The Yankees and Pirates weren’t the only teams to get washed out of play on Tuesday night. In addition to numerous minor-league postponements, the only thing that could apparently stop the streaking Red Sox in their path was the rain. Like the Yankees, they will have a day/night doubleheader on deck today against the Orioles, during which Boston will attempt to tie and then break their franchise record of 14 consecutive wins; Ted Williams’ 1946 pennant-winning club had 15 in a row. The long All-Star break couldn’t slow them down, but maybe the O’s and a minimum 18-inning day can.

Here’s what else was going on around the American League on July 21st.

Tampa Bay Rays (58-42) 12, Toronto Blue Jays (46-55) 2

The Rays added a half-game to their AL East lead on the idle Yankees (2) and Red Sox (6.5) by crushing the collapsing Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Toronto went 54-27 at home during their pennant-winning season last year; they’ve already lost more home games in 2026 (29) before August than they did in all of 2025. The Jays fans booed through the team’s sixth loss in seven games and 16th in 23 since the start of play on June 23rd. No matter how you slice it, it’s been an immensely frustrating year for John Schneider, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and company. Regression is a force.

Because the Blue Jays are falling apart, former ace Kevin Gausman could very well be making his final starts with them. His five-year contract ends after 2026, so if they’re going nowhere, then they will see what they can get for him. If Tuesday was meant to be an audition, then he was certainly off key. Gausman won a 12-pitch battle with Yandy Díaz to lead off the ballgame and got the next batter before running into two-out trouble. Junior Caminero walked, Cedric Mullins doubled, and Jonny DeLuca singled them both in with a flare to right. He swiped second and scored himself on a Chandler Simpson single, granting the Rays a quick 3-0 lead.

The score stayed there until the fourth, when the grinding Gausman departed after recording just 10 outs on 90 pitches, allowing nine hits and two walks. He also had five runs on his record, as a Díaz single and Caminero walk not only ushered his departure but preceded both coming around to score due to a throwing error on catcher Brandon Valenzuela and DeLuca’s second RBI knock.

Although Drew Rasmussen wasn’t particularly dominant for Tampa Bay, he did throw five innings of two-run ball, not allowing any Jays to dent home plate until the score was already 8-0, Rays. Batterymate Nick Fortes got in on the fun with a three-run smash off rookie Lazaro Estrada that really got the boos going. The Rays piled on in the ninth due to the Patrick Corbin Experience, Fortes driving in another and Yandy delivering the haymaker with a three-run shot of his own.

Toronto is six games behind Boston in the Wild Card race, and there are five teams ahead of them. The writing may be on the wall.

Other Games

Cleveland Guardians (54-48) 5, Minnesota Twins (49-53) 2: The surprising Twins are one of those teams between Boston and Toronto in the Wild Card chase, but they may be running out of steam as well. They’ve now come out of the All-Star break with four consecutive losses, now trailing the Red Sox by 3.5 games and the AL Central leaders by five. Cleveland moved into a virtual tie atop the division with an unexciting-but-clean home win behind 5.2 quality innings from Parker Messick and a well-rounded showing on offense. Because this game was not a thriller, I’m just going to show something that should interest Yankees fans: Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers’ first-inning solo shot.

Texas Rangers (51-50) 10, Chicago White Sox (53-47) 0: Kumar Rocker still hasn’t had the kind of season that was once expected from him as a top-10 draft pick by both the Mets and Rangers. But he had it working last night in Texas, as the 26-year-old blanked the Pale Hose on one hit, two walks, and six strikeouts in six innings. The Rangers’ offense obliterated Noah Schultz, led by Brandon Nimmo’s first-inning homer that began a four-hit night for him, as well as a two-run clout from Wyatt Langford against Tyler Schweitzer. Amusingly, 10-year veteran Marco Gonzales returned from Baseball Siberia to record a three-inning save in his first MLB appearance since August 7, 2024. Texas is a half-game up on Seattle in the AL West; the only downside from Tuesday was leadoff hitter Josh Jung departing early with calf tightness, though the Rangers hope that it will be minor.

Seattle Mariners (51-51) 2, Cincinnati Reds (46-54) 4: The team that the Jays defeated in a dramatic seven-game ALCS is not having as bad a follow-up, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a Mariners fan happy with how 2026 is going. The AL West is awful with those aforementioned Rangers leading at exactly one win above .500 and the M’s have still failed to ever take control. All of their top four hitters went hitless last night at the hands of the admittedly-good (and extended) Chase Burns, and old friend Eugenio Suárez woke up from his own nightmare 2026 with a homer off Burns’ ace predecessor in Cincy, Luis Castillo. Elly De La Cruz had led off the day with a homer against Castillo, and Nathaniel Lowe added a solo shot in the ninth for some insurance after some Julio Rodríguez yardwork.

Lastly, here is your unrelated moment of zen, brought to you by whatever the damn hell J.T. Realmuto was thinking at the end of this Dodgers/Phillies game.

It’s hard to believe that this coming January will mark ten years. I remember when I heard the news. It hit me like a slug hitting a deer. I had to sit for a few minutes, reading and re-reading the story. My brain refused to believe that the news was true, but eventually reality set in.

All of us have different memories and reactions to the death of Yordano Ventura. Things we know for certain: he had one of the best arms the Royals ever signed and developed. His stuff was electric. He had a fiery attitude that we loved and opponents often hated. He had his share of dustups, notably with Mike Trout, Manny Machado, Jose Bautista, and the entire roster of the Chicago White Sox. There was also a tiff with Brett Lawrie that looked personal. Even when he was in the wrong, we stood behind him because he was our guy.

I loved the way he would swing his right leg around after delivering one of his blazing fastballs.

We felt like he was just starting to tap into his massive potential. Then he was gone way too soon.

His postseason appearances were must-see TV. Ned Yost unwittingly used him as a reliever in the 2014 Wild Card Game, which ended in a spectacular blowup. He was brilliant against the Angels in the Division Series, tossing five-hit ball over seven shutout innings. He threw 95 pitches in that game. Twenty-two of those pitches reached 100 mph or more. When you add in his devastating curveball, well, sometimes there’s just no chance for the hitter. He was brilliant against the Giants in the World Series, allowing just two runs in 12.1 innings of work.

He could be wildly inconsistent. He scuffled against Houston in the 2015 Division Series, allowing six runs in seven innings over two starts. The Mets tagged him for five runs in just 3⅓ innings during his only start of the 2015 World Series. Despite that, the Royals always had a chance when Ventura was on the mound.

Ventura’s start with the Royals is the stuff of baseball legend. Sometimes I wonder what it must be like to be an international baseball scout. You look over a dusty field and see poor kids playing ball. Many do not have gloves. Some play barefoot. They play because they love the game. Once in a blue moon, you see something that catches your eye: a live arm or the sound of some kid hitting bombs. You stop to investigate and see whether the youngster has potential.

Ventura was one of those kids. He quit school at the age of 14 and went to work for a construction company. He eventually enrolled in the Royals Baseball Academy in the Dominican Republic after being scouted by Pedro Silverio and Rene Francisco. The Royals scouts saw something in that thin frame and electric arm.

Ventura signed with the Royals at the age of 17, then spent the next 18 months training at the Academy, learning baseball fundamentals under the watchful eye of Academy Director Victor Baez.

Former general manager Dayton Moore absorbed a lot of criticism on this site, but one thing he did early in his tenure was revive the Royals’ flagging Latin American operations.

By 2011, the Royals assigned Ventura to Class A Kane County. Everyone agreed that he had star potential but needed to harness both his emotions and that arm. He made 19 starts, covering 84 innings, to the tune of a 4.27 ERA. Decent numbers, but hardly anything that made you stand up and take notice.

This started a quick progression up the Royals’ minor league ladder. He started 2012 at Wilmington, where he made the Carolina League All-Star team. That prompted a promotion to Double-A Northwest Arkansas. In 2013, the Royals moved him to Triple-A Omaha.

The Royals rewarded him with a late-season call-up in September 2013. Ace made his major league debut on September 17 against Cleveland at Kauffman Stadium. Ventura got the start and was terrific, scattering five hits over 5.2 innings while allowing just one run. He left with the Royals leading 3-1.

The Royals’ 2013 bullpen was solid, especially compared to the 2026 version, so you had to feel good about their chances to hold on for the win. Will Smith got the final out of the sixth.

Kelvin Herrera came on and coughed up two runs in the seventh to tie the game.

Wade Davis pitched the eighth and gave up a walk and a double to give the Indians a 4-3 lead. Luke Hochevar, not wanting to be left out of the destruction, handled the ninth and surrendered a long home run to Michael Bourn to make the final score 5-3, Cleveland.

2026 Royals fans can relate to that sequence.

Ventura was in Kansas City for good in 2014, posting a 14-10 record over 183 innings with a sparkling 3.20 ERA. It could have been even better. Five of those losses came in one-run games. The Royals went 19-12 in games Ventura started. You could see him beginning to figure things out.

2015 brought similar results: a 13-8 record over 163 innings. His ERA ticked up to 4.08, but his stuff was as good as ever. Then came the postseason and the World Series championship. Ventura was still just 24.

2016 had to be a bit of a disappointment for him. He made a career-high 32 starts and threw a career-high 186 innings, but his record slipped to 11-12, and his ERA climbed again, this time to 4.45. The Royals missed the playoffs but felt like they had the pieces to make it back in 2017.

On January 22, 2017, everything changed.

Ventura, driving a Jeep Wrangler, lost control and rolled over on a curve near the town of Juan Adrián in the Dominican Republic. He was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. There were unconfirmed and disturbing reports that he was found alive, and that his body was later looted, including the theft of his World Series ring.

Ventura’s death was another in a long line of tragedies involving Dominican players. Former Royals pitcher Ambiorix Burgos ran over and killed two women there in 2010. Jose Oliva, Rufino Linares, Jose Uribe, Jairo Capellán, Andy Marte, Andújar Cedeño, and Oscar Taveras all perished in automobile accidents in the Dominican Republic. Andy Marte died on the same day as Yordano. In a strange twist of fate, Marte’s final major league at-bat came as a pinch hitter against the Royals—a strikeout by Greg Holland. Yordano made the start in that game.

For all its natural beauty, the Dominican Republic has the highest traffic-related death rate in the Western Hemisphere at 30 per 100,000 people.

His death was a tremendous shock to the organization and its fans. Ventura had just signed a five-year, $23 million extension after the 2014 season. Those closest to him talked about how focused he was on the 2017 season. He had begun working on adding a cutter to his arsenal. He seemed like he was maturing. He was still just a young man living in a foreign country, trying to figure out his place in the world. He had a huge heart and a soft spot for children, often making unannounced visits to pediatric cancer wards and children’s softball and baseball games.

The saddest part about losing someone so young is the questions you can never answer. Would Ventura have harnessed his immense potential and become a full-blown star? Would he have remained a Royal for the entirety of his career? Instead of mourning his death, would we have been discussing his pending retirement and his place in Royals history?

He was survived by his spouse, Maria del Pilar Sangiovanni. The couple had just married in 2016.

Yordano “Ace” Ventura was just 25.

Don’t look now, but the Red Sox are 1.5 games away from having the third-best record in the American League. That mark is currently held by the co-leaders in the AL Central, with the Chicago White Sox (53-47) and Cleveland Guardians (54-48) in a virtual tie for first place.

The problem with having the third-best record in the American League is, of course, being in the same division as the two teams with the best records in the American League. That would leave you with the #5 seed in the American League playoffs, which would send Boston on the road for all three games of the Wild Card series. That is the exact spot that the Red Sox found themselves a year ago — on the road playing at Yankee Stadium (currently the #4 seed). While some might argue that being on the road isn’t a bad thing, given the Red Sox road vs. home splits (away: 29-21, home: 22-27), the playoffs are a whole different animal.

Therefore, I’ve shifted away from focusing on the wild card for the time being and started looking above us in the American League East. Going 7-0 against the Yankees and the Rays over this recent stretch of 19 wins in 21 games will do that to a person.

In the loss column, the Red Sox are six behind the Rays and four behind the Yankees, as we enter this pivotal doubleheader against the Orioles on Wednesday. Catch one team and the #4 seed, and a home series is yours. Catch both, and you’ve got a bye and home field throughout the playoffs. Is that too lofty of a goal?

In terms of head-to-head remaining, Boston plays three games at Tampa (Sep 18-20) and four games at New York (Aug 28-30). The Yankees notably postponed a game on June 6th and rescheduled it as a doubleheader in late August, presumably when they’d have Aaron Judge (and others) back on the active roster. Be careful what you wish for.

What is a reasonable goal for the rest of the season, with 63 games to go? Discuss in the comments and be good to each other.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Philadelphia Phillies once again tonight, with Eric Lauer looking to add to Philly's struggles against left-handed pitchers. 

My Dodgers vs. Phillies predictions are eyeing the visitors, who are slight -116 favorites, to give Aaron Nola some trouble, while Lauer will keep the host bats at bay. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Wednesday, July 22. 

Who will win Dodgers vs Phillies today: Dodgers (-116)

Eric Lauer takes the mound this evening for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he owns a 3.60 xERA over his last three outings while allowing just 1.00 HR/9.

Lauer has also held opponents to a mere 24.6% hard-hit rate during that span, and he’ll face a Philadelphia Phillies lineup that has struggled against lefties, posting a .150 ISO and 87 wRC+.

On the other side, Aaron Nola has a 5.85 FIP over his last five appearances while giving up 2.63 HR/9.

Neither offense is thriving, but Nola’s recent home run issues give the Dodgers a clear path to generate enough offense.

I’ll play this pick to -130.

COVERS INTEL: Nola has allowed 2.23 HR/9 at home this season compared to a 1.84 mark on the road.

Dodgers vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 runs (-107)

There may be stars on both teams, but neither club is swinging it particularly well. The Phillies have an 86 wRC+ across the last two weeks, while Los Angeles has posted just 67 wRC+ during that span. 

While both bullpens also have FIPs right around 5.00, it's hard to overlook the clear offensive struggles.

Philadelphia also has a .169 ISO over its last 10 games, while Los Angeles sits at a .126 ISO in its previous nine. 

Power is a path to more runs, and it simply isn't there right now. 

I'll play this pick to -130. 

Dodgers vs Phillies weather

Conditions should be warm and mostly dry at Citizens Bank Park tonight, with temperatures around 83 degrees early before falling into the upper 70s. Winds will be light, dropping from roughly 9 mph to 3–5 mph later, while rain chances stay low. Weather should have minimal impact, though the warm air could slightly help carry.

Dodgers vs Phillies odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -113 | Phillies +108
• Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (+138) | Phillies +1.5 (-144)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-104) | Under 9.5 (-100)

Dodgers vs Phillies trend

The Dodgers are 6-0 in Lauer's last six starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Phillies.

How to watch Dodgers vs Phillies and game info

Dodgers vs Phillies latest injuries

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As we continue our series we get to the most difficult position to profile. It is difficult because we entered into this series with some established rules. Players need to play a considerable amount at the position (you’ve seen some players qualify at more than one position) and they need to record at least 120 outs. Yordan Alvarez is the only player on the Astros to qualify in left field, but he does not play a ton of left field. So, later in the article we will create a player we will name Joey Dezenfido Jr. to tally up essentially what the Astros have been getting in left field.

We could have included Taylor Trammel, but he is playing more center these days and that will become important in the next piece. There can be no doubt that Yordan Alvarez is the best offensive player in the American League. Whether that makes him an MVP is certainly open to debate. Usually MVPs contribute with both the bat and the glove and there are certainly worthy candidates on other teams that do that. However, today we are looking only at offense.

Looking at the triumverate of Lamont Wade Jr, Joey Loperfido, and Zach Dezenzo becomes important because it will be the benchmark we measure any possible outfield acquisitions with. Obviously, both left field and center field are open possibilities and these next two articles will hopefully settle which position the Astros should target in a perfect world.

We use bases per out because they are much more accurate and all encompassing than cruder stats like OPS and OPS+. They are probably most similar to wOBA and rOBA, but since the formula is more transparent (because it is mine) it will hopefully be more meaningful. This is a gentle reminder that the MLB average for BPO is .676, but as we have seen, each position is different and brings with it different expectations. Otherwise, this article will serve as the lime wedge for the tequila shot that will be the other outfield positions.

We should start with the number of left fielders. There are 19 here. More designated hitters are classified as left fielders than any other outfield position. They include Alvarez, George Springer, Jorge Soler, and Masataka Yoshida. We can continue with the notion that pegging numbers during a baseball season is always a moving target. These were the numbers prior to Sunday’s game before the all-star break. A few hot games or a few 0 fers can change the numbers a little, but when you are 90 games into the season we begin to see some crystallization of numbers.

Simply put, Yordan’s numbers are stupid. Only Taylor Ward has more walks and Alvarez laps the field in total bases. One of the markers of an MVP is how much better a player is than the rest of the players at his position. It isn’t even close. If Randy Arozorena wasn’t a human target at the plate the gap would even be more significant. The question isn’t so much of what to do with Yordan or how great he is then what is happening at the rest of the position.

As you can see, the bar for being the mean or median AL left fielder is higher than any other position save first base. So, when we look at the numbers for the other left fielders on the roster we have to look at it in that context. It is one thing to get a league average hitter at any position but a league average hitter is not a league average left fielder.

We should start with some uncomfortable truths. Dezenzo and Loperfido have the bulk of the plate appearances and Denenzo sits at a .600 BPO at the break and Loperfido sits at a .585 BPO at the break. Wade just doesn’t have enough plate appearances to really peg where he is at this point. There is no way of telling whether he is another Breden Shewmake or Raymel Deglado or whether he can stick as a legitimate option from the left side of the plate.

Similarly, Trammel could be an option there as well and he is performing better than this, but putting him in left field means a steady diet of Brice Matthews in center field. As we have seen, the Astros are league median or better at every position on the diamond except for this one. Obviously, we haven’t looked at center field or right field yet.

You cannot have an all-star at every position. However, you also can’t have a batting order with three holes in it. That doesn’t even count that some other hitters have been wildly inconsistent throughout the season. Unless you plan on sewing some alternate jerseys and employing some funky fake facial hair, you cannot maximize Yordan more than what you are currently doing. Even a league average left and center fielder would do wonders for this lineup.

As people have pointed out in comments, there are other holes on the roster. There is at least one hole if not more in the rotation. There could probably be an argument made for a late inning leverage guy from the right side. We have now identified two outfield slots. That’s as many as five guys. So, which hole is the most pressing to fill? That is the question the Astros face as they approach the deadline.

Fernando Tatis Jr. put the exclamation point on an 8-3 win with a monster two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to lead the San Diego Padres over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday night. Tatis stepped to the plate in the top of the inning with Luis Rengifo on first base after a one-out walk. Tatis worked the count full against Atlanta reliever JR Ritchie, battling through seven pitches. On the eighth pitch of the at-bat Ritchie left a curveball over the middle of the plate and Tatis deposited it into the left-center field bleachers 474 feet away to give San Diego a six-run lead.

Tatis was not the only Padres player to homer in the game, but he was the last. Jackson Merrill started the slugfest with a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning that tied the game, 2-2. Manny Machado added a solo home run in the top of the fifth to make the score, 5-2 and he hit his second home run of the game in the top of the sixth to push the score to 6-2.

Walker Buehler started on the mound for San Diego and turned in his best performance of July. Buehler work into and out of trouble in the second inning when two walks and a triple by Jim Jarvis gave Atlanta a 2-1 lead. Buehler then allowed a walk to Drake Baldwin to put runners on the corners for the Braves, but he got out of the jam with a strikeout of Ozzie Albies to keep the Padres within a run. Buehler settled in after the second and retired all three batters in the third, fourth and fifth innings. He pitched into the sixth where he was able to get two outs but left the game with runners on second and third. Yuki Matsui came in and allowed a walk to pinch-hitter Joey Bart to load the bases before he got Brewer Hicklen to strikeout on three pitches to end the frame.

Bradgley Rodriguez followed Matsui and Adrian Morejon handled the eighth inning before Mason Miller made his first appearance since striking out three consecutive batters against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night. Miller allowed a hit and walked one, but ultimately ended the inning and the game with three more strikeouts in a non-save situation.

For the second time in as many days, the Padres outhit the Braves. San Diego finished with 13 hits, while Atlanta managed just four hits. Tatis led the charge for the Padres finishing 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI, with Machado finishing 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI. Merrill went 2-for-4 with a run an RBI and a walk and Ty France chipped in with a multi-hit night, finishing 2-for-5 with an RBI. Jake Cronenworth, Luis Campusano, Xander Bogaerts and Rengifo all finished with a hit in the game.

San Diego will look for a similar offensive output against Atlanta when Michael King takes the mound in the third game of the series this afternoon at 4:15 p.m.

Padres News:

• Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Balllooks at the various paths A.J. Preller and the Padres could take at the trade deadline.

• Xander Bogaerts found himself batting eighth in the lineup in the second game against the Braves and the Padres shortstop understands what he needs to do if he wants to regain his typical spot in the lineup.

• Padres second-round draft pick signs his deal and is ready to start his professional career with San Diego.

• The Padres need to win games if they want to give the organization a reason to buy at the deadline, but their sluggish start to the second half may get the alternate approach.

• The sale of the Padres could finally be coming to an end with a vote expected soon.

Baseball News:

• The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies with a wild game-ending double play.

• The Miami Marlins turned a 5-4-3 triple play, but lost to the Houston Astros, 5-3.

• Framber Valdez allowed six first-inning runs to the Chicago Cubs who went on to beat the Detroit Tigers, 11-2.

• The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays on the strength of 21 hits.

• The Kansas City Royals earned their second consecutive win over the San Francisco Giants.

• Hunter Goodman hit his 31st home run of the season for the Colorado Rockies and helped them beat the Washington Nationals, 8-7.

The Mets are expected to be active sellers at the 2026 MLB trade deadline. Here's the latest news and rumors...

Aug. 3, 12:15 p.m.

Kodai Senga is having a down season, but it appears he's drawing interest ahead of Monday's deadline. 

The Padres have checked in with the Mets on the righty starter, according to the NY Post's Joel Sherman.

As per Sherman, San Diego pursued Senga when he was a free agent coming over from the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks following the 2022 season. 

Though he has struggled mightily this year, the Padres are in desperate need of rotation help. 

Senga is on the books for $4.7 million the rest of this season, and $14 million for next year. 

The 33-year-old has shown positive flashes at times this year, but has taken the loss in eight of his 13 appearances, pitching to an ugly 8.66 ERA over that span. 

July 31, 10:14 a.m.

The Brewers are "showing strong interest" in Luke Weaver, per Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. 

The Pirates are also interested in Weaver, per multiple reports.

Weaver, who has allowed just one earned run in 31.0 innings since April 30, should be among the most sought-after relievers ahead of the deadline.

However, unlike Freddy Peralta, Brooks Raley, and Tyrone Taylor (pending free agents) and Clay Holmes (set for free agency since the expectation is that he'll decline his player option), Weaver is under team control through 2027.

That should make Weaver especially valuable to interested teams, and it will increase the price it takes to pry him away from New York.

If the Mets end up trading Weaver, the return will almost certainly be much better than what they got for the Twins for rental reliever A.J. Minter (two prospects at the back end of Minnesota's top 30 list). 

July 30, 9:08 a.m.

The Phillies have interest in Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes, reports Matt Gelb of The Athletic.

Per Gelb, Philadelphia had a scout at Peralta's start at Citi Field this past Sunday, and have been "tracking" Holmes' rehab.

Peralta, a pending free agent, is expected to be traded ahead of the deadline. 

Holmes is working his way back from a freak injury to his fibula that he suffered when he was struck by a line drive on May 15, and his return is imminent. His next outing, which would be on Sunday (the day before the deadline) is TBD due to his presence on the trade block. 

There is mutual interest between Holmes and the Mets on a potential extension, according to SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes. However, Holmes said last week that there hadn't been "a ton" of progress toward a deal, meaning it is very likely that Holmes will be traded ahead of the deadline.

That's because Holmes holds a $12 million player option for the 2027 season that he is all but certain to decline.

Holmes, 33, has a 2.39 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 52.2 innings over nine starts this season.

July 28, 9:17 a.m.

The White Sox are among the teams interested in Luis Torrens, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. 

However, Heyman notes that the Mets are "very reluctant" to trade Torrens. 

Torrens is one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, and has a .604 OPS in 63 games this season while serving as the backup to Francisco Alvarez. 

Alvarez's name has also been floated in rumors, during a season where the backstop has a career-best .791 OPS.

July 27, 10:54 a.m.

There is interest around the league in Mets catcher Luis Torrens and outfielder Tyrone Taylor, reports SNY contributor Jim Duquette.

Taylor is set to be a free agent after the season, while Torrens recently inked an extension that runs through 2028.

Taylor brings a blend of speed, pop, and plus defense. He has a .761 OPS this season in 61 games, and has been on a power tear lately, with five homers in his last 27 at-bats. 

July 25, 11:35 a.m.

On Friday, starter Clay Holmes spoke with reporters about his future with the Mets and noted there has not been "a ton" of progress on a contract extension ahead of the trade deadline. 

With it sounding like Holmes is prepared for a trade, league front office execs indicated to SNY contributor Jim Duquette that he is “likely” to be traded before the Aug. 3 deadline.

Additionally, Duquette reported that reliever Luke Weaver "has become the top arm available and it’s also 'highly likely' he will be traded as well."

Weaver has another year on his contract that runs through the 2027 season, while Holmes has a 2027 player option worth $12 million that he is expected to decline to enter free agency.

July 22, 9:12 a.m.

There are multiple teams with "preliminary interest" in outfielder Luis Robert Jr., per Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The Mets hold a $20 million team option for the 2027 season on Robert, who recently returned after being out since April 27 due to a back injury.

With New York all but certain to decline that option if Robert remains on the team through the end of the year, trading him before the deadline makes sense.

Robert hit a mammoth 451-foot homer on Tuesday night against the Brewers in Milwaukee and played strong defense in center field, showcasing the upside that should be of interest to contending teams. 

Potentially complicating matters is that Robert still has a relatively significant amount owed to him this season, which could possibly make a deal tough unless the Mets eat a portion of that money.

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The New York Yankees are heavy -170 favorites in the first leg of today's doubleheader.

Facing off against a struggling Mitch Keller, they're in a great spot to pile up the runs in a high-scoring victory.

Let's break it all down with my Pirates vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for Wednesday, July 22. 

Who will win Pirates vs Yankees today: New York Yankees (-170)

Mitch Kellerowns a 6.0 ERA over the last month, and his 6.47 xERA suggests that is deserved.

He is giving up a ton of hard contact, fly balls, and struggling to keep it in the park. Keller has conceded 2.57 homers per nine innings during that stretch.

The New York Yankeesrank eighth in homers and seventh in ISO against righties in July. They are not a team Keller wants to see, especially at Yankee Stadium.

Gerrit Cole should get all the run support he needs as he works to find his footing.

Play to -185.

COVERS INTEL: Keller's contact profile is alarmingly bad, resulting in a fourth percentile ranking in xBA.

Pirates vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (+100)

Keller has not held up against quality offenses.He owns an abysmal 8.72 ERA and has allowed at least three runs in eight of nine starts when facing teams that slot Top-11 in OPS vs. right-handed pitching.

The Yankees fit the criteria, and the power boost they’ll see playing at Yankee Stadium only makes matters worse.

Cole has not looked sharp, and that’s been problematic at home. He has allowed 1.91 homers per nine innings in New York.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have real power and will capitalize on any mistakes.

Bet to -115.

Pirates vs Yankees weather

Temperatures should approach the mid-80s with strong winds blowing out. Clear and noticeable boost to the bats.

Pirates vs Yankees odds

• Moneyline: Pirates +145 | Yankees -170
• Run line: Pirates +1.5 (-130) | Yankees -1.5 (+110)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-105) | Under 9.5 (-115)

Pirates vs Yankees trend

Pittsburgh has hit the Game Total Over in 30 of last 45 games (+14.95 units, 31% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Pirates vs. Yankees.

How to watch Pirates vs Yankees and game info

Pirates vs Yankees latest injuries

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The Pittsburgh Pirates are heading down the back half of the season in the midst of a playoff race, and they have a myriad of questions surrounding whether or not they will be buyers or sellers at the MLB Trade Deadline. Apparently, according to one source, the Bucs are listening to offers on outfielder Oneil Cruz.

MLB inside source Bob Nightengale had this to say about the situation:

“They do have outfield depth. Can they trade Oneil Cruz to get some bullpen help? They need bullpen help as much as any contender out there. They can use another starter too. So I think they’re going to listen to offers on Oneil Cruz to see if they get the other pieces.”

Cruz has been the topic of trade speculation before, as many people felt he wasn’t reaching his potential in Pittsburgh and could get some interest from teams chasing a pennant. The irony is that Cruz is having his best season at the plate.

Despite currently being on the 60-day injured list, Cruz is expected back sometime around the beginning of to middle August. He’s averaging .264 at the plate with 14 homers and 44 RBIs as well as 21 stolen bases. The average is the best of his career, as is his OBP of .350 and his slugging percentage of .472.

He still has some work to do in the field, with his .986 fielding percentage sitting in the 30s for centerfielders, but overall, Cruz is having his finest season as a pro, which would certainly drive his value higher. One potential issue is do we trust Ben Cherington to get the most out of a Cruz deal? He hasn’t exactly been crushing trades with the Bucs.

But with the team currently loaded on offense and the pitching staff struggling, dealing Cruz for an arm to help down the stretch run certainly isn’t the worst idea.

Tell us in the comments how you feel about a possible Cruz deal.

Don’t forget to vote in our poll in The Feed, and our Reacts poll will be up later today.

After Monday’s tough extra-inning loss to the Tigers. it was certainly fun to see the Cubs get out of the gate quickly Tuesday, with a six-run first leading to an easy 11-2 win over Detroit, evening up the series.

David Peterson had a quick 1-2-3 first and then the Cubs got to work against Framber Valdez. Pete Crow-Armstrong led off with a line drive down the right field line that went for a triple [VIDEO].

Seiya Suzuki walked and Alex Bregman was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out.

Carson Kelly then singled in two runs [VIDEO].

Michael Busch followed with another single, scoring Bregman [VIDEO].

A single by Nico Hoerner re-loaded the bases, and Ian Happ blooped a single to right, scoring Kelly [VIDEO].

It’s 4-0, the first seven Cubs have reached base against Valdez, and the bases are still loaded. The next two Cubs made outs — Dansby Swanson popped up and Kevin Alcántara struck out. But the Cubs were not done scoring.

PCA made his second plate appearance of the inning. Valdez walked him to make it 5-0 [VIDEO].

That was it for Valdez. It was the worst start of his career, only the second time he had failed to finish the first inning, and the other time, back in 2019, he allowed “only” four runs.

Ty Madden, just called up by the Tigers, entered the game. The walkathon wasn’t over, either — he walked the first batter he faced, Suzuki, to force in another run [VIDEO].

More on the Cubs’ six-run first from BCB’s JohnW53:

The Cubs’ six-run inning was just their second of the season. The first was May 27, in their 56th game, when they won at Pittsburgh, 10-4. They have had three innings with seven runs and one with eight.

Through the first inning, the Cubs had scored multiple runs in 130 innings and a single run in 131.
…..
The Cubs have scored 12 runs in the first inning of their last six games: two, one, one, two, zero and six. They had scored 41 total runs in the first of their previous 96 games.

Peterson had an interesting second inning. He allowed a leadoff double, then got three fly outs on hard-hit balls. It was a good thing the wind was blowing in, because all four of those balls would have probably left the yard on Monday, when the wind was blowing out.

After that, though, Peterson settled down. Overall he allowed just three hits over the first six innings and got eight outs on ground balls. One of the outs that wasn’t a ground ball was this sliding catch by Alcántara in the third [VIDEO].

While that was going on, the Cubs were extending their lead. Swanson led off the third with a walk and stole second. That was Swanson’s 14th steal of the year without being caught. PCA singled him in [VIDEO].

The Cubs put two more on the board in the fifth. Swanson led off with a single. Michael Conforto was sent up to bat for Alcántara and launched one [VIDEO].

That was Conforto’s ninth homer of the year and fourth as a pinch-hitter. Here are some Cubs PH HR facts from John:

According to my research, Michael Conforto’s pinch-hit home run was the Cubs’ 363rd since the Modern Era began in 1901.

It was his fourth of the season. That tied the Cubs record for a single season, set by Glenallen Hill in 1999. Players with three: Jeff Blauser 1999, Thad Bosley 1985, Dave Clark 1997, Kevin Roberson 1993, Willie Smith 1969, Chuck Tanner 1958, Julio Zuleta 2001.

Only six players have hit more in their careers as a Cub:

9: Hill
6: Bosley, Roberson
5: Ernie Banks, Ian Happ, Patrick Wisdom

Five others hit four: Jeff Baker, Dale Long, Jerry Morales, Smith, Zuleta

The MLB record for pinch homers in a season is seven, set by Dave Hansen in 2000, tied by Craig Wilson in 2001.

Peterson was removed with two out in the seventh to a warm ovation. He’s now made four starts as a Cub. While one of them was unspeakably bad, the other three have been good-to-excellent. More on that from John:

David Peterson’s start was the Cubs’ first this season of at least 6.2 innings with no runs, three or fewer hits and no more than one walk.

Shōta Imanaga had the only two longer shutout starts, both 7.0, both at home, on May 2 vs. the Diamondbacks (four hits, one walk) and Sunday vs. the Twins (six hits, one walk).

Just-acquired Aaron Civale entered to finish the seventh. He allowed a single to the first batter he faced, putting runners on first and second. PCA ended the inning with this fine running catch [VIDEO].

Then it got to silly season, as the Tigers put in infielder Zach McKinstry, a former Cub, to pitch the bottom of the seventh. He threw some pitches at 80-plus miles per hour, but others with velocity in the 30s (listed as “slow curve” on the Wrigley video boards). The first hitter he faced was Happ, who walked. Swanson hit a ground ball to short that went for a hit. After a fly out, PCA walked, his third one of the game, loading the bases.

Suzuki hit into a force play to make it 10-0 [VIDEO].

As you can see, that was called a double play on the field, but Suzuki pretty clearly beat the relay, so the run scored and left runners on first and third.

Bregman singled, scoring Swanson to make it 11-0 [VIDEO].

Civale ran out of gas in the ninth and allowed a two-run homer to Dillon Dingler, and wound up loading the bases with two out before getting this fly to center to end the game [VIDEO].

The Cubs could have scored a lot more than 11 runs, too. They had hits in their first four at-bats with runners in scoring position and overall went 6-for-20 (!) with RISP and left 12 runners on base. It was a terrific display of offense.

The Cubs gained a game on the Brewers, who lost to the Mets, and trail in the NL Central by six games. They also gained on the Phillies in the wild card race. The Dodgers beat the Phillies, so the Cubs lead Philadelphia by 1.5 games for the top wild card spot.

And the Cubs will go for yet another series win Wednesday evening at Wrigley Field. Colin Rea will start for the Cubs and Keider Montero goes for the Tigers. Game time is 7:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be on ESPN (full national broadcast, no blackouts).

The Orioles had won seven straight before traveling to Boston to face the only team in the league touting a better win streak. The Birds were set to play in their first series in over a year that carried a heightened sense of meaning. Playing the Red Sox—a division opponent in possession of a playoff spot—marked an opportunity for the club to measure itself against a contender.

How did the Orioles respond? They committed four errors and lost a one-run game.

It’s always tempting to over analyze after a bad loss, and yesterday’s rain out only helps the cause. We all know that every outcome counts as one win or loss in the standings, but that game was rich with symbolism. Baltimore pulled Shane Baz (6 IP, 2 ER) after 77 pitches, and both relievers allowed a run. The team left the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. Craig Albernaz pinch hit for Christian Encarnacion-Strand despite his strong offensive night, and Sam Huff finished 0-for-3 with three strikeouts for the second consecutive game.

At the same time, Tyler O’Neill squared up a ball that could have kept the Birds alive. The Orioles scored in four different innings despite missing Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo. They got another solid start from the rotation, and the Red Sox are obviously a good team too. Winning teams lose all the time, and you shouldn’t make a mountain out of a one-run molehill. But those four errors… Those are the type of plays that make you wonder if this team is capable of playing winning baseball.

So what exactly is winning baseball? Did the Orioles play winning baseball when they won seven consecutive games? It’s kind of like that thing the Supreme Court spent some time discussing in the 1960s. You know it when you see it.

The Orioles have been a bad defensive team all season, but they made some winning plays over that recent stretch. O’Neill extended the game with an impressive catch and throw in Houston. The outfielders made several running grabs, and Brandon Young’s kick save was named MLB’s play of the week.

This team is capable of making the necessary plays, but defense will never be considered a true strength. One or two defensive miscues may be inevitable, but those four errors felt like something more. It felt like the Orioles crumbled in their first big game of the season.

The American League is bad enough that a flawed team is going to make the playoffs. The Orioles could be that team. The question is whether a team like that can do any damage once they get there. Flawed teams can go on a run if they—and stop me if you’re over it by now—play winning baseball.

Jim Palmer has spent enough time explaining the value of hitting the cutoff man, but those things make a difference. Gunnar Henderson is capable of making the “wow” type of plays, but can he remain engaged over nine innings? Baltimore’s shortstop made his 12th error of the season on Monday and could have been credited with another when he failed to catch an 82 MPH line drive in third inning.

The rotation has provided some real reason for hope, and the bullpen has been better than it should be on paper. At a minimum, it feels like the Orioles could hang around with any AL team in a three-game series. Unfortunately, Baltimore is 8-15 in one-run games. Their eight wins are the lowest number of one-run victories in all of baseball.

The Orioles can’t go back and win any of those 15 games, but they can learn from the outcome. The front office, if they plan on buying, must determine what this team really needs. The club probably doesn’t want to pay the premium for Tarik Skubal or Joe Ryan. If acquiring a true ace is off the table, the team doesn’t need another mid-rotation starter.

The bullpen is a different story. The Birds need to flip the script in one-run games, and a shutdown reliever or two would go a long way. Ryan Helsley will be out until at least September, and it’s far too early to expect anything from Félix Bautista.

Will the team address the defense? A steady third baseman that hits righties would work wonders for this team, but nobody is replacing Henderson at short. It feels like the Orioles have been “learning how to win” since 2022, but the sentiment still rings true. The team had an extra day to flush Monday’s loss and can take a big step in the right direction by playing 18 innings of winning baseball today.