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When the Orioles purchased the contract of Reds’ corner infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand back in April, it was just another one of those low-profile moves we see from Mike Elias and the front office all the time. It was the latest instance of the “buy low and hope something good happens” mentality that’s seen Elias take swings on Jhonkensy Noel, Rico Garcia, Jacob Webb, Danny Coulombe, Emmanuel Rivera and others.

Fast forward three months and the man they call CES is now in both the heart of the Orioles order and the heart of Birdland as we cling to playoff hopes that can’t decide whether to live or die. Encarnacion-Strand was called up to replace the injured Blaze Alexander with the thought that he’d be a bench option behind Coby Mayo at third. Instead, CES quickly overtook Mayo and started producing numbers we’ve never seen from an Oriole debutant.

Through his first five games with Baltimore, the 26-year-old infielder went 8-for-20 (.400) with three homers and eight RBIs, both of which were records for an Oriole in their first five games. He’s hit safely in six of the seven games he’s played, has a reasonable strikeout rate (22.2%) and has gone from a relative unknown quantity to one of the most productive bats in the Baltimore order.

The fact that CES is showing signs of being a truly productive MLB player isn’t completely surprising. He was a top prospect in the Reds organization, who once sat between former top rookies Matt McClain and Spencer Steer in the Reds’ top 30 prospects.

Encarnacion-Strand then burst onto the MLB scene looking like a player destined for stardom. After debuting just post the All-Star break in 2023, CES launched 13 homers in 63 games while posting an .805 OPS and displayed hard-hit rates that helped project him as a middle of the order mainstay in Cincinnati.

Instead of building on that success, however, CES largely became a forgotten commodity for the Reds. At 24 years old, he got off to a slow start to the 2024 campaign and saw his season end prematurely when he broke his wrist in early May. CES would return to Cincinnati to begin the 2025 season, but injured his back in mid-April, which caused him to go on the IL for eight weeks. Upon his return, he put up a respectable triple lash of .247/.273/.438, but was ultimately optioned to Triple-A for the last three months of the season.

He never made it back to the Reds, as he started this year in Triple-A Louisville before being DFA’d on April 8th. When the O’s sent cash considerations to Cincinnati to bring in the former top prospect, he seemed like natural insurance for Mayo. Both right-handed sluggers have prodigous power with 3B/1B flexibility, though Encarnacion-Strand had spent 81.5% of his defensive innings at first for the Reds.

The production CES showed throughout his stint at Triple-A Norfolk more than justified the front office’s decision to acquire him. After posting 33 home runs across in just over 500 ABs across three stints with Louisville, Encarnacion-Strand swatted 17 long balls while posting an .863 OPS in 61 games for the Tides.

Where the man with baseball’s longest last name goes from here is anyone’s guess. We’ve seen players come up to instant success without being able to sustain their high level of play. 2024 Heston Kjerstad prior to being bean in the head by the Yankees comes to mind. End of 2024 Emmanuel Rivera also had a good run. And who can forget some of the magic from late 2022 Kyle Stowers.

But if Encarnacion-Strand wants to be more than a fun foot note in Orioles history, he’ll need to stay hot while proving he can hit right-handed pitching better than Mayo. Through seven games with the O’s, CES is 7-for-10 against left-handed pitchers with all three of his home runs coming against southpaws. Against right-handers, he’s 3-for-17 with a double. Which is to say, he’s playing a lot like Coby Mayo across his small sample size.

Mayo undoubtedly has a higher ceiling, and not just because he’s two years younger than Encarnacion-Strand. Both of the infielders had power and arm strength as their best attributes when coming up as prospects. For CES, his power was graded as a 55 while his arm was a 60 on the 20-80 scale. For Mayo, both graded out as a 70. And while Encarnacion-Strand is currently a better defensive 3B, he’s still below average, and Mayo’s superior athleticism give him a better chance to become an at least average defender at the hot corner.

The arrival and quick success of CES came on the perfect time for the O’s. With Alexander likely out until September and both Aldey Rutschman and Samuel Basallo currenlty on the IL, the offense needed an infusion of talent and production from an unlikely source.

Now, they need CES and Mayo to continue to push each other and contiune give the O’s lineup length behind Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward and Gunnar Henderson. For now, both should be playing against left-handed pitchers, with one at 3B and the other DH’ing. Mayo got the start against Detroit right-hander Keider Montero yesterday; we’ll who Craig Albernaz turns to against right-hander Troy Melton later today.

Despite the natural tendency to think that Encarnacion-Strand’s recent success will ultimately just be a flash in the pan, there’s also enough reasons to believe that it is instead a talented player finally making the most of good health and an opportunity. At worst, he should be able to help bridge the gap until Blaze and the two catchers getting healthy. But at 26 with proven upside, he could also be the latest reclamation project that proves to have long-term upside.

Alex Bregman has had a rough year, as we all know, but we have seen signs recently that he’s coming out of it.

That happened big time Monday night in St. Louis. Bregman had his first four-hit game as a Cub, including a home run and two doubles, helping lead the team to a 7-3 win over the Cardinals in the opener of a four-game series, a game delayed nearly two hours by storms. Nico Hoerner also had four hits, including his first home run since April 21, 81 games ago.

After the rain was over, the Cubs scored right away in the first inning, though it could have been more than one run. Pete Crow-Armstrong led off with a walk — but then got picked off [VIDEO].

That was really too bad, because both Seiya Suzuki and Alex Bregman followed with doubles. That would have scored a pair if not for the pickoff. Bregman’s double scored Suzuki [VIDEO].

A note on Suzuki’s hit from BCB’s JohnW53:

Seiya Suzuki’s first-inning double gave the Cubs the National League record for consecutive road games with a hit: 4,789.

The Pirates did it in 4,788 straight road games between May 14, 1955, and June 19, 2015.

The Cubs’ streak began Sept. 10, 1965, at San Francisco, the night after they were the victims of a perfect game by Sandy Koufax at Dodger Stadium.

The Yankees hold the MLB record, 5,367 games through Monday, since Sept. 20, 1958.

In the second, the Cubs kept it going against Matthew Liberatore. Nico Hoerner led off with a single. After Ian Happ struck out, Dansby Swanson singled Nico to second.

Hoerner scored on this single by Miguel Amaya [VIDEO].

José Fermin homered off David Peterson in the second to make it 2-1. Before that home run, Happ made this catch on a ball that looked like it fooled him [VIDEO].

On the broadcast, JD speculated the ball might have got into the lights. Happ made a nice recovery for the catch.

In the top of the third, the Cubs got that run back very quickly on a leadoff homer by Bregman in the third, his 11th [VIDEO].

In the fifth, Bregman led off with a single, his third hit of the game — his first three-hit game in more than three months, since April 22. Carson Kelly followed with a single, advancing Bregman to second. Michael Busch’s ground out advanced both runners, and then a single by Nico scored both to make it 5-1 Cubs [VIDEO].

While all this was going on, David Peterson was throwing quite well, through five innings, at least. The only run he allowed in that time was Fermin’s homer.

He got in trouble in the sixth. Jordan Walker led off with a walk, and then Ivan Herrera struck out on a play I don’t think I’ve seen before. The umpires ruled that Herrera had called for a second timeout after Peterson’s 3-2 pitch and that’s a violation, ruled strike three. In case you’re wondering how that’s scored:

Peterson recorded the second out, a ground ball that allowed Walker to take second. Gavin Hollowell relieved Peterson and allowed an RBI single to Masyn Winn, threw a wild pitch, then gave up an automatic double that bounced into the seats. If not for the wild pitch, the third Cardinals run doesn’t score. So it wasn’t a really good day for Hollowell, but the Cubs still led by two after six.

And overall I thought Peterson threw well, recording nine of his 16 outs on ground balls. One of the runs charged to him scored after he left the game. Here’s more on Peterson’s evening [VIDEO].

Ryan Rolison entered to throw the seventh and issued a walk in between a pair of strikeouts. Trent Thornton was then summoned to face the right-handed hitting Jordan Walker. One pitch, one out, but it was a fly ball to very deep left-center caught by Ian Happ. Earlier in the broadcast it was mentioned that Busch Stadium is the toughest park this year for home runs, and maybe that hit shows why — it looked like it might have been gone off the bat, but just died, a 391-foot out.

In the bottom of the eighth, Thornton gave up another long hit leading off the inning to Ivan Herrera. That one fell in for a hit — but Happ turned it into an out [VIDEO].

That’s just an outstanding defensive play by Happ. I keep telling you — he’s going to win a fifth Gold Glove this year.

The Cubs put some key insurance runs on the board in the ninth. Bregman’s fourth hit, a double, led off the inning. Two outs later, Nico went deep [VIDEO].

Back to Bregman — that was not only his first four-hit game as a Cub, it was his first since April 15, 2025 with the Red Sox. And his season OPS moved over .700 (at .705) for the first time since May 31. Good stuff, and for Nico, it was his second four-hit game since the All-Star break. The Cubs pounded out 14 hits on the evening and have had at least 11 hits in seven of their last nine games. More on the four-hit games by Bregman and Hoerner from John:

As noted by Al, this was Alex Bregman’s first game as a Cub with four hits. He had nine with the Astros and one, plus a five-hit game, with the Red Sox.

Bregman had had four three-hit games this season. The first three were April 7, 14 and 22; the fourth, July 12. He had a single, double and homer on April 22, in a 7-2 win over the Phillies — the only one of the earlier games at home.

Nico Hoerner had had one four-hit game this year before last night, on July 18 at home vs. the Twins. He had four in 2022-24.

Hoerner is tied with PCA for the team lead in games with three or more: eight. Michael Busch and Seiya Suzuki both have six. The Cubs have had 46 such games, by 11 different batters.

Jacob Webb, warming up for a possible save opportunity, pitched instead with a four-run lead in the ninth. He allowed a two-out double but finished up with no runs scoring. Here’s the final out [VIDEO].

Here are Craig Counsell’s postgame comments [VIDEO].

The Phillies lost to the Marlins Monday, so the Cubs’ lead for the first wild card spot increased to 3.5 games. And the Giants did the Cubs a solid by shutting out the Brewers 3-0, so the Cubs creep to within six games of first place in the NL Central.

The Cubs and Cardinals will meet again Tuesday evening in St. Louis. Colin Rea will start for the Cubs and Michael McGreevy goes for the Cardinals. Game time is 6:45 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network. The game’s also on TBS nationally (outside the Cubs and Cardinals market territories).

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Note: Tonight's game has been postponed due to inclement weather. The Braves and Mets will play a doubleheader on Wednesday, July 29 to make up the difference.

The Atlanta Braves are sitting as a heavy -150 moneyline favorite tonight against the New York Mets with left-hander Chris Sale on the mound. 

Despite getting blown out in the series opener, my Braves vs. Mets predictions are eyeing Atlanta to bounce back behind another stellar outing from their former Cy Young winner. 

Find out more in my MLB picks for Tuesday, July 28. 

Who will win Braves vs Mets today: Braves moneyline (-155)

Chris Sale takes the ball for the Atlanta Braves, and he continues to be absolutely lights out. In two starts since the All-Star break, the southpaw owns a 0.96 FIP while walking just 0.69 hitters per nine innings. During that span, Sale has also limited opponents to a 3.4% barrel rate. 

It's worth noting that Sale has already faced the New York Mets this season, surrendering three earned runs across five frames. While that's not outstanding, the veteran has a 2.43 road FIP in 2026. 

The Braves won't have it easy against Christian Scott, either. He has a 1.55 xERA in his previous two outings. However, there's been some vulnerability for him at Citi Field, compiling a 4.51 FIP while allowing 1.55 HR/9. 

Sale will outduel Scott, and the Braves will do enough offensively against the Mets righty and their bullpen to win Game 2. 

I'll play this pick up to only -160. Otherwise, the Atlanta run line is a supporting play. 

COVERS INTEL: The Braves have a 121 wRC+ over their last 11 games, well above their season-long road mark of 95 wRC+. 

Braves vs Mets Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 runs (+101)

The starters give a pathway to the Under tonight, but it's difficult to look past the recent offensive form of both ball clubs. Aside from Atlanta's brilliance at the dish since the break, it also has a .204 ISO over the last two weeks. 

As for the Mets, they own a 134 wRC+ in their last six contests while carrying a .217 ISO. There's no shortage of production coming from this lineup at the moment.

Even if Sale gives Atlanta quality innings, the Braves bullpen has struggled lately, posting a 5.06 xERA in its last 29 2/3 frames. Sale should give Atlanta enough of an advantage, but the vulnerability on the back end gives the Mets a path to contributing to the Over. 

I'll play this pick up to -120. 

Braves vs Mets weather

Weather could be a real factor at Citi Field tonight, with rain and overcast conditions expected throughout the game window. Temperatures should sit in the low-to-mid 70s, but humidity will be very high, and winds could reach the mid-teens. There is legitimate delay risk, and the damp conditions may slightly suppress carry. It may also result in shorter outings for the starters, which would expose a pair of shaky bullpens earlier than anticipated.

Braves vs Mets odds

• Moneyline: Braves -150 | Mets +144
• Run line: Braves -1.5 (+117) | Mets +1.5 (-122)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+104) | Under 7.5 (-108)

Braves vs Mets trend

The New York Mets have hit the Game Total Over in 27 of their last 50 games at home (+8.25 Units / 15% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Mets.

How to watch Braves vs Mets and game info

Braves vs Mets latest injuries

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Rangers 7, Mariners 3

• That was a very nice way to end the series, and the homestand.
• Having good Kumar Rocker on the mound certainly helped quite a bit.
• I didn’t think we were going to have good Kumar Rocker in the early going. After a quick first, Randy Arozarena took Rocker deep to start the second inning, negating Joc Pederson’s leadoff home run in the bottom of the first.
• Then, staked to a 4-1 lead when he took the mound to start the third inning, thanks to Pederson’s second homer of the day, Rocker gave up a flared single, a rocket single, and a line drive from Julio Rodriguez that resulted in a sacrifice fly, making it 4-2.
• Dominic Canzone, he of the go-ahead three run homer against Cole Winn the day before, as well as the insurance run driving in double later in that same game, came up with one out as the tying run.
• I could see it in front of my eyes…a sinker left too far up, Canzone crushing the ball, sending it on a majestic arc well into the right field seats, Brandon Nimmo turning and taking a couple of steps back before stopping, knowing that any chase is futile. In my mind, I felt sure the game was about to be tied, that the Pederson-fueled lead would be lost and we’d be dealing with a short Rocker outing, necessitating turning to feeble bullpen arms to try to get the team 5 innings or so.
• Canzone did crush a Rocker pitch, though it was a slider, not a sinker. It also hit the ground and was turned into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
• Lead preserved.
• And from that point on, Rocker had no problems. He faced 13 more batters the rest of the way, retired 11 of them, and left with two outs in the seventh to a hearty ovation from the folks who made it out to the Shed on a Monday afternoon.
• Rocker is currently rocking a 4.03 ERA and 4.14 FIP after this start, which saw him fan seven Mariners and walk just two. In 20 appearances (18 starts and two pseudo-starts behind an opener), Rocker has allowed more than three runs just four times, something that surprised me when I looked it up because it has certainly felt like he’s gotten roughed up more than that. He’s allowed two or fewer runs in 13 of his 20 outings, and has seven quality starts on the season.
• The inconsistency is frustrating, but Rocker has made strides this season, compared to last year’s disappointing up-and-down campaign. Maintaining that over his remaining 11 or so scheduled starts would make you feel pretty good about him heading into 2027.
• After watching the soft underbelly of the bullpen cough up five runs and blow the game on Sunday, Skip Schumaker wasn’t taking any chances in this one. Robby Ahlstrom was summoned to face J.P. Crawford when Rocker was pulled with two outs in the seventh — the third day in a row Ahlstrom has pitched. I wouldn’t have expected Ahlstrom to be used for a third straight day with a five run lead.
• Jakob Junis, who was being saved for the eighth inning on Sunday, but didn’t get used since the lead was gone by then, pitched a scoreless eighth on Monday, and Jacob Latz came in to close out the game. He allowed a couple of hits and a sac fly to make the end result 7-3, rather than 7-2.
• You don’t usually use your top relief arms with a lead this big, but Schumaker clearly wanted to forestall any potential comeback, keep the Mariners from rallying and getting a second wind. You don’t normally treat a Monday game in July like a playoff game, but under the circumstances, with the trade deadline looming, the memory of the blown lead on Sunday, and the chance to put the Mariners 2.5 back meant using your biggest guns late game.
• The offense scored all of its runs on homers, four in all — two by Pederson, one by Ezequiel Duran, and one by Jake Burger. All four came off of George Kirby, who has bedeviled the Rangers for as long as I can remember. I will leave it to you to determine whether that’s a commentary on Kirby’s success against the Rangers or my memory.
• Joc Pederson is now slashing .254/.343/.513. This is the guy the Rangers thought they were getting when they signed him after the 2024 season. Everyone who wanted the Rangers to release him this offseason needs to say they are sorry.
• Evan Carter was 2 for 4 with a double and a stolen base, raising his slash line on the season to .198/.314/.348. Since coming off the injured list, Carter is slashing .278/.391/,444.
• Ezequiel Duran’s homer was, per Statcast, 436 feet, which is 8th farthest at the Shed this season. Pederson’s first inning homer went 418 feet, tied for 33rd longest this year. The 10 farthest balls hit in Arlington this year, and 29 of the 34 farthest, have come since since May 26.
• They de-nerfed the Shed, y’all.
• Kumar Rocker touched 96.0 mph with his fastball, averaging 94.5 mph, and hit 95.0 with his sinker, averaging 93.7 mph. Robbie Ahlstrom reached 94.5 mph with his fastball. Jakob Junis reached 93.5 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz’s fastball topped out at 96.2 mph.
• Evan Carter had a 107.8 mph double, a 104.4 mph single, and a 104.0 mph groundout. Brandon Nimmo had a 106.8 mph double. Joc Pederson had a 106.4 mph home run. Ezequiel Duran had a 106.3 mph home run and a 103.0 mph single. Jake Burger had a 105.1 mph home run. Wyatt Langford had a 102.0 mph groundout.
• The Rangers are up in the West and now head out on the road. I’d like to see this continue.

The Mets continue a three-game series against the Braves at Citi Field on Tuesday night at 7:10 on SNY.

Mets Notes

• Bo Bichette is hitting .328/.358/.475 (.832 OPS) with five homers, nine doubles, one triple, 24 runs scored, and 25 RBI in 45 games since June 3
• Francisco Lindor has an .852 OPS with six homers in 25 games since June 26 -- his second game back after being activated from the IL
• Francisco Alvarez has a career-best .791 OPS in 71 games this season
• Christian Scott has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 13 of his 14 starts this season
• Luke Weaver has allowed one earned run since April 30 

Today's Lineups

The New York Yankees are three games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for a lead in the American League East, and with a Boston Red Sox team hot on their heels following a tie of their franchise-best 15-game winning streak, there’s not much room for error. If the Bombers want to make their path to a 28th World Series championship a little easier in October, the run is going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach, and that begins with the same look at the trade deadline on Monday, August 3rd.

As there are every year, certain names will come up on the trade block for the Yankees to potentially make a move for. Some of them would fit areas of need more than others, but upgrading any key position is a huge help in their quest. And while the bullpen ranks as one of the best in certain statistics, it never hurts to upgrade late-game pitching before embarking on a postseason journey. As luck would have it, there’s a familiar face available across town who could be a viable option.

2026 Statistics (Thus Far): 40 games, 42.0 IP, 2-1 W-L, 1 save, 1.93 ERA (163 ERA+), 2.92 FIP, 3.60 xFIP, 26.4% K%, 6.7% BB%, 0.83 WHIP, 1.0 fWAR, 1.8 bWAR

2026 ZiPS Rest-of-Season Statistics: 18 games, 23.0 IP, 1-1 W-L, 3.90 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 26.3% K%, 7.8% BB%, 0.3 fWAR

When Luke Weaver chose to sign with the New York Mets last offseason, it felt like the correct choice for the Yankees front office to let him walk. After a fantastic 2024 season with the Yankees, where he pitched to an ERA of 2.89 across 84.0 innings, he was not the same. In 64.2 innings the following season, he finished with a 3.62 ERA, a fastball velocity that had dropped 0.7 MPH, and an xFIP over 4.00. He fell apart down the stretch in particular, allowing 10 runs in 9.1 innings to close out the regular season and collected just a single out in three appearances in the postseason, allowing five runs across the Wild Card Series and ALDS.

Suffice to say, it wasn’t in the Yankees’ best interest to bring him back, especially after their Trade Deadline last season had brought in a handful of new arms they were hoping would improve or stay the same as they had previously before acquiring them. And while some of them have done exactly that, it doesn’t hurt to look for upgrades wherever possible, and it’s likely Weaver could be a low-cost, low-risk, familiar face and lovable character that achieves that goal.

So far in 2026, Weaver has been one of the few bright spots on a Mets team that is down in the dumps and a Mets pitching staff that has faced myriad injuries. The 44-62 residents of Queens are looking for any value they can get from movable players, and with Weaver having another year on his two-year, $22 million contract, that may be a way for the Mets to nab an extra asset. Of course, the likelihood that anything in a deal for Weaver is revolutionary is low, but it is a chance for the Yankees to give up a smaller asset or two for a reliever who knows what to expect and is having an excellent season.

In 40 games pitched, Weaver has posted a 1.93 ERA in 42.0 innings. His strikeout numbers are down, and his walk numbers remain around where they were in previous seasons, but no one has been able to figure out how to get a hit off him. His 5.1 H/9 is the lowest of his career thus far, and an excellent mark for MLB relievers generally as well. Weaver uses a three-pitch arsenal of a four-seam fastball (49.8 percent), changeup (34.8 percent), and a cutter (15.2 percent). If you’ve done the math and noticed the missing 0.2 percent, it’s because he had a pitch register as a slider, but that was the only time he has thrown it this year. And since last season with the Yankees, his fastball usage has gone down almost 10 percent, while his changeup usage has moved up five percent, and his cutter usage has blown up almost seven percent.

The changes made in how he’s using his arsenal fall in line with his percentile rankings for this season. The fastball has been above average, as it was during his time with the Yankees (especially in 2024), but it’s his offspeed that continues to reign supreme. And the more he’s used it, the more Weaver has been able to control exit velocity and hard-hit rate, with his 80th percentile being the best of his career by a wide margin.

In addition to the help he could provide down the road for the Yankees this season, he would also be around for next season, giving the front office a bit more understanding of how to plan for next year. They know (and have known) the kind of pitcher Weaver can be and the arsenal he provides when running onto the diamond from the outfield. However, if things aren’t going well, it wouldn’t be out of the question for the Yankees to move on from him a second time and look to send him elsewhere.

But while Weaver likely won’t be a sub-2.00 ERA pitcher for a full season, he can still be more than serviceable in the right spots. He has succeeded in low- to medium-leverage situations this season with the Mets, and if that’s what he’s most comfortable with at 32 and 33-years-old, there are certainly ways to work with it. Of course, acquiring someone else at the deadline who has a proven track record of thriving in high-leverage situations would also be advantageous, but for a player who won’t cost much, is succeeding in the situations he’s been in, and is a familiar and lovable name to the Yankees fanbase, bringing Weaver back to The Bronx could be worth a move for Brian Cashman.

Monday started off in a good way for Braves Country as Ronald Acuna Jr. returned from injury. However, it did not end well as the Braves lost in a big way to the Mets by the score of 14-3. While simply a loss to forget and move on from, the Braves need to get back to the business of winning with many games against the NL East this week.

Braves News

Here is prospects 25-30 on the Battery Power Top 30 prospects list.

Brewer Hicklen was sent to the minors as the corresponding move to Acuna Jr. being recalled.

MLB News

Marlins were able to end the 12-game losing streak with a win over the Phillies.

Kerry Carpenter was placed on IL due to a foot injury.

Cody Bellinger will miss 4-6 weeks.

In his first game with the Boston Red Sox, infielder Curtis Mead was forced to exit early after being hit on the hand by a pitch.

Mead, who was just acquired from the Washington Nationals on July 26, took a 95 mph fastball from Athletics starting pitcher Jack Perkins off his left wrist in the top of the fourth inning Monday night and initially remained in the game. However, he was replaced at second base in the bottom of the fifth by Anthony Sigler.

Mead told reporters after the game that X-rays showed "everything looks OK" and he's hopeful he'll be able to play on Tuesday in Sacramento.

Curtis Mead left his Red Sox debut early with a left wrist contusion.

The Red Sox confirmed that the X-rays were negative. pic.twitter.com/BOrjZXyH9j

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 28, 2026

"Walking in the clubhouse (I was) just super disappointed. I wanted to come here and help the team and wanted to play, so yeah, it's frustrating," Mead said.

He said he tried to swing a bat after he was hit, but "it didn't really feel great."

Red Sox manager Chad Tracy admitted afterward that it "looks like we dodged a bullet, maybe." Mead will undergo more tests on Tuesday.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Curtis Mead exits Red Sox debut after being hit by pitch

‘Tis the season. Just one week remains until the 2026 season’s trade deadline, which this year is August 3rd. The Dodgers are expected to be sellers as opposed to buyers, as this year there are more teams still involved in a playoff run.

The Dodgers also will have a little trade deadline action of their own, so to speak. Edwin Díaz, Kiké Hernández, and Blake Snell are all expected back soon, with Hernández slated to return to the team on Tuesday. As always, the Dodgers will be in on any big-name players, such as Tarik Skubal, should he become available. But for the most part, the team could be looking to part ways with some current players to bolster their farm system.

Eric Lauer and Alex Call are two names that could potentially be shopped, according to Katie Woo at The Athletic. Lauer came over in a trade in mid-May when Tyler Glasnow hit the IL. He has handled being an inning eater well- the team has yet to lose a game that he starts. While keeping him for depth would be the prudent thing to do, the Dodgers could flip him for some prospects like they did with Dustin May last season.

Call being traded makes a little more sense, now that both Hernández’s are back from the IL. His being another handed bat makes him redundant, and the Dodgers are looking to add to their farm system.

Shohei Ohtani is not currently pitching, and the front office and manager Dave Roberts insist that that will not affect their actions at the deadline. Meanwhile, he remains in the lineup.

“From his words, the hitting, the running, as he has done the last couple nights, doesn’t affect him,” Roberts said. “I can only go by what he and the training staff are telling me. So, unless I hear otherwise, that hitting compromises his health, then I’m going to keep putting him in the lineup.”

Edwin Díaz is slated to return to the team on Wednesday. Tyler Glasnow faced live hitters on Friday, and he is expected to make one rehab part before he returns to the rotation. Blake Snell is slated to make his third rehab start on Wednesday in Triple-A Oklahoma City. This outing will be about 60 pitches, and the team would prefer to have his get up to 75 pitches before he comes back. However, as Katie points out, the Dodgers do not have another off day until August 6th and might prefer to bring him back before he reaches that threshold.

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The 2026 MLB offseason reset the market in a way the sport hasn't seen before.

Kyle Tucker's four-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers set a new AAV record at $57.1 million, while Dylan Cease's seven-year, $210 million pact with Toronto and Alex Bregman's opt-out-fueled move to the Cubs showed just how aggressively contenders were willing to spend to close roster gaps. Six months later, the ripple effects are still shaping how teams build around this year's trade deadline and next winter's market.

With the 2026 season now into its second half, attention is already shifting to the star power set to hit free agency after this year. It's a deep class headlined by reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, who's extension-eligible in Detroit but could become the most coveted arm to reach the open market in years if a deal doesn't get done before October. George Springer, Trent Grisham and a rotation-heavy group of arms give bettors plenty to work with on next team and re-signing markets well before free agency officially opens.

Below, we break down the top names in the 2027 free agent class, track next-team odds for where they could land, and revisit the biggest signings from this past winter that reshaped the league. We'll also walk through how to actually bet these markets, from moneyline-style next-team props to over/under win total shifts tied to star player movement.

Notable 2027 MLB unrestricted free agents

(Previous average annual value courtesy Spotrac)

Player	Position	Team	Previous AAV
Anthony Rendon	3B	Angels	$35,000,000
Tarik Skubal	SP	Tigers	$32,000,000
George Springer	RF	Blue Jays	$25,000,000
Robbie Ray	SP	Giants	$23,000,000
Trent Grisham	CF	Yankees	$22,025,000
Gleyber Torres	2B	Tigers	$22,025,000
Brandon Woodruff	SP	Brewers	$22,025,000
Zac Gallen	SP	Diamondbacks	$22,025,000
Shota Imanaga	SP	Cubs	$22,025,000
Kevin Gausman	SP	Blue Jays	$22,000,000
Ian Happ	LF	Cubs	$20,333,333
Ha-seong Kim	SS	Braves	$20,000,000
Chris Bassitt	SP	Orioles	$18,500,000
Jack Flaherty	SP	Tigers	$17,500,000
Seiya Suzuki	RF	Cubs	$17,000,000
Rhys Hoskins	1B	Guardians	$17,000,000
Lance McCullers	SP	Astros	$17,000,000
Jameson Taillon	SP	Cubs	$17,000,000
Randy Arozarena	LF	Mariners	$16,000,000
Raisel Iglesias	RP	Braves	$16,000,000

MLB next team odds

Next team odds for the 2027 free agent class haven't opened yet; books typically wait until closer to the trade deadline or the start of the offseason to post opening lines, once there's more clarity on which players will actually reach free agency versus get extended.

We'll update this section with live odds as soon as they're available, so check back as the season progresses.

Notable 2026 MLB free agent signings

Framber Valdez, Detroit Tigers (3 years, $115 million): The left-hander signed with the Tigers on a deal that includes an opt-out after the second year and deferred money. Valdez's $38.3 million AAV sets a record for left-handed pitchers, reuniting him with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who managed him during his first two seasons with the Astros. The 32-year-old posted a 3.66 ERA over 192 innings in 2025 and will pair with two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal atop Detroit's rotation.

Eugenio Suarez, Cincinnati Reds (1 year, $15 million): The 34-year-old slugger returned to Cincinnati, where he spent 2015-21 and hit 189 home runs. Suarez comes off a monster 2025 season with 49 homers and 118 RBIs split between Arizona and Seattle. The deal includes a $16 million mutual option for 2027. Despite post-trade deadline struggles with the Mariners, Suarez provides significant right-handed power and will primarily DH for the Reds.

Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers (4 years, $240 million): The top free agent of the class signed with the back-to-back World Series champions in a blockbuster deal. Tucker's contract includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons and carries the highest AAV in MLB history at $57.1 million after deferrals. The four-time All-Star joins a loaded Dodgers lineup featuring Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.

Bo Bichette, New York Mets (3 years, $126 million): Bichette spurned the Phillies to sign with the Mets on a deal featuring opt-outs after the first and second years, a $40 million signing bonus, and a full no-trade clause. His $42 million AAV ties for sixth-highest in baseball history. The two-time All-Star will move to third base with Francisco Lindor at shortstop.

Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees (5 years, $162.5 million): The 2019 NL MVP returned to the Yankees after a lengthy standoff, securing a deal with opt-outs after the second and third years, a $20 million signing bonus, and a full no-trade clause. Bellinger hit .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs in his first season with New York in 2025.

Pete Alonso, Baltimore Orioles (5 years, $155 million): The Polar Bear left the Mets after seven seasons, signing with Baltimore at the winter meetings. Alonso hit .272/.347/.524 with 38 homers and 126 RBIs in 2025, proving his 2024 struggles were an outlier. The Orioles added significant right-handed power to balance their lineup.

Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies (5 years, $150 million): Schwarber returned to Philadelphia, turning down a similar offer from Baltimore to remain with the defending NL champions.

Dylan Cease, Toronto Blue Jays (7 years, $210 million): The Blue Jays bolstered their rotation by landing the ace starter of the 2026 free agent class.

Alex Bregman, Chicago Cubs (5 years, $175 million): The three-time All-Star opted out of his contract with Boston after one strong season and signed with the Cubs. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and represents the third-largest contract in Cubs history.

Ranger Suarez, Boston Red Sox (5 years, $130 million): The Red Sox addressed their rotation needs by signing Suarez after missing out on re-signing Bregman.

How to bet MLB free agent markets

Next team odds are the most common way sportsbooks let you bet on free agency, essentially a moneyline on which team a player signs with, including a "Field" or "Other" option covering every team not individually listed. These odds move constantly as reports and beat writer chatter surface, so line shopping across books matters more here than in almost any other MLB market; a player's odds to land with a specific contender can shift 100+ points within a single reporting cycle.

Futures and props tied to signings are the next layer. Once a player signs, sportsbooks often release updated win total futures for that player's new team, along with division and pennant odds shifts. Betting a team's win total before a marquee free agent signs (or fading it right after) is a common way sharp bettors try to get ahead of market overreaction in either direction.

Timing is the biggest variable. Next-team odds are most volatile in the weeks around the Winter Meetings, when the bulk of top-tier deals get done. Betting early can get you better value on a popular destination before the market catches up, but it also means betting with less information; a team's payroll flexibility, injury situations, and even ownership mandates can all shift a player's market in the final weeks.

For extension-eligible players like Skubal, keep an eye on in-season deadlines too, since a deal getting done in-season effectively settles the market before free agency even opens.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.