Coming home from a successful roadtrip going 6-4 against some tough competition, the Diamondbacks found themselves a couple of even tougher divisional opponents on the horizon in the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the trade deadline didn’t go as most Dbacks fans had envisioned, they had to put that behind them and look ahead towards the rest of the season with as much optimism as we possibly can. This team is still a very talented group and with reinforcements on the horizon in the likes of Michael Soroka, Corbin Burnes and even Justin Martinez, the snakes would need to continue to play the same style of ball that had them go 15-10 throughout the month of July in hopes of staying in playoff contention and returning to October for the first time since their magical 2023 World Series appearance.
The Friar Split
Entering play on Monday the Diamondbacks and Padres found their season matchup tied even at 3 wins a piece, with a big 4 game set on the horizon. A series victory or even a sweep of the Padres would have been the most ideal outcome for the Snakes, splitting the series is far from the worst thing we could have asked for, as the fellas and I agreed that it might not be the most satisfying outcome, they avoided losing any ground in both the NL Wild Card race but also in the NL West standings.
There were some very good things to come from this series like Brandon Pfaadt continuing his dominant stretch or Mitch Bratt getting his first career MLB win behind a 10-Run offensive outburst, there were also some moments that were frustrating to witness like the sloppy defense (especially in Tuesday’s Game 2 defeat) or Kohl Drake failing to reach 5 innings for the third outing in a row.
Noot Noot De-boot
The Dbacks lone move from Monday’s trade deadline in Lars Nootbar got to have an impact throughout this whole series and immediately felt like he was going to fit this Dbacks scheme well and improve the team in ways that might not be the flashiest, but effective none the less.
Gabe and Brandon both mentioned that while the .200 batting average (only 10 at bats so obviously not anything to dive deep into) doesn’t appear on paper to be the most impactful, the 3 walks Nootbar worked along with the actual tape showed that Nootbar brought a refreshing approach from a DBacks hitter that we don’t really get to see outside of Geraldo Perdomo. Lars showed off his plate discipline and ability to make the pitcher really work to earn his out, especially in his first inning at-bat against Walker Buehler where he worked it full and made Buehler throw 8 pitches to him alone. The 3 of us agreed that he might not be the slugging bat that we all wanted at the deadline, if he can be a .250 hitter with an OBP around .350 or better then he will be a very solid addition to a lineup that at times has a tendency to have quick and unproductive outs that can lead to the opposing pitchers settling in and going deeper into games.
It’s A Bratt Summer
The fellas and I wanted to focus on the more positive results from this series split, and yes the big offensive outburst that saw the Dbacks spoil Casey Mize’s Padres debut and chase him before he could even finish the 4th inning, we agreed that the Player of The Game and one most deserving of praise was Mitch Bratt. Not only was this the most efficient outing in Bratt’s young MLB career (92 Pitches in his 7 IP of work), it was also his first (of hopefully many) career wins as a Major Leaguer!
The thing that was most impressive to us was the difference in fastball location in this start compared to the other starts in Mitch’s career. Brandon mentioned that his near perfect pinpoint location of his fastball helped his breaking stuff play more effectively and lead to the Padres offense being caught off guard by that low 90’s fastball multiple times, as even the Padres Manager Craig Stammen would admit to in his post game presser.
Gabe also brought up Bratt’s age (recently turned 23) and how with him being so young still, he still has so much potential to grow as a starter and this outing could be the spring board he needed to build that confidence and show himself that he has the stuff that will play at the big league level. Age is a big factor to keep in mind as young arms aren’t always going to break into the bigs on a Paul Skenes type of level and dominate, sometimes it takes them a few years to find their footing and what really works for them. Take new Dodgers lefty Tarik Skubal for example, the Kingman native’s first full season came in 2021 as a 24 year old and didn’t become a well known name to even the most casual baseball fans until his 1st CY Young season in 2024 at the age of 27. I’m not saying Bratt will be a Skubal 2.0 (Bratt doesn’t throw nearly as hard as Skubal) but just that young arms can sometimes need a year or two to really blossom into their true potential.
The Enemy in Blue
The fellas and I wrapped up our show with a look ahead as they have what could be a very important 3 game series against the NL West leading Los Angeles Avenge- uhhh I mean Dodgers come to town. Normally around this time of year we look at the divisional standings and see the Dodgers have a double digit plus lead and can basically just wrap up another divisional title for them, but this year it is not the same story. A mixture of both the Padres and Dbacks playing well alongside the Dodgers going on a season long 6-game losing streak and coming off a sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs, the Dbacks find themselves only 8.5 games behind the Dodgers for the NL West lead.
While the possibility of dethroning the Dodgers as NL West champions isn’t very high, it’s most definitely not zero and if there was ever a year to do it, this might be the best shot. It’s going to be a hostile environment this weekend at Chase and the matchups lean more in favor of LA, as the Dodgers not only have 2 splitter heavy starters in Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting games 1 and 2 (The Dbacks struggles against the splitter have been well documented this year), The Dodgers also have had their way against the Mainstay Merrill Kelly in their matchups, with Merrill being 0-11 with a 5.56 ERA in 17 regular season starts against LA.
Even with a tough matchup ahead of the Snakes, Gabe believes that even if they don’t end up taking the divisional crown from LA, making the race to win the West take as much of the 162 game slate to do it could pay dividends in October as the Dodgers might not have the opportunity to rest their stars in hopes to keep them as fresh for their quest for a 3-peat.
Its A Dispatch Giveaway
We also revealed at the end of the show that the fellas and I have a special giveaway planned that includes bobbleheads, jersey giveaways, Dbacks trading cards and even a baseball bat signed by a DBacks legend and fan favorite. So make sure to stay till the end to get a sneak peak and also hear how and when to enter!
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff at TD Garden on April 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the final roundtable, I asked the staff to come up with a wins prediction. We will all forget about this in the Fall, but as of today this is where we stand.
Ian Inangelo
Even without Brown, I think this Celtics team will have similar success to the team last season. This team is built to have success around Jayson Tatum who could put up a MVP level season next year. The depth around him is still the same minus Paul George who could see new life in a different situation and in a system that suits his skill sets better. We could also potentially see a leap from Pritchard and a bounce back from White which will make the offense even better. My final conclusion: 52 Wins.
Trevor Hass
The Celtics have eclipsed 50 wins each of the last five seasons, and that trend will continue this season. There’s no reason to think the number will increase or decrease significantly. I say they go down slightly from last year’s 56 and end up 53-29 to earn the No. 4 seed. If Paul George stays healthy and plays at a high level, I could see that number going up slightly.
Steve Hooper
The Eastern conference has leveled up in a big way. That means I don’t believe we will get near that 56 win mark again. I think 49 wins is about where I land right now.
Jake Issenberg
The Celtics have been a regular season wins machine under Joe Mazzulla. Never falling below 56 wins. I will say it again for those in the back. Last season the Celtics ranked second in the entire league in offense, while also ranking fifth in defense. The Celtics followed this up by addressing their glaring hole at back up big man by adding Mitchell Robinson, they get Jayson Tatum back, a guy who was selected to four straight 1st Team All NBA teams, and added Paul George who is still really good at basketball. To win in today’s league you need depth, defense, shooting, and top end talent. The Celtics tick every box. In last year’s Eastern Conference this team would have cracked 60 wins comfortably. Given the improved depth of the conference, I’m pegging this team for 57 wins.
Nate Moskowitz
I’m predicting 58 wins. That feels slightly high as I type it, but I believe in the system to always stack wins in the regular season. Tatum is back with a healthy offseason. Robinson improves the big rotation. Hopefully you can get enough games out of Paul George, and when he’s out, internal development should help to improve on their record from last season.
Jeff Clark
I don’t think you can do a simple math problem using last year as a starting point and reducing wins for Brown and adding them for Tatum and Mitchell Robinson or whatever. The whole calculus has changed around the league has a lot less incentive to tank. I think wins will be a lot harder to come by. On the other hand, the Celtics and Joe Mazzulla’s system are very good at cranking out regular season wins. Tatum will have something to prove. The young guys will all be looking to level up and will simply out-work a lot of opponents. So I think I’ll go with a conservative but healthy 53 wins. (I may talk myself into a higher number by training camp, but ultimately the season will be measured on the playoffs.)
Grant Burfeind
I’ll go with 55 wins. This roster is obviously going to look different, but I still think there’s a lot working in Boston’s favor. Joe Mazzulla has established an identity with this team, and everyone walking through the door knows exactly what’s expected. Tatum gets the offense to himself, Paul George gives them another proven shot creator and defender, Mike Conley feels like the perfect steady veteran to help keep everything organized over an 82-game season. I could keep going but it’s a long offseason so need to save some words for later.
I also think this team is going to defend at a ridiculously high level. White, Robinson, George, Tatum, the young kids…that’s a lot of length, rim protection and defensive IQ. They may not score quite as effortlessly as last year’s group, but I don’t think they’ll need to. Fifty-five wins feels about right. And if that comes with Banner 19 instead of 56 regular-season wins (last year’s total)? Sign me up.Robby Fletcher [4:08 PM] Boston surprised everyone (myself included) with their 56 wins last year. This season, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see them pass 50 wins again.
The East is more competitive this time around, and Boston has new additions that need to prove they can stay available for the majority of the season, but they have depth, balanced scoring and a central star in Jayson Tatum that will have the ball in his hands more than he ever has in his NBA career. This is a good team. I’m going with 53 wins, a slight tick down from last year but a result that should get them in the top-4 of the standings.
And if you’re wondering, yes, these guys will hit on the 40-20 rule.
Mike Dynon
56 wins. Keeping it simple. They did that with only one Jay (mostly), why can’t they do it again with the other Jay? There’s also room for improvement with Tatum (being 100% healed), Hauser/White shooting (return to normal), growth of all the young guys, and Mitchell Robinson improving an already strong defense. I hope to be pleasantly surprised by Paul George.
Rich Jensen
I’ll go with 57 wins; While it’s true the rest of the East hasn’t sat still, the C’s haven’t either. They have a relatively inexperienced roster that is still on a path of year-over-year improvement.
Bobby Manning
I’ll come in lower at 52 wins, still in line for a top-four seed and maybe even higher if there’s greater competition throughout the conference. That’s taking into account the extraordinary health the Celtics had on their way to 56 last year, the tanking that undoubtedly aided it as well alongside the expected absence of Paul George, Mitchell Robinson and even Jayson Tatum at times for load management. This team still has the depth to dive deep into the 50s, but lessons learned from last season will probably lead the team to taking a longer outlook toward April rather than shooting for the highest seed possible.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 12: Manager Terry Francona #77 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on from the dugout during a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on July 12, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds took down the A’s yesterday by the score of 6-5, in doing so wrapping up a series sweep at home. The win also dug them out of last place in the National League Central for the first time since the Republic of Sienna surrendered to the Florentine-Imperial army, and it clawed the club back to within 4.0 games of the final NL Wild Card spot.
They’ve won 5 of 6 series out of the gate after the All Star break. They have rediscovered the ridiculous form they had in 1-run games through the first electric month of the season. Elly De La Cruz is playing at an MVP level, Sal Stewart simply cannot miss, and the duo of Brady Singer and Rhett Lowder have gone from the afterthought 5th starters they performed like earlier in the season to viable, if not dependable upper-tier starting pitching options again. Even Tyler Stephenson has emerged as a legitimate force in the lineup again, the veteran backstop shrugging off weeks of trade rumors to blast his way back into a deserving role in the middle of the order.
The Reds are, quite simply, on a roll. All this despite being moderate sellers during this week’s trade deadline and realizing they’ll likely be without starter Hunter Greene for an extended period once again.
It is still a very imperfect club, to be sure. They’re also about to head out on a 6-game road trip, one that will test the very resolve they’ve displayed in the season’s second half thusfar.
Still, that’s a road trip where they could well find themselves with the upper hand. The Washington Nationals are up first, and they’ve stumbled to just a 2-8 record over their last 10 games while dealing starter Foster Griffin away at the deadline earlier in the week. Then, they head west to face a Chicago White Sox club that’s nominally a first place club (albeit in a sluggish AL Central), one that saw deadline addition Joey Bart hurt immediately after being acquired and who has also stumbled to just a 4-6 record out of the gate.
The Reds, as currently constructed, still aren’t a fully put together team. Thing is, there are still a ton of teams out there who can be described the very same way, yet the Reds have found a way to simply play a lot better baseball than the rest of them for several weeks in a row now. The results have been good enough to drag them back into the periphery of The Discussion, something that’s a direct byproduct of the playoff system being so damn inclusive these days.
I don’t expect this Reds club to go hang a banner this year. Let’s make that point quite clear. But if you can find a way to sneak into the playoffs at all, well, you technically have a chance to make a miracle happen, and the Reds have inched their way back to within screaming distance of the chance to do just that.
It’s been admirable, if nothing more, but the Cincinnati Reds have reeled us in just enough to break our hearts again, something that didn’t even seem on the table when they rolled into the All Star break at 9 games under .500 and buried in every standings available.
We’re fading Texas Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi in my Orioles vs. Rangers prediction tonight - he’s struggled mightily against this Baltimore lineup over the course of his career.
The Baltimore Orioles walk into Globe Life Field as massive +133 underdogs at Polymarket, and while I think they have an opportunity to win, we’re going to keep it safe on the run line (-163).
Let’s get right into my MLB picks for Friday, Aug. 7, and try to fatten that wallet before the weekend.
Who will win Orioles vs Rangers today: Orioles +1.5 (-168)
The Baltimore Orioles have had an underwhelming season against expectations, but they’re in a solid get-right spot against Nathan Eovaldi and the Texas Rangers in a series they have to win.
Eovaldi has regressed this year, and it won’t get any easier against the Orioles, who own a .316 xBA (.447 AVG) and .386 xwOBA against him across 43 plate appearances. If you’re looking for damage, Pete Alonso is a good place to start - he’s a career 3-for-4 against the righty with a .852 xSLG.
On the other side is Shane Baz, and while he has a limited sample size against the Rangers (19 at-bats), he’s dominated, limiting the offense to a .173 xBA and .267 xSLG, which includes a 2-for-10 line between Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford.
Baz is on an absolute heater, too, allowing just five earned runs across his last 20.1 innings pitched. With the Orioles just one game back of the Wild Card, expect them to bring their best.
COVERS INTEL: Nathan Eovaldi has a problem with Gunnar Henderson, too. The stud shortstop is 7-for-13 with an xBA of .368 against the righty over the course of his career. If the Orioles win, he'll be the reason why.
Orioles vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 runs (-120)
Baz is coming off his best outing of the season against a potent Phillies offense (6.1 IP, 1 ER), and should be able to stifle the bats of the Rangers, a team he’s found tremendous success against.
When looking at the MLB trends, it’s easy to see why the Under is a must-bet today - it’s hit in all six games when the Orioles play AL West opponents, and is 6-1 in Baltimore’s last seven road games.
Globe Life Field is one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in the bigs, coughing up just 94 long balls this year - good for 21st in baseball. Let’s sweep the board before the weekend, shall we?
Dustin Saracini's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 0-4, -4 units
Over/Under bets: 1-3, -2.9 units
Orioles vs Rangers weather
Globe Life Field is a climate-controlled dome - the weather won't have any impact on playing conditions tonight.
Orioles vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: Orioles (+129) | Rangers (-142)
Run line: Orioles +1.5 (-168) | Rangers -1.5 (+146)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+114) | Under 7.5 (-120)
Orioles vs Rangers trend
All signs are pointing toward the Under today - it's hit in the Rangers' last four games against the American League East, and six of seven in the Orioles' last seven road games. Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Rangers.
How to watch Orioles vs Rangers and game info
Location
Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Date
Friday, August 7, 2026
First pitch
8:15 p.m. ET
TV
Apple TV
Orioles starting pitcher
Shane Baz (4-10, 3.86 ERA)
Rangers starting pitcher
Nathan Eovaldi (10-9, 4.31 ERA)
Orioles vs Rangers 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.
Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker front drives past Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic during the 2024-2025 NBA regular season match between Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns in Los Angeles, the United States, March 16, 2025. (Photo by Ringo Chiu/Xinhua via Getty Images)
We are a week away from the NBA schedule release, according to recent reporting from NBA insider Marc Stein. Which means it’s time to look ahead to the most anticipated Phoenix Suns matchups. Sure, we don’t know the schedule, but we know who the opponents are, so let’s take a crack at projecting the spiciest matchups based on last season’s games and Phoenix’s history against other franchises.
Building off some exciting games in the Luka Doncic Lakers era
Playing five times last year, the Phoenix Suns faced only the Thunder more often than the Lakers last season (if you include the postseason, 9 times against OKC last season). In five matchups, the Suns took the season series 3-2, with two of the five games coming down to the final possession.
With LeBron James on the Sixers, Devin Booker and Luka Doncic become the matchup’s headliners, just as they were when Doncic was on the Mavericks and the two built a rivalry after Dallas beat the Suns in a dramatic second-round series in 2022.
Divisional rivals, the franchises have met 13 times in the postseason, with the most recent matchup coming in 2021, when Phoenix won in six games. After a second straight 50-win season, Los Angeles revamped its roster around Dončić and Austin Reaves, signing Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton.
Against Booker, Doncic consistently brings his best, averaging three points per game more than his career average. Booker also scores more than his career average when he plays against Luka.
Can the Suns have more success against the champs?
The Suns swept their season series against the Knicks last season. While Finals MVP Jalen Brunson didn’t play in the second matchup, when he suited up for the first contest, strong play from Devin Booker late and a 20-point first half from Dillon Brooks catapulted the team to victory over the eventual NBA champions.
Phoenix went 7-11 against the top three seeds in the Eastern and Western Conferences during the regular season and was swept by the West’s top-seeded Thunder in the first round of the playoffs. The Knicks were the only one of those six teams against which the Suns had a winning record.
Despite big man Mitchell Robinson leaving to join the Celtics, New York’s roster remains mostly unchanged, with the team retaining key free agents Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson. The team’s performance against the defending champions could potentially be used as an indicator of its ceiling during the 2026-27 campaign.
Looking for revenge against Portland
For nearly the entirety of the regular season, the Suns sat as the seventh seed in the Western Conference, but they didn’t finish seventh despite having the West’s seventh-best record. Phoenix has Deni Avdija and the Portland Trail Blazers to thank for that.
In the West’s 7/8 Play-In game back in April, the Blazers stormed back from a double-digit deficit to capture the seventh seed from Phoenix in one of the most memorable Play-In games ever. All-Star Deni Avdija scored 41 points for Portland, outdueled Booker, and forced Phoenix to play a second Play-In game to secure its playoff spot.
Along with getting revenge on Portland for snatching the seventh seed and extra rest from Phoenix before the playoffs started, the Suns will have another reason to seek revenge: newly acquired Ja Morant hit a game-winner against them last year as a member of the Grizzlies. Victories against Portland next season would be get-back opportunities against a squad and key players who were responsible for heartbreaking losses.
Of course, every season produces a handful of games that nobody circles in August, but everyone remembers by April. That’s the beauty of an 82-game schedule. Storylines emerge where you least expect them. Still, these are the matchups that immediately stand out. Rivalries, revenge, measuring sticks, and familiar faces in new places. The schedule release will give us the dates, but the intrigue is already there. Now it’s simply a matter of seeing which of these games helps define the Suns’ next chapter.
Carter Kieboom of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs signs autographs before a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
How did the kids do?
Worcester 10, Lehigh Valley4
Remember Tommy Pham? I completely forgot that that guy was in Lehigh Valley with the Phillies. I know that they needed solid depth to help in the minors in case whatever they had at the major league level had a problem. Well, Pham homered last night, so he’s still got it apparently. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough as the pitching was bad enough (Drake Fellows: 5 2/3 IP, 6 H, 6 R) that any offense simply wasn’t going to be enough to overtake it.
Reading 6, Richmond 4 Reading 8, Richmond 3
Caleb Ricketts and Bryan Rincon had two hits a piece in game one, leading the offense to the win. Luke Russo had a solid pitching performance to help preserve a bullpen that had a doubleheader ahead of them, throwing 5 1/3 innings and only giving up four runs. In game two, the offense was a little bit better, Ricketts and Aroon Escobar have three hits a piece, Escobar sneaking a home run in there. Alex Binelas continued his solid season by homering as well while on the mound, Andy Seminaris had six innings in which he allowed only the three runs that Richmond scored. Sweeping a doubleheader is always a good day.
Frederick 9, Jersey Shore 7
Home runs by Robert Phelps and Mark Kolozsvary weren’t enough on this day as the Keys tagged a leaky BlueClaws bullpen for six runs, blowing a solid effort from Cody Bowker on the start of the game to give it away. The bullpen, in five innings, allowed six runs on only four hits thanks to nine walks allowed, something close to incomprehensible.
With the dominant Parker Messick taking the bump, the Cleveland Guardians sit as a clear -138 moneyline favorite tonight against the Chicago White Sox.
With a vulnerable starter on the other side, my Guardians vs White Sox predictions and MLB picks expect Cleveland to walk away with a win here.
Who will win Guardians vs White Sox today: Guardians (-137)
Parker Messick continues to have a terrific campaign. He owns an impressive 1.35 FIP across his last two starts, and he has not allowed a single barrel during that span.
As for Chicago, it hands the ball to Noah Schultz. He has a 4.64 xERA over the last month, which isn't horrible. However, Schultz has given up a 45.6% hard-hit rate during that span.
The Guardians also enter in good offensive form, collecting a 104 wRC+ over the last week. Cleveland has the clear edge behind Messick.
I’ll play this pick up to -150.
COVERS INTEL: Chicago owns just an 89 wRC+ over the last two weeks, well below its season-long 102 mark. That cold stretch gives Messick a favorable matchup as he looks to keep missing barrels.
Guardians vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-112)
This total sits at just 7.5, and the Over has the better path. Cleveland is already swinging it well, and Schultz’s hard-contact issues give the Guardians a chance to create early offense.
Chicago’s lineup is also more dangerous at home, producing a 106 wRC+ compared to a 97 mark on the road. That matters against a Cleveland bullpen that has been awful lately, posting a 6.44 FIP over the last week while allowing 1.95 HR/9.
The White Sox bullpen has been steadier with a 3.88 xERA during that same span, but Cleveland’s current offensive form gives them enough of a path to contribute late.
With both lineups having realistic scoring lanes, I'd lean to the Over.
I'll play this pick up to -130.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 44-55, -17.06 units
Over/Under bets: 54-42, +5.96 units
Guardians vs White Sox weather
The weather looks solid at Rate Field tonight, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures falling from the mid-80s to the upper 70s. Winds should sit around 7–8 mph, and rain chances remain low throughout most of the game. Conditions are warm enough to slightly help carry, but nothing extreme.
Guardians vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Guardians -138 | White Sox +133
Run line: Guardians -1.5 (+122) | White Sox +1.5 (-127)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-112) | Under 7.5 (+101)
Guardians vs White Sox trend
The Chicago White Sox have hit the Game Total Over in 23 of their last 40 games at home (+5.35 Units / 12% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. White Sox.
How to watch Guardians vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Friday, August 7, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
CleGuardians.TV, CHSN
Guardians starting pitcher
Parker Messick (8-6, 2.57 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Noah Schultz (3-8, 5.82 ERA)
Guardians vs White Sox 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.
WICHITA, KS - JULY 01: Mike Sirota #53 of the Tulsa Drillers looks on prior to the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Wichita Wind Surge at Equity Bank Park on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Lathe Cobb/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Splitting four games on the road, the two higher levels took the win while the Loons and Tower Buzzers were both beaten.
Player of the day
Getting better at a higher level isn’t normal, at least not unless your name is Mike Sirota, who has taken his in-season promotion to Double-A in stride, absolutely thriving as one of the Drillers’ most dangerous hitters.
Sirota was heavily involved in an 8-4 win on the road, reaching base safely a team-high five times, including hitting his 10th home run in only 56 games with the Double-A squad.
Leaving all of their scoring until the final third of the game, the Comets came from behind to beat the Bees 6 to 3. This win came with crucial contributions from the bottom of the order, particularly shortstop Hyeseong Kim and designated hitter Ryan Fitzgerald, each with two RBI.
Returning from such a lengthy absence, nearly two full years without appearing in a game, Gavin Stone lasted only an inning and two-thirds, but he encouragingly punched out three batters.
Veteran reliever Charlie Barnes, who pitched three scoreless innings near the end of this game, ended up with the win. Recently acquired reliever Seth Halvorsen earned the save, punching out the side in the ninth to power his way past a hit and a walk.
Double-A Tulsa
Much like the Comets, the Drillers also left most of their scoring for the seventh and eighth innings—a grand slam from Jake Gelof and a solo shot from Frank Rodríguez helped them easily handle the Hooks in a victory away from home.
Making his second start in Double-A, Zach Root vastly improved on a short outing he had last time out, delivering six innings of three-run ball with double-digit strikeouts.
High-A Great Lakes
Should is a dangerous word in sports, but at the very least, a team loses a lot of sympathy when it commits an absurd six errors. Even though the Dragons didn’t fully capitalize on all of those gifts, the Loons hardly produced enough offensively to avoid an 8-to-2 loss away from home.
Half of those six errors came from first baseman Jose Meza, who had a miserable day on both sides of the ball, going 0 for 4 with the bat and striking out three times. Charles Davalan, who also committed an error, didn’t score a run or drive one in despite reaching base three times out of the leadoff spot.
For the third time this season, Jacob Frst had a 5+ BB performance, ultimately leading to a rally in the third inning that chased him out of this game, allowing six runs in 2.1 innings.
Single-A Ontario
When your leadoff batter strikes out three times and doesn’t reach safely once in five at-bats, that’s probably as big a sign of a lousy offensive performance as one might find—the case for Kellon Lindsey in a 5-2 loss against the Storm.
One of the few Tower Buzzers who had a productive day at the plate was ninth-hole hitter Javier Herrera. The right fielder recorded three hits in four at-bats and is now up to an .856 OPS in 46 games in Single-A.
While Luis Gamez had a great performance as Ontario’s starter, allowing just two hits, reliever Luis Carias couldn’t command the baseball and gave out five free passes to take the loss.
Transactions
Right-handed pitcher Gavin Stone began a rehab assignment with the Comets, who also activated veteran left-hander Cole Irvin. The Tower Buzzers were assigned shortstop Caleb Johnson and right-handed pitcher Devin Bell while releasing right-hander Jhonny Jímenez and Peter Bonilla.
Thursday’s scores
Salt Lake 3, Oklahoma City 6
Corpus Christi 4, Tulsa 9
Dayton 8, Great Lakes 2
Lake Elsinore 5, Ontario 2
Friday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Sean Patick) at Dayton (Edgar Colon)
4:35 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Christian Zazueta) at Corpus Christi (Nolan DeVos)
5:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Cole Irvin) at Salt Lake (TBD)
6:05 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Lake Elsinore (Kruz Schoolcraft)
ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 04: Cody Bradford #61 of the Detroit Tigers stands for the national anthem prior to the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Saturday, July 4, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Courtney Kramer/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Texas Rangers activated infielder Cody Freeman from the 10 day injured list on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, and optioned him to AAA Round Rock. In addition, on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, the Rangers activated Cody Bradford from the 60 day injured list. To make room for Bradford on the active roster, pitcher MacKenzie Gore was placed on the paternity list. The 40 man roster had an open spot, so no move was necessary to put Bradford back on the 40 man roster. The 40 man roster is now full.
This is just catching up on a couple of transactions from earlier this week. Freeman had been placed on the major league injured list due to a herniated disc in his neck, which he underwent surgery for on June 29. He started a rehab assignment with the ACL Rangers on July 20, played three games there, and then had the reahab assignment moved to Round Rock on July 25, where he’s been playing since.
Freeman started the season on the injured list due to a stress reaction in his lumbar area, which kept him out until mid-May. That resulted in him spending four days with the ACL club on a rehab assignment in mid-May, then playing three games for Frisco later in the month before joining Round Rock. He was called up and appeared in one game in early June before being sent back down, then was called up again a week later, playing in six games for the big league club before being put on the injured list on June 25 for the herniated disc.
Its been a frustrating season for Freeman, who was in the mix for a job on the Opening Day roster this spring before being sidelined by the injury. He’s appeared in just 32 games between the ACL, AA and AAA this year, accumulating 137 plate appearances, along with seven games in the majors.
Bradford’s return provided a much-needed boost to the Rangers, as he went 4.1 scoreless innings in his starts on Wednesday against the Giants in what was a 6-0 Rangers win, a game I attended (and thus wasn’t able to post about when the move happened, since I was driving to the Shed). Its been a long road back from internal brace surgery for Bradford, who was initially anticipated to potentially be back as soon as early May. However, after a rehab appearance for Round Rock on April 2, he reported soreness in the elbow and was shut down for a period of time.
The Rangers having MacKenzie Gore go on the paternity list gave them the ability to carry an extra arm and put off the decision on who to remove from the active roster for a brief period of time. A player can spend up to three days on the paternity list, so Gore will have to be activated either today or tomorrow. Assuming there are no injuries out there we aren’t aware of, Nolan Kingham would seem likely to be the guy dropped from the active roster.
The Rangers also have a decision to make in regards to Jordan Montgomery, who made his eighth rehab start for Round Rock this past Sunday, August 2, throwing 86 pitches over five shutout innings. I would assume that Montgomery would be activated for this weekend’s series rather than making another rehab appearance. Skip Schumaker has said that Montgomery could be used either in the rotation or in a relief role, and my guess is that he’ll be working out of the bullpen, at least initially, given there’s not currently an open spot in the Rangers’ rotation, and given that Montgomery’s stuff in his rehab appearances has been down compared to where he was pre-injury.
Montgomery will need a 40 man roster spot when he is activated, which could result in Kingham getting designated for assignment rather than simply optioned if the Rangers send down one of their relievers with options, such as Ben Peoples, Peyton Gray or Robby Ahlstrom, to make room for Montgomery. Cal Quantrill and Cole Winn are both out of options, so should the Rangers opt to cut loose one of them to make room for Montgomery, that would open up a 40 man roster spot, which would allow the Rangers to option Kingham, should they choose, rather than designate him for assignment.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Cam Caminiti #11 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Cam Caminiti had a matchup with Jesus Made and the Biloxi Shuckers in his first taste of Double-A action, and he rose to the challenge nicely with a solid start. Caminiti’s pitching helped the Clingstones stay in position for a walk-off win. In Single-A Davis Polo kept his magnificent run of pitching going with six innings despite being pushed back due to a rain delay, and Owen Murphy only allowed one hit over 4 2/3 innings for Gwinnett.
Owen Murphy, SP: 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 3.56 ERA
Ray Kerr, RP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0.00 ERA
It was an interesting start for Owen Murphy. He was effective on the box score, allowing one hit and no runs, but this was absolutely not his best start. To kick it off his velocity was (narrowly) his lowest in any Triple-A outing this season, bucking a trend of rising velocity in recent games, and that was particularly notable when he fell off of a cliff in the fourth inning. It was across the board for his pitches so it wasn’t a case of him taking a bit off to try to throw strikes, though he also had his worse game command-wise since his very early outings in Gwinnett. He was not himself and it turned into him not being able to get whiffs on his fastball and allowing loads of hard contact in the game, though no one ever quite squared him up and made him pay. Health-wise Murphy seems fine, and his fastball spin rates were in their normal range, he just was not throwing well and the drop in velocity just compounded a poor command outing. Murphy is, in fairness, already well past his career high in innings (101 2/3 vs 89 2/3 in 2023 and 30 1/3 last season), so him pitching at all this late in the season really is a boon to his development. Seeing some fatigue-related struggles happen on and off shouldn’t be a surprise and that’s really what it seems like for Murphy as this game is out of character based on recent weeks. Ray Kerr made his first appearance in Triple-A after successful rehab starts at the lower levels, and he looked fine. He got a bunch of whiffs on his curveball and pitched well for four batter, though unsurprisingly his velocity and spin are way down at the moment. Kerr will need to regain that velocity to be a real candidate for major league action again, though for right now the focus is health and that will be something more likely discussed next spring rather than in the final month of the Triple-A season if he stays with the organization.
This is the first time Patrick Clohisy has had a game that you can reasonably call bad, and he still had his moments, kind of. Clohisy got a solid swing on the ball in the first inning but flew out to the opposite field warning track, and landed himself on base in the seventh inning with a bloop hit into right field. He then got picked off, though that did not deter Gwinnett from stringing together a rally and scoring the only two runs of the game. Clohisy’s other three at-bats were strikeouts. Clohisy had to face off with lefty Dax Fulton and he was struggling a bit as the Jumbo Shrimp were not giving him many fastballs to work with. He attacked those as well he could but only had the first inning solid contact and couldn’t make due with any of the others. When they got him down in the count he had trouble making contact with secondaries, and also chased three sliders out of the strike zone.
Cam Caminiti, SP: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 3;38 ERA
Cam Caminiti got a welcome to Double-A moment on his very first pitch at the level, but bounced back with a solid, though unfinished outing. Caminiti tried to groove a fastball to the leadoff hitter, Brewers #5 prospect Josh Adamczewski, and the dude was sat back waiting on it, and hit a nuke out to right field for a leadoff home run. That’s not an ideal start, but Caminiti really didn’t let it get to him. Caminiti had three matchups with Jesus Made in this game, and he got the best of those at bats every time. Caminiti got Made to expand and tap a grounder back to the mound immediately after that home run, and got a ground out and routine fly out in the other two matchups. Caminiti fanned Adamczewski swinging in their next matchup and then got him on a called strike three in the fifth inning, and outside of that home run Caminiti was in control early in this game. Caminiti didn’t have his best slider and left a few too many up in the zone, a refrain common to the games Caminiti has been rough this season, but his fastball location was on point and he was able to mix his pitches well and handle a great offense. His command fell off a bit late in the game and he labored without his slider to really seal at-bats quickly after getting to two strikes, but for the first four innings of the game he was fully himself and did a great job of tackling a strong lineup and a new level without even having his best stuff. Caminiti has impressed with his resilience this season and his ability to make adjustments and improvements, and he looked prepared to take on Double-A in his first outing even if his numbers don’t completely reflect that.
It was a great thing that Caminiti was the headliner of this game, because the position player prospects gave us nothing. The trio of top players combined to get zero hits, and they didn’t look particularly threatening with their contact either. The best of them was definitely Eric Hartman, who first made an appearance with a walk and a stolen base. Later in the game Hartman hit a sharp ball to left field, and the defender gave it a few twists and turns and seemed to have trouble tracking it but it was too direct on to really escape him and turned into a fly out. Hartman hasn’t made a huge impact in his first three games but he hasn’t looked bad at the plate at all, taking some good at bats and at least stressing the other team by getting on base and stealing bags. Hartman’s progression in his approach this season has been promising to watch, and those sorts of adjustments are the things that really separate successful prospects from hitters who flame out in the upper levels, and so far Hartman looks like he is just a half step away from turning it back to 100 in Columbus. The team ended up taking a one run deficit into the ninth inning, where they potentially lost another player to hit by pitch on the wrist. Carson Taylor, who has been terrific for the Clingstones in limited action, took one off the hand and had to leave the game, but that would spark a game-winning rally. A two out error kept the inning going before a walk loaded the bases, bringing up Ambioris Tavarez in a dream situation with a chance to tie or win the game. Tavarez gapped a hard line drive for a walk off single, winning the game for Columbus.
Luke Sinnard, SP: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3.32 ERA
It’s return start number two for Luke Sinnard, and it was a massive improvement over a shaky first start even if he didn’t maintain his best throughout the evening. Sinnard had on-and-off issues with his location throughout the outing, and for a guy who typically has great body control despite his large statue he had some trouble repeating his delivery in this game. Sinnard was consistently missing on the glove side and had many occasions where he got in front of himself and pulled pitches well out of the strike zone, but found some rhythm the more the game went on. He seemed to figure out the mechanical troubles even with a few bad mistakes coming in later innings, and both his fastball and slider missed bats. He ended up not doing a great job in 0-2 counts and didn’t finish off plate appearances efficiently, and the second time through the order turned into trouble as a result. Sinnard issued a walk and then got burned by the BABIP gods on a soft pop up down the first base line, but got ahead of the next guy quickly with a chance to end his day with a big out. He failed to make an effective pitch in that situation, and wound up hanging a 2-2 slider right over the heart of the plate that got bashed for a three-run home run. Sinnard is absolutely not as sharp with his pitches as he was early in the season and it may take a few more for him to really work back, though this is still a massive step forward from where he was last week. The goal now is just to stay healthy through the end of the season and prove he is ready to make the jump to Columbus next year, something that seemed destined after his first five starts before going down with injury.
It has been quite refreshing to watch Alex Lodise since his promotion to High-A. Lodise has suddenly been making a lot more contact since his promotion, and over the past two games the power has started to come out as well. He hit his first High-A home run last night and followed it up in the first inning of this game by ambushing a first pitch fastball and hitting a laser into the Rome bullpen. Lodise is still getting most of his results on fastballs and will likely always be that guy, which is fine as long as he limits the amount that he chases after breaking balls out of the strike zone. He did go after a slider off of the plate in his second at bat, but it was a close pitch in a 2-2 count so it’s hard to fault him for that. Overall he has made somewhat better swing decisions since being promoted, and progress is all you’re looking for from him right now. Conor Essenburg had a terrific game with three hits, and he really hasn’t seemed to be having trouble with the increase in level of pitching. Essenburg didn’t really get any of the pitches he had hits on squarely, but the process to get to his swings was sound and he did end up making solid enough contact to get results. Among the big trio of prospects Essenburg is definitely the one you would expect to have the least trouble adjusting and that has held true so far. That is not at all the case for Luis Guanipa. He has struggled and even when he is making good swing decisions he isn’t really attacking with the mindset to do damage. Of course he is still expanding the strike zone, but even on pitches inside the strike zone he is doing a lot of just punching at the ball even in favorable counts. One example came in the fourth inning when Guanipa went after a first pitch slider that spun high and over the inside corner of the plate. In and of itself that’s not a bad swing decision, especially for a player like Guanipa who we’ve seen demolish pitches on the inner half, but instead of looking to drive the ball on his pull side he just stayed closed and did that a push swing he likes when he is trying to shoot singles into right field and he popped the ball up to second base. For Guanipa it’s not just what he swings at but what he is looking to do when he does swing and it doesn’t really feel like he has a good idea of who he wants to be as a hitter despite having flashes of brilliance this season.
Swing and Misses
Luke Sinnard – 8
Riley Frey – 7
Drew Christo – 5
(57-46) Augusta GreenJackets 3, (61-41) Hickory Crawdads 2
Nick Montgomery, DH: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, .190/.335/.387
Juan Mateo, SS: 2-3, 2B, RBI, .251/.332/.342
Davis Polo, SP: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 3.34 ERA
Daniel Brooks, RP: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 0.98 ERA
This game had a lengthy rain delay before it could even get underway, and when it did start it quickly became a game the GreenJackets might have wished to avoid despite them earning the win. It has been a nightmarish start for Manuel Campos in his first chance to play full season ball and in the first inning it got even worse for him. On a chopper up the middle he and Joe Olsavsky collided, and after both stayed on the ground for a length of time they had to be removed from the game likely for fear of head injuries . Olsavsky chased the ball low and ran into Campos’s outstretched arm, and though he had direct contact he ended up being the first off of the ground though he did not remain in the game. The collision itself did less damage to Campos, but it spun him around awkwardly and he fell backwards and hit the back of his head on the infield dirt. Campos remained down getting tended to for nearly five minutes, though he and Olsavsky both were able to get up and walk off under their own power.
The game itself took a bit of time to unravel, and much of that had to do with terrific pitching from the Augusta staff. Davis Polo has been one of the outstanding pitchers in the system throughout this season and kept his month and a half long streak of terrific pitching going with his cleanest outing of the season, even if things got a bit shaky for him later in the game. Polo worked with a heavy dose of sinkers in this game, somewhat eschewing usage of his slider, though at times throughout the game he was able to work all three of his pitches to force whiffs. Polo generated mostly ground balls when the Crawdads did make contact and little of that came off of the bat solidly, and Polo pounded the strike zone and worked through the lineup efficiently. Likely the only thing that kept Polo from pitching at least one inning deeper into this game was the rain delay interrupting his routine as he ended the day with only 78 pitches thrown. He did have a shade of inconsistency sneak in during the sixth inning, but given the contact he produced he should have gotten out of the inning much more quickly. A grounder into the hole was too far away for Juan Mateo to really get a good chance at leading to an infield single, then a bouncer over to third got away for an error and Mateo hit a batter to load the bases. Polo locked in and leaned into his slider once the going got tough, immediately recording a strikeout for the second out, but ended up not escaping as a hitter was able to scoop a low sinker into right field for a two-run single. Outside of the laborious sixth Polo had no real issue at all and even at his worst made solid pitches in that inning and should be commended for another great outing. Daniel Brooks has been outlandishly good for Augusta this season but somehow keeps taking his outings to new levels. He absolutely ripped through this lineup without a hint of trouble, striking out a season high seven batters while not allowing a single baserunner in three innings. Brooks produces such a severe downward tilt and his breaking ball tumbles out of the hand in a way that hitters at this level don’t really have a great answer for. He has 21 strikeouts to only two walks over his past 11 innings of work.
Offensively the GreenJackets didn’t have much success, but with pitching like they saw they didn’t need but a couple of clutch hits to take over this game. In the second inning Juan Mateo, who was pressed into the shortstop role after Campos had to leave the game, came up to bat with an opportunity with two runners on base. Mateo hit a soft liner out to right field for a base hit, giving Augusta an early lead and one which they wouldn’t relinquish. Mateo added a double in the fifth inning when he scooped an outside curveball into the corner, but that wasn’t the biggest hit of the game by any stretch. In the sixth inning Parker Brosius, who was only in the game due to being Olsavsky’s replacement, led off with a sharp base hit for his lone hit on the day. Nick Montgomery came up with two outs and got a hanging breaking ball that he did not miss, crushing a no-doubt two run home run to break the game open. Montgomery hasn’t had consistent playing time since coming off of the injured list in July, but despite the loads of strikeouts still marring his performance he has managed to be one of the lineup’s most productive hitters. He’s calmed down his tendency to chase out of the strike zone and has drawn a lot more walks as a result, and since really getting back into action with the Salem series he has three home runs in nine games.
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 05: Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Chase DeLauter (24) advances from first to third base on a single during the fifth inning of the Major League Baseball interleague game between the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians on August 5, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This really is a crucial series for the Guardians.
The White Sox lead the AL Central and have a 4-3 season series lead against Cleveland so far this season. Both teams enter the series having been swept… Cleveland by the pitiful Mets and Chicago by the scorching hot Red Sox.
The White Sox are 59-55 with a +38 run differential, 13th in wRC+ at 101, 20th in baserunning runs above average at -3.4, 13th in Defense at -12.5, 19th in starting pitcher ERA at 4.34 (4.28 FIP) and 10th in bullpen ERA at 3.82 (4.01 FIP).
The Guardians are 57-59 with a -28 run differential, 25th in wRC+ at 93, 6th in baserunning runs above average at +5.6, 10th in Defense at -6.3, sixth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.69 (3.91 FIP) and eighth in bullpen ERA at 3.81 (3.81 FIP).
Matchups:
Friday, 7:40PM ET Noah Schultz LHP vs. Parker Messick, LHP
Saturday, 7:15PM ET Anthony Kay, RHP vs. Gavin Williams, RHP
Sunday, 2:10PM ET Davis Martin, RHP vs. Joey Cantillo, LHP
The White Sox are led by Muntaka Murakami at 151 wRC+, Randal Grichuk at 137 wRC+, Miguel Vargas at 129 wRC+, Sam Antonacci at 121 wRC+, Chase Meidroth at 110 wRC+, Andrew Benintendi at 105 wRC+, Tristan Peters at 104 wRC+ and Colson Montgomery at 104 wRC+.
The Guardians are led by Chase DeLauter at 125 wRC+, Nate Lowe at 123 wRC+, Travis Bazzana 109 wRC+, Austin Hedges 108 wRC+, Jose Ramirez 101 wRC+, Brayan Rocchio 101 wRC+ and Steven Kwan 101 wRC+.
The season comes down to this. Wither goest thou, Guardians?
To keep this feature going, I’m going to post simply the WPA numbers and plays of the game, and a poll so you can vote on your choice for Player of the Game. Thomas will update the Rizzo Award standings when he returns.
Game 116, Aug. 6: Cubs 3, Blue Jays 2
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Alex Bregman (.453). 2-4, 2B, 2-run HR
Hero/Sidekick: Caleb Thielbar/Trent Thornton (.312). 1 scoreless IP each
It should be obvious to everyone that Bregman’s homer changed the win probability big time — just look at the WPA chart! The Jays were at a 95 percent chance of winning when Bregman came to bat.
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Dansby Swanson (-.274). 0-4, 2 K
Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.175). 0-4, K
Kid: Seiya Suzuki (-.169). 0-4, K
WPA Play of the Game: Isn’t it obvious? Alex Bregman’s two-run game-tying homer with two out in the ninth (.488).
Blue Jays Play of the Game: Alejandro Kirk’s RBI single in the seventh (.122).
Up next: The Cubs begin a six-game road trip in Kansas City. Kevin Gausman will make his Cubs debut. The Royals will go with a bullpen game, with left-handed reliever Daniel Lynch IV the opener.
The Cubs have won four straight and this trip would be a great time to keep stacking wins.
SACRAMENTO, CA - JULY 31: Mark Kotsay #7 of the Athletics talks with the media prior to the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Friday, July 31, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Darren Yamashita/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning A’s fans. Happy Friday!
This week has not been kind to the Athletics, as going on the road did little to cure the team’s inability to win. They kicked off this road trip by dropping all three games against the Cincinnati Reds. Now, the deflated and demoralized squad begins a three-game weekend series against the Boston Red Sox tonight, a matchup between two teams heading in completely opposite directions.
On June 19, the A’s were 38-38. Since then, they’ve gone 7-32. That’s 6 games worse than anyone else in MLB during that stretch. Manager Mark Kotsay’s squad has also lost 12 straight series for the first time in 110 years, un unfathomable yet not surprising feat given the losing culture that has permeated this franchise since Kotsay took the helm. It is hard to determine if the baseball gods are real, but one has to wonder if all this losing is some sort of curse or punishment for the A’s leaving their devoted, passionate Oakland fanbase behind.
Nevada politician Steve Yeager notably said that “Vegas doesn’t tolerate losers” while discussing the Athletics’ relocation to that city. Well, unless something changes before 2028, Las Vegas may be getting exactly that when the A’s bring their brand of baseball to Southern Nevada.
Given this extended stretch of losing, it seems unlikely that Kotsay will be managing the A’s when they open their brand-new stadium. Heck, he should not make it beyond this season, as this will mark his fifth straight losing campaign.
The best thing the A’s can do right now is play spoiler against teams still in the playoff race. That begins this weekend. Right-handers Jack Perkins and J.T. Ginn will start the series opener and finale at Fenway Park, with left-hander Gage Jump in between. The Red Sox will counter with left-handers Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett, followed by a bullpen game in the series finale.
Will the Athletics snap out of this extended funk and bring the Red Sox back down to Earth, or will they suffer a 13th straight series loss? What are you hoping to see from the Green and Gold for the remainder of this season?
SAN DIEGO,CA - May 3: Tony Gwynn Jr. of the San Diego Padres broadcast team poses for a photo prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at PETCO Park on May 3, 2017 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Andy Hayt/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
He’s the son of baseball royalty. His father would play twenty seasons, capture eight batting titles and lead the Padres to a pair of World Series appearances. Tony Gwynn Jr. joins us today exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes to preview the Astros upcoming series in San Diego. Gwynn serves as color commentator for Padres baseball.
Q: Do you personally relate to a guy like Fernando Tatis Jr., who’s also following in his dad’s footsteps with his baseball career?
A: In some ways yes and some ways no. We both grew up following the path of our fathers, so from that standpoint, I definitely can relate. The pressures of following a Hall of Fame father are tough no doubt. That being said, I would say that having the responsibility of being the savior of an organization and having to live up to those expectations or something I never had to do.
Q: Is Tatis the future of Padres baseball?
A: I believe Tatis is the future of this organization. I think Jackson Merrill’s right behind him. Those two guys will lead this organization when Manny Machado’s time is done.
Q: Your dad never struck out more than 40 times in a season. All these years later, he has so many stats, but that one is just crazy to think about. Which of his numbers do you feel is indicative of his legacy?
A: Yeah, my pops accumulated some crazy numbers in his career. My favorite is he could go basically 1000 at bats without a hit and still be a lifetime .300 hitter. That’s what hitting .338 for a career can do!
Q: How good is Mason Miller’s stuff? Give Astros fans an idea of what he’s doing closing out games.
A: Mason Miller is having a tremendous year. He was 26 of 26 before blowing the save last Friday. In that game the Padres asked him for five outs. Outside of that one instance, he’s been flawless. You’re looking at 103 mph fastball, but his equalizer is the slider which is probably one of the toughest pitches to hit baseball.
Q: We saw Jeremiah Estrada activated from the IL. How crucial will he be for this club to remain in the thick of the wild card race the final several weeks of the season?
A: Jeremiah will be extremely crucial down the stretch as will getting Jason Adam back sometime in September. The padres expect to get David Morgan back before the end of the year as well. All three of these guys will factor into this bullpen and will be a huge help once they get healthy.
Q: Craig Stammen took over in November. What grade would you give him in his first regular season at the helm?
A: I would give Craig Stammen a B grade. If he had his players perform better in the first half, this grade would probably be higher. I think as a first-year manager, no matter who it is, there’s going to be some misses along the way. Despite this team not performing well offensively and having a ton of injuries to rotation and the bullpen, he’s helped keep this team close in the wildcard standings and they’ve started to play a lot better.
Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan (41) pitches the ball in a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, Aug 13, 2025, Bronx, New York, USA. Yannick Peterhans/NorthJersey.com
Importantly, don’t forget that after today’s game with the Rays is the Mariners Alumni Home Run Derby, available to stream for free! Who is your pick to win the contest?
In Mariners news…
In case you missed it, Major League Baseball issued Gabe Speier a three-game suspension for his role in the bases-clearing incident between the M’s and Tigers on Wednesday night.
COVERS INTEL: Nathan Eovaldi has a problem with Gunnar Henderson, too. The stud shortstop is 7-for-13 with an xBA of .368 against the righty over the course of his career. If the Orioles win, he'll be the reason why.
