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At Oklahoma State, coaches used to joke that Nolan McLean and Carson Benge were "The Power Gingers," a pair of red-headed kids who, as two-way players, could do seemingly anything on a ballfield. Here’s a glimpse...

As a pitcher, Benge had more strikeouts at OSU than McLean, weird since McLean now sits among the National League’s strikeout leaders. And McLean, so strong that some folks in Stillwater were shy about shaking hands with him, slugged more home runs in college than Benge, who at 23 years old is one of the most impressive rookie position players in the majors. 

The stage is different now that the Power Gingers have gone from star college teammates to a crucial part of the future for the Mets, but their relationship is still as tight as when they built a strong bond as road roommates at OSU in 2023. 

"He hasn't changed much as we've gotten older, and it's super cool that we're now playing together at the big league level, and that we've been pretty close ever since he was on campus," said the 25-year-old McLean. "He's always been an outgoing, super-gifted and talented player, just kind of oozing with athleticism. And it's shown on a big league stage as well."

"It’s cool they were teammates here and it’s even cooler they’re teammates there," Oklahoma State head coach Josh Holliday said. "They were tight. Nolan’s good for Bengey and Bengey’s good for Nolan." 

These days, McLean and Benge drive together to Citi Field for games. They live in the same apartment building. In college, they bonded, in part, over video games – Rocket League was a favorite – and they still try to play every day, whether it’s before night games or following a day game. 

Who’s better at Rocket League? "I am, no question," Benge said. "He’ll say the same thing. He’s got me in Call of Duty, but I’m better in Rocket League."

"I mean, Carson, he’s almost just as good at Rocket League as he is at baseball," McLean said. "But I do have him beaten in all the other games."

How would each describe the other as a roommate? "Good," said Benge. "Clean. We just kind of chilled and played video games."

"Got up at similar times, went to bed at similar times," McLean said. "We got close pretty quick. Carson’s easy." 

As both players have been navigating the early days of their big league careers this season, it’s helped having a familiar face around. Major League Baseball is, obviously, a difficult job, and the Mets are enduring a disappointing season.

"Yeah, the game’s kind of built around failure and we’ve both had our struggles this year," McLean noted. Since McLean reached the majors in 2025, he had some intel for Benge when Benge started this season in Queens. 

"What little experience I had, being able to tell him what to expect, just like around the clubhouse, around the stadium, traveling," McLean said. "That's the hard stuff, you know? The baseball stuff's easy for us because that's what we're used to doing. It's the transition into the everyday life and the move."

McLean said he offered Benge insight on what he’d experience "when he got to the field. How guys act. What to wear is a big one. How to deal with the media. You’re going to be asked a million questions. But Carson is a super-chill dude and he’s capable of handling himself."

McLean is originally from North Carolina, so when he went west for college, he craved a certain culture as he tried to play both football and baseball initially.

"It’s 20-plus hours away from home, so the environment was important to me," McLean said. "As soon as I stepped foot on campus, it felt like home." 

There were plenty of former OSU greats around, from Josh’s brother, Matt, a seven-time MLB All-Star, to Robin Ventura, the former Met star and one of the best college baseball players ever. 

"Josh would have people over all the time and it was just like a family environment," McLean said. "It was definitely special for our team."

Cowboy coaches knew all about Benge long before he was a college prospect – Benge’s older brother, Garrett, played for Oklahoma State and was part of the Cowboys’ 2016 College World Series team. Garrett Benge later played three seasons in the minors.

"I knew (Carson) from the time he was 12," said Holliday. "His sophomore year of high school, playing summer baseball, I saw him swing and I said, 'Oooh, that’s different.' What a pretty swing – loose, flat, uncanny, line-drive hitting kid."

Benge was also a standout pitcher, which should come as no surprise to any Met fan who has seen him throw from the outfield. Last month, Benge threw out Freddie Freeman at the plate with a throw clocked at 100 miles per hour, the fastest outfield assist by a Met in the Statcast Era (since 2015), according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.

Benge had Tommy John surgery as a freshman at OSU and started playing the outfield. He still pitched in college, too, but it became clear his future was as a position player.

"I think he could have pitched in the big leagues if that’s what he wanted to do," McLean said. "But I think he was too gifted a hitter to not stick with hitting."

And McLean was too gifted on the mound not to stick with pitching, even if he was once dubbed "Cowboy Ohtani" (as in Shohei Ohtani) for his prodigious power. He hit in the minors until 2024 and, somewhat famously, homered in his final at-bat as a pro at Double-A before focusing solely on pitching.

Folks at OSU still talk about McLean’s otherworldly grip strength, which is ideal for hitting, sure, but is also part of what makes McLean so good at generating spin on his breaking pitches.

At OSU, McLean also got a reputation for a big-time work ethic. "Nolan is as mature as it comes," said OSU assistant coach Victor Romero. "He was here taking care of business. He showed an interest in nutrition and how to get lean. He’s invested in himself."

"My dad always told me, 'You got one shot at it, make the most of it,'" McLean said. "So from a pretty young age, I’ve always been super-fascinated, every day, in what’s going to make me better. I’ve got to thank my dad for instilling that hard work into me.

"But it's also helpful when you go to places like Oklahoma State and then get drafted by the Mets when the resources are just at an all-time high and you can kind of take it all in."

Both places feel like home to The Power Gingers. Who knows if they might get another familiar teammate on the Mets – Gabe Davis, who pitched at OSU from 2023-25, was acquired from the White Sox in the Huascar Brazobán deal.

Benge enjoys the feeling when he goes back to Stillwater. Last winter, he was on campus and texted Holliday: "Are you here? I’ve got something for you." Benge wanted to show Holliday his new puppy, a Newfoundland named Bear.

"Josh loves dogs, so I figured I’d pay him a visit with my new one," Benge said. "She’s getting big."

"I was down in the (batting) cage and his puppy is running around the cage," Holliday said. "He’s a loose, fun soul."

"It looks like they’ve both found their fit," Holliday added. "Super proud of them."

Jim Jarvis currently has a notable line, at least compared to earlier in the season. He started out massively outhitting his xwOBA, but that’s done now — he’s at a .274 wOBA (69 wRC+) and .271 xwOBA. His defense-plus-positional adjustment rounds to zero runs above average. Combine that with 0.1 runs of above-average baserunning (sadly it’s not 0.0), and he’s at 0.0 fWAR.

But, the Braves don’t have too many other options. Ha-Seong Kim, well, even the Braves won’t go that far. (And, the more Jarvis plays, the more time Kim is likely going to need to get back into the swing of things.) The other obvious option is just playing Mauricio Dubon at shortstop, but the Braves haven’t committed to that either.

So, when we get to the playoffs (barring an epic collapse, which lurks on the peripheries of probability), will the Braves still be of the inclination to give Jarvis a start? What do you think?

It’s been over a week since the most disheartening trade deadline sales job in Orioles history, and not much has changed for these Orioles. After last night’sloss in Minnesota, the O’s still find themselves just below .500, tantalizingly close to a Wild Card spot but with the foreboding sense that Baltimore will never actually reach that playoff berth. So not much has changed, if you can ignore the gaping hole left in the heart of Birdland by Adley Rutschman and others.

The most recent sell-off by Mike Elias and the front office was the sixth time in eight seasons that the Orioles have conceded being sellers at the trade deadline. In terms of overall talent leaving the organization, the 2026 sale probably ranks just behind the great purge of 2018.

The idea behind being sellers is clear; non-contending teams trade win-now assets at inflated prices in order to acquire younger, more controllable players who might better fit a future timeline for contention. Some of the rhetoric coming out of Elias’ office after this trade deadline threw around phrases like “improving overall organizational health” and “setting us our team up for the future.” And in a sport as fickle as baseball, there’s some sense in the idea that you can’t always play to win right now.

However, just because we can explain why a team like the 2026 would be sellers doesn’t mean that it actually works. Seriously think about all the times that the franchise trading away the established star actually got a player back who ended up being as good or better than the one they traded away. It’s not a long list. It’s an even shorter list for an Orioles franchise that has not typically come out a winner in their fire sales.

So with the recent disappointment of the 2026 trade deadline fresh in our minds, let’s look back at the recent sell-offs to see if any ended up benefitting the O’s in the long run.

The Great 2018 Fire Sale

Players traded away: 3B Manny Machado (LAD), RHP Brad Brach (CHC), RHP Darren O’Day (ATL), RHP Kevin Gausman (ATL), LHP Zach Britton (NYY), 2B Jonathan Schoop (MIL)

Notable players received: RHP Dean Kremer, RHP Dillon Tate, LHP Bruce Zimmermann, INF Jonathan Villar, RHP Evan Phillips.

After not selling in any of his first seven seasons with the franchise, previous GM Dan Duquette executed the biggest fire sale in franchise history, trading away the vast majority of the core players that led the O’s playoff appearances in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

The Machado trade was the biggest in terms of outgoing star power, but is also the most confusing to grade. The presumptive future Hall of Famer only stayed with the Dodgers for half a season, ultimately being most remembered for striking out for the final out of the World Series in a losing effort for the Red Sox. Of all these trades, Kremer was the player who featured the most for the Orioles. The right-hander made 130 starts and posted a 4.37 ERA and 6.1 bWAR across seven seasons for the O’s before being shipped to Minnesota last week. The fact that the presumptive centerpiece of the Machado trade, OF Yusniel Díaz, only ever had one AB for the Orioles is a useful illustration of how the prospects in these trades can often become nothing more than losing lottery tickets.

Tate (acquired in the Britton trade) and Villar (acquired in the Schoop trade) both made decent impacts in black and orange. The former served as a reliable member of the bullpen in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, while the latter had a career year for the Orioles in 2019 before being flipped to the Marlins in the 202o offseason.

The biggest L the Orioles took at the 2018 trade deadline was the move that saw Gausman (and O’Day) head to the Braves. Injuries prevented O’Day from being a real contributor after leaving Baltimore, but Gausman has since developed into a two-time All-Star and multi-time Cy Young vote-getter. The fact that the only future major leaguers the O’s got back for the eventual All-Star were replacement-level players in Zimmermann and Phillips is certainly disappointing in retrospect.

Trading away López and Mancini in 2022

Players traded away: RHP Jorge López (MIN) and 1B Trey Mancini (HOU)

Notable players received: RHP Yennier Cano, LHP Cade Povich

The Jorge López trade is perhaps the only definitive trade deadline win for the Mike Elias-led front office. After an All-Star first half in 2022, López was a dud in Minnesota and ended up being traded away less than a year later. Cano, on the other hand, went from trade filler to 2023 All-Star to bullpen staple that recently earned a two-year extension. Povich has given the Orioles 41 starts of replacement-level play, but with the potential to either develop into a reliable back-end rotation piece or the next Keegan Akin as a multi-inning lefty reliever.

It once looked like the Mancini trade would also land in the win column for Elias, but former top pitching prospect Chayce McDermott never established himself at the big league level. The other pitcher acquired in the trade—Seth Johnson—was later used to acquire reliever Gregory Soto.

The 2025 season fire sale

Playerstraded away: OF Ramón Laureano (SD), IF/OF Ryan O’Hearn (SD), RHP Bryan Baker (TB), LHP Gregory Soto (NYM), RHP Seranthony Domínguez (TOR), OF Cedric Mullins (NYM), RHP Andrew Kittredge (CHC), RHP Charlie Morton (DET), IF Ramón Urías (HOU)

Notable players acquired: LHP Boston Bateman, SS Wilfri De La Cruz, IF Brandon Butterworth, IF/OF Victor Figueroa

Only a year after last year’s sell-off that saw nine players from the major league traded elsewhere, it’s too early to really know what the Orioles got in return for fan favorites like Ryan O’Hearn and Cedric Mullins and a litany of pitchers. However, only Bateman and De La Cruz currently rank in the Orioles Top 30 prospects. The towering 20-year-old left-hander (acquired in the Laureano/O’Hearn trade) has a 4.09 ERA with 95 Ks in 70.1 IP for Frederick and is currently the O’s No. 10 prospect.

De La Cruz is 18 and in Rookie ball, so, despite his ranking, it’s nearly impossible to put a value on him. However, both Butterworth and Figueroa (also acquired from the Padres) have put up good numbers between Frederick and Chesapeake this season and feel like players who could one day make the majors.

The deal the O’s probably wish they could take back was the one that sent Baker to Tampa for a competitive balance pick. Baker has since blossomed into an All-Star closer for the Rays, while the O’s used that pick on high school OF Slater de Brun, who was in turn traded back to Tampa for Shane Baz.

There’s also a certain measure of disappointment in the fact that Elias hasn’t used more of these prospects to make improvements at the big league level. Of the glut of prospects acquired last year, only de Brun and Wellington Aracena (acquired from the Mets for Soto) have since been traded as part of deals for Baz and Blaze Alexander. The actual impact of the other minor leaguers acquired by the Orioles likely won’t be felt for years if ever.

The verdict

The Orioles’ history of selling players at the deadline is largely one that sees them trade stars for players who (at best) become mediocre major leaguers. In the last decade, every decision to sell has seemingly perpetuated a mindset of playing for the future that has kept the Orioles from sustaining success. The level of prospect the Orioles received in this most recent sale is higher than those of years past. However, history says that won’t matter because those prospects will arrive at a team always looking for their next opportunity to sell.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phillies fans and fans across the country.

Yet again, the bullpen needed an arm with Caleb Kilian going on the injured list and yet again, Alex McFarlane was passed over. Chase Shugart was brought back after being demoted mere days earlier and the bullpen suffers for it.

Why?

Has McFarlane done something outside of his shoddy-ish command to not deserve some time in the majors? His not coming up instead of Shugart is questionable at best. So what do you think?

Good morning.

Shawn McFarland writes that a big opportunity for the Texas Rangers began with an extra innings win in Anaheim last evening.

MLB dot com’s Jacob Gurvis writes that MacKenzie Gore pitched well to set the tone for Texas in the opener of their road trip.

McFarland writes that, despite the possibility for injury, the Rangers are once again utilizing Wyatt Langford in center field to give the lineup a shot against left-handers.

Evan Grant writes that Jordan Montgomery returned to the big leagues but now he has to work his way back to being good at being a big leaguer.

Look who has come crawling back to Cal Quantrill as Gurvis notes that Nathan Eovaldi hit the injured list yesterday with elbow inflammation.

And, Grant writes that long-time suit Neil Leibman leaves the Rangers as an ownership stake-haver whose decisions led us to BZZR.

Have a nice day!

Rangers 4, Angels 1

• Nothing like starting a road trip with a win.
• MacKenzie Gore was good, if not terribly efficient, needing 103 pitches to get through 23 batters and 5.1 innings of work.
• Gore’s command was not great, as he missed badly quite a bit, which helps explain the elevated pitch count. Still, he issued just two walks in the game, and we’ll take that.
• Gore also generated 22 swings and misses in the game, tied for the 30th most in a game by any pitcher this season, and tied for fourth most by a Ranger pitcher this season.
• The changeup was what particularly befuddled Angels hitters — Gore threw his change 22 times, generating 17 swings, 12 of which resulted in whiffs. That ties him for the 8th most swings and misses on a changeup in a game this season.
• Fun fact…14 times this season, a major league pitcher has gotten 12 or more whiffs on his changeup. Cristopher Sanchez has done it six times, and Tarik Skubal has done it three times.
• Another fun fact…three of those 14 instances, it was the Anaheim Angels who were the victims.
• Gore continues his hot and cold, yes and no, in and out, up and down, wrong and right, black and white, fight and break up, kiss and make up season.
• I know many of you angrily turned off the television when Mike Trout hit that first inning home run off of Gore, consigning the game to the ash bin of failure and watching Mr. Show reruns in a huff.
• And note that I said television, not TV, because TV is a nickname and nicknames are for friends and television is no friend of mine.
• There were a lot of baserunners in this game, given that the score ended up being 4-1.
• The Angels were 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. Angels fans would probably be mad about that if they hadn’t had their souls sucked out of them by virtue of being Angels fans the past however many years.
• The Rangers were an acceptable 4 for 15 with runners in scoring position. However, three of those hits came in the tenth inning, which feels like it hardly counts. They also left 10 men on base.
• It didn’t have to go to extra innings. Corey Seager hit what appeared to be a go-ahead two out, three run home run in the top of the seventh off of the Tayler Saucedo, only for the immortal Wade Meckler to bring it back and steal it from the Seagbot.
• You may recognize Tayler Saucedo as being the person who red-pilled Pete Crow-Armstrong about Babe Ruth not existing.
• He deserves to give up a home run.
• A cavalcade of bullpen arms did good work for the Rangers behind Gore. Peyton Gore is now 6-0, by virtue of being in the right place at the right time in regards to bullpen utilization and the timing of the Rangers taking the lead.
• In MLB history, there have been 17 rookie pitchers to record at least 6 wins and have no losses in a season. And one of them was in 1899 — Charlie “Piano Legs” Hickman.
• Now, you may be saying to yourself, I’m familiar with ol’ Piano Legs, and he was a position player.
• And you’d be right! He spent his first three seasons with Boston, mostly as a pitcher, was purchased by the New York Giants before the 1900 season, and the Giants mostly had him stop pitching, mostly playing first base and the outfield instead.
• Robbie Ross was 6-0 his rookie season with the Rangers in 2012, as well.
• Both teams ended up using their bullpen heavily — the Rangers used five relievers, the Angels six — which means maybe taking the over for Tuesday’s game.
• The Astros won, so the Rangers are still a half-game back in the West. They are 1.5 games up on Minnesota and Detroit in the Wild Card, though.
• MacKenzie Gore touched 97.6 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.5 mph. Tyer Alexander hit 92.4 mph with his fastball. Chase Silseth reached 95.9 mph with his fastball. Robby Ahlstrom’s fastball topped out at 95.9 mph. Peyton Gray hit 94.0 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz’s fastball maxed out at 94.8 mph.
• Elias Diaz had a 109.2 mph single and a 101.7 mph groundout. Brandon Nimmo had a 105.8 mph single, a 103.9 mph groundout and a 100.9 mph single. Corey Seager had a 104.3 mph groundout, a 101.3 mph fly out and a 100.7 mph single. Joc Pederson had a 100.2 mph fly out.
• Let’s maintain the momentum. Woo hoo!!!!

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The Detroit Tigers sit as a -117 home favorite tonight against the Cleveland Guardians, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET at Comerica Park. 

My Guardians vs. Tigers predictions are backing the hosts behind their solid bullpen and surging offense. 

Find out more in my MLB picks for Tuesday, Aug. 11. 

Who will win Guardians vs Tigers today: Tigers moneyline (-121)

The Cleveland Guardians send Tanner Bibee to the mound tonight. He's been reliable overall, but his recent form is shakier, with a 4.78 FIP, 2.08 HR/9, and 12.1% barrel rate over his last few outings.

That is concerning against a Detroit Tigers lineup carrying a 120 wRC+ over its last six games.

The Tigers counter with Drew Anderson, who typically works only two or three innings, but that setup is easier to trust with Detroit’s bullpen dominating. Over its last 18 1/3 frames, the relief corps owns a 2.39 xERA.

I’ll back Detroit and play this pick to -140.

COVERS INTEL: Cleveland has been far less dangerous away from home, posting an 85 road wRC+ compared to a 103 mark at Progressive Field. That gives Detroit’s bullpen-heavy pitching plan more support.

Guardians vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-107)

The Under presents more value tonight. While I expect Detroit to score runs off Bibee, he rarely gets lit up, and Cleveland’s bullpen hasn’t been crushed by the long ball. They have a 4.85 xERA over the last week while surrendering 1.09 HR/9.

Detroit’s power isn’t terrific right now anyway, posting a .128 ISO in the last seven days.

As for the Guardians offense, their ISO sits at .093 over its previous six contests. That matters against a Tigers pen that is limiting damage right now.

This should be a low-scoring affair at Comerica Park. Play this pick to -130.

Guardians vs Tigers home run prediction: Dillon Dingler (+388)

Dillon Dingler is red-hot at the moment, going deep three times in the last week while posting a .385 ISO during that span. The slugger gets to face Bibee tonight, who has had recent issues with the long ball. 

What also stands out to me in that matchup is Bibee's 47.1% fly ball rate over the last month. Dingler has put 45.5% of his contact in the air in his last six games, and Bibee's barrel rate is alarming at the moment. 

Also, the Guardians pen isn't completely untouched when it comes to home runs, either. If Dingler gets some lift on a mistake, it could very well leave the yard. 

Play this pick down to +300. 

Guardians vs Tigers weather

Weather at Comerica Park looks humid and a bit unsettled tonight, with temperatures sitting in the mid-70s from first pitch through 9 p.m. ET. Winds are light around 5-6 mph, but rain chances are elevated early, peaking around 58% at 8 p.m. Conditions are playable, though a brief delay risk exists.

Guardians vs Tigers odds

• Moneyline: Guardians +113 | Tigers -117
• Run line: Guardians +1.5 (-178) | Tigers -1.5 (+170)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-100) | Under 8.5 (-104)

Guardians vs Tigers trend

The Tigers have hit the Under in 25 of their last 40 games at home (+9.75 Units / 22% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Tigers.

How to watch Guardians vs Tigers and game info

Guardians vs Tigers latest injuries

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There is good news from last week, and there is bad news. The good news? The White Sox took two of three from the Cleveland Guardians at home this past weekend and snapped a four-game losing streak. The bad news? The Boston Red Sox are still playing very good baseball and have swept us in the season series, for the first time ever.

But wait, there’s more good news: Cleveland has been dealt with for now, and has been dropped to fourth place in the division. Second place belongs to … the Tigers and Twins? If you remember, a week ago Detroit’s front office deemed a 3 1/2-game deficit from a Wild Card spot not good enough, and it sold off both Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize. Yet despite this, they have taken advantage of Chicago (5-5), Cleveland (3-7), and Minnesota (4-6) having a mediocre last 10 games. By this time next week, we could see the preseason favorite for the AL Central title claiming a playoff spot heading into the second half of August. With that being said, Max Clark and a healthy Troy Melton are not going to save that team, and the Tigers will run out of steam (sorry to my fiance).

This begs the question, who will claim the top spot of the worst division in baseball? Right now, things are looking sunny for the White Sox.

You would not have thought so after getting steamrolled at Fenway. The series opener on Tuesday was a 14-2 beating. That doesn’t feel great after coming off a series win against Tampa. There was a theory that Davis Martin was tipping pitches (seemingly confirmed by the pitcher himself and Kyle Teel), but has anyone stopped to consider that the righty just really stinks on the road?

This season he is posting a 5.32 ERA in 12 road starts. His BB/9 is 3.41, his WHIP is 1.52, and batters are hitting .295. Now compare that to his 2.84 ERA at home over 11 starts. Home field advantage still very much exists, and it plays to Martin’s favor. In these starts his BB/9 is 2.05, his WHIP drops to 1.11, and batters facing him are hitting below league average at .231. I am not Zach Bove, I do not know how to fix this, but I do know that it should be fixed. Lucky for Martin, he is currently in the front of the rotation, and should the standings remain as they are he will probably have the opportunity to start a playoff game on his home mound.

Thursday was the most stressful game of the season thus far. It was giving playoff energy and, after dropping the second game of the three-game set 4-0 the night before, it felt like a must-win game for the White Sox. It went 13 innings, and the Good Guys lost. The team could get runs across the plate in extras with no problem, but the pitching struggled to keep the Red Sox from doing the same thing. Ultimately, Caleb Durbin walked it off with a single to center field. Erick Fedde, who conveniently moved to the bullpen after the Luis Castillo trade, got pegged with the loss.

You just got walloped by a team that nobody except its fans like, you head home to face your closest division rival, and what do you do? The correct answer is lose 8-2 in the series opener. It was at this point that I thought the season had struck midnight and the team turned into a pumpkin.

It was a Noah Schultz start. Or so it was until Bove went to the mound to talk with his pitcher and then Will Venable went out for a second mound visit with the lefty. Because there were two mound visits in the same inning with the same pitcher, Schultz was required to be removed from the game after a third of an inning of work. What could he have possibly done with that singular out of work? That answer is give up two earned runs. David Sandlin got tapped for clean-up duty and instead made an even bigger mess of the game, giving up six earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. At least Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami homered?

Saturday was the long-awaited Ozzie Guillén jersey retirement day. It was a magnificent day, celebrating a man who brought so much joy to the city of Chicago. I was in attendance for the celebrations, and it wasn’t until the pomp and circumstance was over that the realization hit me of just how much Ozzie did for this city. Plus, it was really cool to see all my childhood crushes in attendance (hey, Joe Crede!).

The White Sox did not embarrass dear Ozzie on his big day. The team went down, 2-0, in the top of the sixth inning but quickly answered with a five-run rally in the bottom of the frame to secure the victory. The club gifted the Guilléns a trip to Japan as part of the number retirement festivities, so it felt only fitting that Mune slugged his 26th dinger of the year to get the scoring going. Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Tristan Peters all came up with big RBIs in the victory as well.

Sunday’s rubber match was a wet one. There was only an inning of play before the Sodfather had to get the tarp out. Both starters surrendered runs in the inning, with Cleveland having the 2-1 edge heading into the 2:23 rain delay. What started as a standard Martin outing, resulted in a Hagen Smith MLB debut when the storms finally cleared and play was able to resume.

The No. 2 prospect challenged himself in his two innings of work. He allowed no runs, struck out three, and walked four. The lefty’s stuff looked nasty. The unfortunate part was his pitch count was elevated after walking the bases loaded in the third inning. He was done after 48 pitches. I have no doubt Smith went home with a handful of authenticated balls on Sunday, one of which denoted his first MLB win.

Colson played hero in yet another game this season, launching his 26th long ball of the season. This homer got him back a piece of the team lead with Mune. It also got the White Sox the lead they needed for the 5-3 victory.

This week, the other team from Ohio comes to town (the Reds). The Cincinnati squad seems like they will be much less of a threat than their friends to the north, but looks can always be deceiving. Chicago will need a solid series before they head back to the Motor City. Just because the Tigers sold at the deadline doesn’t mean they do not remain a threat in this ever-weakening division.

As Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “petting never turned a tiger into a kitten.”

Youssef Chermiti faces a long recovery from anterior cruciate ligament damage sustained shortly after Rangers turned down an offer for the striker.

The 22-year-old Portuguese was injured during Sunday's 2-1 home defeat to Hibernian as he collided with advertising boards following a jarring challenge.

A club announcement via social media states Chermiti "will be out of action for a significant period of time".

He moved to Ibrox from Everton in September 2025, reportedly becoming Rangers' most expensive purchase since Tore Andre Flo in 2000.

Capped at under-21 level by Portugal, the centre forward has made 43 Rangers appearances, 30 of them starts, scoring 15 goals.

Asked about reports that Turkish champions Galatasaray had made an approach for Chermiti, Rangers manager Derek McInnes told BBC Scotland prior to kick-off: "I'm led to believe the club's valuation of the player hasn't been met.

"It's no surprise that he's a player who's got a big (price) tag on him and he's got high potential, but thankfully he's our player and that will continue to be the case.

"We're trying to build a team here at the minute and we're trying to still bring additions to the team that helps us add to the good players that we've got, including Youssef.

"So it's not something we would encourage at any point."

• Rangers chairman expects up to five more signings
• Chermiti injured after Rangers reject bid for striker
• What is an ACL injury and why is it so serious?

• Visit our Rangers page for all the latest news, analysis and fan views
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Meet the Mets

A Brett Baty grand slam capped off a five-run first inning, and the Mets held on for an 8-5 win in the opening game of their three-game set against the Braves at Truist Park.

Choose Your Recap: Amazin’ Avenue, MLB.com, Daily News, NY Post, Newsday, ESPN

The Mets are rallying around one another post deadline as their winning ways continue.

The Mets placed closer Devin Williams on the IL with a right shoulder strain.

The club won’t name a closer in his absence, and many different guys will get their shot in the ninth.

Kodai Senga picked up his first career save last night, but due to Carson Benge’s mistake of throwing the final out to a fan, he did not get to keep the ball.

Laura Albanese argued that this is the right time to try Senga out in the closer’s role.

Carson Benge’s breakout season can partially be attributed to his bat, and partially to his ‘big time’ outfield arm.

Chelsea Janes answered some fan questions related to the Amazins, including inquiries about the plan at first base in 2027 and whether innings limits could result in early ends to Scott and Thornton’s 2026 seasons.

Tim Britton looked at the 2027 outlook in the latest installment of This Week in Mets.

Andrew Tredinnick attempted to figure out what the Mets will look like in 2027.

Mitch Voit has been scorching hot since debuting for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, and he earned Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week.

Nicolas Carreño of the Brooklyn Cyclones was named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week after throwing 5 2/3 hitless innings and striking out eight.

Billy Amick, one of the team’s newest prospects, is wasting no time making himself right at home with his recent power surge.

Around the National League East

This series between the Phillies and the Cardinals could have major playoff implications.

The Phillies held on to win the first game of the series, 6-5. Andrew Painter took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning for Philadelphia in the win.

Caleb Killian, whom Philadelphia acquired as part of the Luis Arraez trade, has been placed on the IL with a ‘moderate’ strain of his left oblique.

Spencer Strider and Hurston Waldrep have been cleared to begin throwing as they look to work their way back from their respective injuries.

The Nationals are baseball’s highest-scoring offense, and are doing so by being historically young (seriously, the team only has one plate appearance all season by someone over the age of 29).

Around Major League Baseball

Free agency is right around the corner. Here is the biggest player each team stands to lose.

Not that it matters to the Mets, but the MLB postseason schedule was officially released.

The Red Sox have been historically hot despite missing several key players to injuries this year.

Byron Buxton may return this weekend for the Twins, while Joe Ryan tossed from flat ground

Tim Anderson officially announced his retirement.

The Blue Jays narrowly beat the Red Sox 2-1. It wasn’t all good news for Toronto, who lost starter Jameson Taillon, who was making his Toronto home debut, to right forearm discomfort after just four innings.

The Twins scored five in the seventh and then held on to beat the Orioles 9-5.

The Rangers scored three in the 10th to beat the Angels 4-1.

The Astros, like their Texas counterparts, also put up a three-spot in extras to beat the Giants, 6-3 in 10 innings.

The Diamondbacks blanked the Rockies 9-0.

The Rays used an eight-run eighth to secure their seventh straight win as they topped the Athletics 10-6.

The Padres beat the MLB-best Brewers 3-2. The win was aided by Jackson Merrill, who hit his third home run in as many games.

The Dodgers defeated the Royals 6-5 in Tarik Skubal’s home debut. Skubal discussed feeling the nerves in an outing that he said was ‘special’ to him.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Brian Salvatore previewed the team’s three-game series against the Braves.

Linus Lawrence provided a Monday Stat Party.

This Date in Mets History

Gary Carter, who hit career home run 299 in mid-May, finally connected with career home run number 300 (and ended a career-worst 63-game stretch without a dinger) on this date in 1988.

After three straight series against the Senior Circuit, the Yankees welcome the Mariners to the East Coast. The Bombers had an off day on Monday after dropping the series finale against the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves. The Yankees continue to hold serve as they wait for reinforcements to arrive, posting a 5-5 mark over their last 10 games, including an even 3-3 record thus far on the homestand.

The Mariners dock in New York after being swept at home by the pesky and, at this point, must-be-declared-legit Tampa Bay Rays. Seattle’s season has not gone according to plan, as star catcher Cal Raleigh has struggled and the club enters play Tuesday sitting at 56-63. The Mariners have dropped four straight and are just 3-7 over their last 10 games.

This series features two night games before Thursday’s getaway game, currently scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into which Mariners will be manning the harpoons and which Yankees white whales will be hoping to avoid the trident.

Tuesday: Ryan Weathers vs. Bryan Woo (7:05 pm ET)

Weathers has had a bit of an up-and-down first season in the Bronx. After opening the year looking solid, the month of June was not kind to the left-hander. However, since the calendar flipped to July, Weathers has found his footing again. Weathers currently has a 5-7 record, 3.79 ERA, and a 1.22 WHIP for the season.

Over his last three starts, he has thrown 18.2 innings while allowing just one earned run. That stretch includes six scoreless innings in his most recent outing against the Cardinals at home. Weathers has had his struggles in pinstripes this season, posting a 4.11 ERA at home compared to a 3.35 ERA on the road, but he will look to keep the ball in the yard and continue building on this recent momentum.

Woo is one of the best young pitchers in baseball, featuring a dominant four-seam fastball, excellent command, and the type of arm slot and tunneling that makes pitching nerds drool. The good news? Woo has been two very different pitchers this season.

At home, he owns an ace-like 7-0 record with a 1.96 ERA. On the road, however, Woo is 1-8 with a 6.71 ERA. That difference has held true recently as well. In his last two home starts, Woo has allowed just two earned runs across 13 innings. In his last two road starts, however, he has been roughed up for 10 earned runs in 10 innings. Those splits bring his overall season numbers to 8-8 with a 4.31 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. Expect Aaron Boone to send as many left-handed hitters to the plate as possible, as Woo’s platoon splits also favor the lefties. Left-handed hitters have posted a .700 OPS against Woo this season compared to .585 from righties.

Wednesday: Will Warren vs. Bryce Miller (7:00 pm ET)

Much like Weathers, Warren has had his ups and downs throughout the 2026 season. Currently sitting at 8-6 with a 4.18 ERA, Warren’s season has felt a bit like a roller coaster. After starting the year in dominant fashion, he has struggled as the weather has warmed. In July, Warren went 1-2 with a 5.47 ERA.

Warren has looked better in his last two starts. Against the Cubs, he tossed 6.2 scoreless innings, and in his most recent turn against the Cardinals, he allowed three runs over 5.1 innings. As one of the backend guys in this rotation, you have to expect some turbulence with Warren, take the good with the bad, and hope he can grind his way to a quality start.

The Mariners will send another power right-hander to the mound on Wednesday, as Miller gets the ball opposite Warren. On the season, Miller sits at 4-6 with a 3.08 ERA. He features an upper-90s fastball that he pairs with a nasty splitter and sweeper. Miller primarily uses the splitter to attack lefties and the sweeper against righties, and both pitches have been effective enough to produce almost identical platoon splits. Left-handed hitters have posted a .630 OPS against Miller compared to .629 from righties.

The good news for the Yankees is that, much like Woo, Miller has struggled away from the Pacific Northwest this season. At home, he owns a 2.09 ERA, while that number balloons to 4.02 on the road. More good news? The summer months have also been less kind to Miller, who currently finds himself in his worst stretch of the season. He has not made it through the sixth inning of a start since July 2nd.

Thursday: Max Fried vs. Logan Gilbert (1:35 pm ET)

The Yankees sandwich Warren with lefties as Fried takes the ball in the series finale. Fried has been steadily building himself back up after missing about two months of the season. Since returning, he has picked up right where he left off and currently owns a 4-3 record to go along with a tidy 2.88 ERA and 0.97 WHIP.

With two August starts under his belt, Fried looks ready for the postseason push. On the first of the month, he tossed 78 pitches of one-run ball against the Cubs before reaching 90 pitches while throwing 6.1 scoreless innings against his former club, the Braves, in his most recent start. I expect the training wheels to come off soon, and might I add that having a left-handed ace take the ball every fifth day is such an awesome thing to get to watch.

While the Yankees show a little spice of life on the mound, the Mariners roll out their third straight hard-throwing righty in Gilbert for the final game. Seattle’s front office clearly has a type: tall right-handers who throw hard, get extension down the mound, and command all of their offerings. It is a good type, but with no real wrinkle from one day to the next, hopefully the Yankees’ bats can lock in and light up Gilbert.

Gilbert owns an 8-7 record with a 3.42 ERA and 1.00 WHIP on the season. Unlike his other companions, Gilbert has actually been better on the road this year, posting a 2.50 ERA away from home compared to a 4.01 ERA at T-Mobile Park. In his most recent start against the Rays, Gilbert went 6.2 innings and took a tough 2-1 loss after allowing a pair of solo home runs that proved to be the difference. Tampa Bay also worked four walks, a season high for Gilbert.

The Yankees took two of three when they visited Seattle back in late March and early April. Here’s hoping for more of the same this time around in the Bronx.