ontario, fixing many of these problems with the long ball on the offensive side.
Easton Shelton’s terrific form continued with the first baseman hitting a milestone 30th long ball before August rolls around. Kellon Lindsey and Ching-Hsien Ko also left the yard in this game.
This total sits at just 7.5, and the Over has a clear path despite Skubal’s presence.
The Tigers have been average overall with a 98 wRC+ over the last week, but their .185 ISO shows some extra-base pop.
Kansas City has also been productive lately, carrying a 107 wRC+ during that same span.
The bigger concern is the relief pitching. Detroit’s bullpen owns a 4.71 xERA over the last week, while K.C.’s bullpen game is the main path to runs.
I'll play this pick up to -125.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 36-43, -11.34 units
Over/Under bets: 44-33, +4.80 units
Royals vs Tigers weather
Conditions look excellent at Comerica Park tonight, with clear skies and temperatures sitting in the low-to-mid 70s throughout the game. Winds should stay light around 7-8 mph, and there is no rain risk.
Royals vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Royals +257 | Tigers -270
Run line: Royals +1.5 (+113) | Tigers -1.5 (-117)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-104) | Under 7.5 (-100)
Royals vs Tigers trend
The Tigers have hit the moneyline in 14 of their last 19 games (+8.45 Units / 33% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Tigers.
How to watch Royals vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Friday, July 24, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
Detroit SportsNet, Royals.TV
Royals starting pitcher
Beck Way (1-0, 3.22 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal (6-5, 2.83 ERA)
Royals vs Tigers 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.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 22: Zach Neto #9 of the Los Angeles Angels runs to first in the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 22, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We officially have trade deadline rumors! Is anyone interested in a little Zach Neto action?
As fun as it was to watch Anthony Seigler and Tsung-Che Cheng make surprising contributions during the 15-game win streak, there is no question that the middle infield continues to be a major weak spot on the Red Sox roster. Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story are making progress on their rehab journeys, and Franklin Arias is now knocking on the door at Worcester, but Zach Neto and his 2.8 bWAR would be a significant upgrade. And, as a right-handed home run hitter who would likely see a Green Monster-induced power boost, he’s a great fit for the lineup.
But Neto is by no means a perfect player. He strikes out a lot, doesn’t walk much, and has consistently graded out as a poor defensive shortstop. He’s unlikely to be the long-term answer at the most important defensive position on the diamond. But he’s just 25-years-old, is under team control through 2030, and his 19 homers would be second on this Red Sox team behind Willson Contreras. Frankly, he looks a lot like a younger, healthier Trevor Story.
Personally, I don’t love Neto’s profile. But he’s a young player who will almost certainly put up 3-5 WAR over the next 3-4 years, which is more than you could reasonably project from Marcelo Mayer at this point. And with Arias almost ready for the bigs, the Sox will have a painless avenue for moving Neto off of shortstop in the very near future. The prospect of a Contreras-Neto-Arias-Durbin infield is tasty.
From that perspective, a package headlined by Mayer makes sense, though the Sox would almost certainly have to sweeten the deal with additional prospects, and we’re talking about top-10 guys here, like Kyson Witherspoon, Anthony Eyanson, and Justin Gonzalez. The Angels might even insist on a big league-ready arm like Connelly Early.
So what would you be willing to ship to LA to land him?
Talk about trades and whatever else you want in this space and, as always, be good to one another.
COVERS INTEL: Skubal owns a 