The Tigers ground crew took “how many people does it take to capture a squirrel” to a whole new level on Monday.
A rogue black squirrel got loose on the field during the Tigers’ game against the Orioles at Comerica Park, leading to a wild moment in the middle of the seventh inning, as an army of staffers tried to corral the critter to no avail for several minutes before they finally captured it.
The four-legged trespasser made its way onto the field sometime around the sixth inning and managed to meander around until the middle of the seventh when the grounds crew made its move.
At one point, the squirrel was positioned near Orioles’ third base coach Buck Britton, who decided to share a sunflower seed with it in a hilarious moment that was caught on the broadcast.
Squirrel runs on the field during the seventh inning of the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
A squirrel got on the field at Comerica Park and Orioles third base coach Buck Britton made sure it had some snacks for the game. pic.twitter.com/I0VBTQlaT2
At least a dozen grounds crew members ran onto the field in the middle of the seventh, giving chase to the squirrel in an attempt to get it off the playing surface.
As the squirrel scurried around the outfield, the grounds crew comically gave chase, in what can only be described as something out of a “Looney Tunes” cartoon.
In one instance, Orioles right fielder Leody Taveras attempted to help out by scooping up the critter and instead sent it flying through the air before it sprinted away — talk about an E9.
It took the entire Tigers grounds crew and Orioles outfielder Leody Taveras to remove this squirrel from the field
Home plate umpire Bill Miller even asked the crowd for a round of applause for the grounds crew pic.twitter.com/v1230aOIvj
The squirrel was eventually captured after one grounds crew member was able to throw a towel on it and pick it up.
The capture elicited boos from the Comerica Park crowd, which had been enjoying the rodent’s elusive moves.
Home plate umpire Bill Miller attempted to show his appreciation to the grounds crew for their effort and jumped on his mic to do so.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to thank the grounds crew. Let’s give ‘em a round of applause. The Detroit Tigers grounds crew, thank you!” Miller said.
Comerica Park grounds crew attempt to capture a squirrel during the seventh inning of a baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles, Monday, July 27, 2026 MLBComerica Park grounds crew attempt to capture a squirrel during the seventh inning of a baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles, Monday, July 27, 2026 AP Photo/Jose Juarez
The Tigers have not publicly stated the squirrel’s condition, nor have they said if it will face any further disciplinary action other than being removed from the field.
Spencer Jones #21 of the Denver Nuggets shoots the ball between Naz Reid #11 and Ayo Dosunmu #13 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 27, 2026 in Denver, Colorado.
Nuggets forward Spencer Jones has explained why he signed an offer sheet with a rival team.
Jones signed a fully guaranteed two-year, $12 million offer sheet with Oklahoma City, before the Nuggets matched the deal.
While the forward will return to Denver for the 2026-27 season, fans weren’t happy he’d signed with a rival in the first place.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) defends during the second half of Game 6. AP Photo/Matt Krohn
“I get it. But I also need people to understand something,” Jones wrote on LinkedIn. “This is a business. Front offices treat it that way every day and players have to do the same.
“I went into free agency with clear priorities: a team that fits my skillset, a championship culture, and an organization I believe in. Both Denver and OKC checked those boxes. Either way, I was landing somewhere that made sense.”
Jones added that the offer sheet made sure he would end up in the right situation no matter if the Nuggets matched or not.
He also said it allowed him to make history, signing the largest fully guaranteed offer sheet ever as an undrafted player from a two-way contract.
“From a two-way with no safety net to this. I don’t take that lightly,” Jones said.
Jones joined the Nuggets in 2024 on the aforementioned two-way contract after a decent career at Stanford, where he averaged 11 points on 43.9-percent shooting over five seasons.
Spencer Jones #21 of the Denver Nuggets shoots the ball between Naz Reid #11 and Ayo Dosunmu #13 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 27, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. Getty Images
The forward didn’t contribute much as a rookie, but in year two he started 37 of the 64 games he played in and led the league with 69.2 percent shooting from 3-point range during the playoffs.
During the regular season, he averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 64 games.
While the deal keeps the Nuggets’ home-grown talent in Denver, it also means they are set to enter the second apron for the first time under the current collective bargaining agreement.
Jones’ $12 million deal will increase the Nuggets projected tax penalty by $32 million, nearly doubling from $36 million to $68 million, per ESPN.
Without the owner of the largest contract in MLB history, the Mets spread the wealth.
Coming off a second-half-best eight-run outburst — sans Juan Soto — in Sunday’s win over the Dodgers, the Mets set off more fireworks without their biggest bat Monday, tying a season high with 19 hits and scoring their second-most runs of the season in a 14-3 win over the Braves at Citi Field to claim their second straight victory over a first-place team, as well as their first back-to-back wins since July 8-9.
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Every player in the lineup recorded at least one hit — combining for the most home hits in over nine years — and five players recorded at least three hits for only the eighth time in franchise history.
The Mets scored 11 times in their final three innings, finishing with their highest scoring output since a 16-7 win in Washington on May 18.
“Just quality up and down the lineup,” Mets interim manager Andy Green said. “Tyrone Taylor continues to do some impressive stuff. I thought Marcus Semien’s game was outstanding. Obviously [Francisco] Lindor … had a great game. Up and down the lineup we had really good at-bats. It was a team effort and a fun one.”
Lindor led the way, taking another leap toward ending his season-long struggles by stepping up in the absence of the team’s other superstar. The five-time All-Star went 3-for-5 with two home runs, a triple, a walk and six RBIs, giving Lindor his third three-hit performance in his past eight games.
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) hits a two-run home run during the third inning when the New York Mets played the Atlanta Braves Monday, July 27, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“He’s one of the best players in baseball and it’s just a matter of time before one of the best players in baseball gets hot,” Green said. “I think [July 19] in Philly, when he went 3-for-3 and got on base five times, ever since that he’s been the guy we’ve always known him to be. We would’ve loved for him to be healthier in the first half of the season, but he can only take care of today. And he really took care of today.”
With the Mets trailing 1-0 in the first inning, Lindor hit a first-inning triple off the top of the right field wall, bringing home A.J. Ewing. In the third, Lindor hit a shot over the left field wall, giving the Mets a 3-1 lead on his seventh home run of the season.
Lindor added a three-run blast in the eighth for his first multihomer game of the season and the 23rd of his career, giving him his most RBIs since April 14, 2023.
Mets pitcher Zac Thornton (49) throws a pitch during the 1st inning when the New York Mets played the Atlanta Braves Monday, July 27, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“I’ve always had the same expectations,” Lindor said. “The beginning of the year sucked, but I gotta get better and I gotta continue to push myself day in and day out and try to find ways to be the best version of myself to help this team win.”
The Mets initially offered modest support for Zac Thornton (2-1), who threw 6 ¹/₃ innings to earn his second career (and consecutive) win. But the onslaught began in the sixth inning, when Semien broke a tie with a two-run homer — his third in the past five games — off Braves reliever Connor Thomas, who allowed 11 runs and 10 hits over 2 ²/₃ innings.
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Taylor increased his trade value by homering for the second straight day — a three-run shot in the seventh — before the Mets tacked on another five runs in the eighth. Thomas exited with the most runs allowed by a major league reliever in more than five years, as the last-place Mets improved to 5-3 this season against the first-place Braves, buoyed by three-hit efforts from Ewing, Taylor, Semien and Bo Bichette.
“We learn from each other’s at-bats and we’re feeding off each other,” Lindor said. “We’re all human. We all try to make things happen when things aren’t happening. When things are happening, the weight is off your shoulders and you just play free. It sucks to be in the position we’re in, but we enjoyed today. We’re gonna play for each other, have fun, enjoy it and come back and try to do it again.”
Jul 27, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Connor Thomas (65) pitches against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
Once upon a time (although it wasn’t just once), the Braves used Carlos Carrasco in a close game. Ronald Acuña Jr. got injured in that game and ended up missing about six weeks of play. The use of Carrasco turned sinister, the Braves lost that game, and then ended up mired in a funk that lasted for a good chunk of Acuña’s absence.
Tonight, Ronald Acuña Jr. made his return to the lineup. It could have been a triumphant time, building on the Braves’ recent strong run of results. Instead, amid some rain and another indifferent outing from Martin Perez, the Braves opted to insert Connor Thomas, the “last guy” in their bullpen, into a tie game. It went south almost immediately, and then it kind of ran out south to go, as the Mets just pummeled Thomas into oblivion. To the Braves’ credit, they let Thomas wear it and didn’t use another pitcher, avoiding a double-down mistake of using Thomas to save the rest of the bullpen but then not actually saving the rest of the bullpen. (Jorge Mateo got the last out in lieu of Thomas, after the score had ballooned to 14-3 in favor of the Mets.)
Before all that, though, the game was pretty cool. In his first major league PA in a while, Acuña fell behind 0-2 against Zac Thornton, battled back to 3-2, and then teed off on a pitch down the middle, knocking it 108 mph to center for a solid single. Drake Baldwin followed followed with a hard liner single of his own, and the Braves seemed to be in business. Unfortunately, Matt Olson hit into a double play, but Ozzie Albies, as part of a measure of personal revenge for possibly a career-worst game on Sunday, legged out an infield hit to plate his buddy for the first run of the game.
Martin Perez did not have a shutdown first inning. A hard-hit grounder went for a leadoff hit, and then Francisco Lindor got his arms extended on a cutter on the edge away and nearly hit it out of the park. The play ended up being kind of weird, as it looked like it was just going to be a double, but the ball bounced far enough off the wall that Lindor ended up getting an RBI triple. But, Perez pachinko also cuts the other way, as a grounder to third, a strikeout, and flyout to center kept the game tied at one run apiece.
Nothing much happened in the second or the top of the third. In the bottom half of the inning, after a leadoff single, Lindor again took a Perez pitch on the outer edge, this time a changeup, and pulled it into left for a two-run homer. Perez was hitting his spots, but it didn’t matter. That score didn’t last long: after Olson drew a leadoff walk in the fourth, Albies victimized Thornton by crushing an elevated fastball for a definitive non-cheapie homer. Michael Harris II singled and it looked like the Braves might’ve solved Thornton, but that didn’t end up being the case, as Mauricio Dubon popped out and Austin Riley hit into a double play.
With rain increasing in intensity, there was a respite in action for a little bit. Acuña hit into a double play to end the top of the fifth, jammed on an inner-portion fastball. (In his second PA, he struck out on a fastball up but in the zone.)
The bottom of the fifth was one of those ridiculous, “we’ve seen this too much already” things. With the rain becoming a serious downpour, Perez kept laboring. There were two quick outs, but then a bloop single, a hard-hit single, and a walk loaded the bases. Perez ended up falling behind 3-1 to Jared Young, but ultimately struck him out — Young swung at just one of seven pitches in the PA. That seemed like it was a middle portion of an exciting game, especially as the rain began to dissipate, but… nope.
After a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, in came Connor Thomas. Did the Braves have to use Thomas? They’ll probably say yes, but eh. Dylan Dodd pitched on Sunday but not in the two games before that, and only threw 11 pitches on Sunday. Danny Young had a crazy adventure on Sunday but ended up throwing fewer than ten pitches, and hadn’t pitched on Saturday. While “Martin Perez and then Connor Thomas” isn’t much of a plan, it doesn’t look like the Braves really cared. So, Thomas came in, and while there was a chance that it might work out okay, that’s not where the roulette wheel landed tonight. Far from it. First, a ball ate up Austin Riley. Then, Thomas threw a cutter down the middle, and Marcus Semien untied the game with a crush job homer. Thomas got out of the sixth after a few more hits by striking out Lindor.
The Braves chased Thornton in the seventh, but didn’t manage any damage. It didn’t really end up mattering. Walk-single-another massive homer against Thomas made it a rout. Then there were more walks, a double, a sac fly, yadda yadda yadda. Thomas stayed in for the eighth, which included walking in a run, and eventually a three-run homer by Lindor (whom Thomas was facing a third time, not that it really mattered at that point). I hope the Braves at least give Thomas a gift basket for basically being asked to wear a rout by himself, because it wasn’t exactly a positive experience for anyone but the Mets.
The Braves made 14 straight outs on their end to finish the game, but a lot of those happened when it was pretty irrelevant what they did. Perez did okay, with a 4/1 K/BB ratio in five frames, but he did give up the homer. Thomas’ line was really bad, but the Braves made this choice, and will ultimately live with it. On the plus side, the Phillies somehow bungled a two-run lead in the ninth in a game where they took the lead despite Zack Wheeler only lasting three innings, so the division lead remains intact at 5.5.
Acuña ended up going 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in his return. Other than Albies, no Brave reached base more than once on a soggy night.
The series theoretically continues tomorrow, but it’s gonna be rainy, so we’ll see.
Through the rain drops, the Mets poured it on against the Atlanta Braves on Monday night, winning 14-3 at Citi Field.
Here are the key takeaways...
-- It was a back and forth affair in this one with the Braves drawing first blood against Zac Thornton in the first inning. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Drake Baldwin had back-to-back singles to lead off the game and after a double play by Matt Olson looked like the rookie would be able to get out of the inning unharmed, Ozzie Albies had a two-out, two-strike RBI single to put Atlanta ahead.
-- But New York had an equally eventful first inning against Martin Perez with A.J. Ewing getting aboard with a leadoff single and coming around to score on Francisco Lindor’s RBI triple that just barely missed being a two-run shot.
The ball hit the orange line at the top of the wall in right field and bounced back in play and after Acuna made a leaping grab for it he jogged to the baseball which was still in play seemingly assuming the ball left the yard. The lackadaisical play allowed Ewing, who had to hold up between first and second base to see if Acuna came down with the ball, to score.
With two outs in the inning and Lindor still at third base, Francisco Alvarez hit one deep to right field that Acuna did catch to end the inning.
-- After striking out the final batter to end the first inning, Thornton struck out two more in a perfect second and another in the third to retire seven consecutive batters.
-- The Mets’ top of the order was at it again in the bottom of the third with Ewing getting things started with a single before stealing second base in front of Lindor who hit another one, this one to left field, towards the wall that had a little more lift than the one he hit in the first and went for a two-run shot.
The call was reviewed by the umpires and upheld which gave Lindor all three RBI of the night up until that point.
-- New York’s lead was short-lived, though, after the Braves scored two during the next half inning on Albies’ two-run homer of his own. Albies has been a Met killer in his career and the home run was his 24th against New York.
-- Thornton settled down and limited Atlanta from there, getting helped out with double plays in the fourth and fifth innings as rain started to fall heavily.
-- Dealing with the rain, the Mets were able to load the bases with two outs in the fifth inning against a visibly shaken Perez, but Jared Young struck out as New York failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity with the game tied at 3-3.
-- The game continued even as the rain persisted and the Mets were able to re-take the lead in the sixth thanks to Marcus Semien’s two-run home run off of reliever Connor Thomas who just entered the game for Perez. The home run was Semien’s second in as many games and his 11th of the season. He finished 3-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and three runs scored.
-- After a 1-2-3 sixth inning, Thornton, staked to another two-run advantage, went back out for the seventh and after retiring Michael Harris II, the left-hander was pulled for Huascar Brazoban.
Thornton’s final line: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K on 81 pitches (54 strikes). His ERA rose from 1.93 to 2.43 but the 24-year-old’s magnificent run in the starting rotation continues and he earned his second career win in five major league starts.
-- New York blew the game open in the seventh inning with a four-spot with three of those runs coming off the bat of Tyrone Taylor who went yard for the second consecutive day and the sixth time this month.
Since returning from the IL in late-June, Taylor is 16-for-39 (.410 average) and has gone from hitting .186 to .250 – completely turning his season around and raising his stock as a trade piece. In just 135 at-bats this year, the outfielder has nine home runs and 26 RBI after hitting just two home runs with 27 RBI in 310 at-bats last season.
-- The Mets poured it on their division rivals in the eighth by scoring five more runs, all charged to Thomas who allowed 11 earned runs on 10 hits and five walks in just his second appearance this season.
The first two runs came around to score without a hit (bases loaded walk and sacrifice fly), but the final three came on Lindor’s second home run of the night, a three-run bomb to left field to give him six RBI on the night, one RBI shy of his single-game career high.
-- New York banged out 19 hits with five players getting three hits each. Every single hitter in the lineup had at least one hit and the Mets’ top three hitters in Ewing, Lindor and Bo Bichette went 9-for-15 with a walk, eight RBI and four runs scored.
-- Daniel Duarte finished the game for New York, pitching two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. In six appearances spanning 10.1 innings this season, the right-hander has yet to allow a run.
Game MVP: Francisco Lindor
Honorable mention goes to Semien, whose two-run home run gave the Mets the lead in the sixth and at the time seemed like the biggest hit of the night, however in what ended as a blowout, Lindor's fantastic offensive night gets the nod.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 27: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field on July 27, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets started a new series against the Braves at Citi Field on Monday, after losing the weekend series to the Dodgers. The Braves had veteran Martín Pérez starting for them, while Mets rookie Zac Thornton was taking the mound in the midst of a great first season in the major leagues.
The night started with some adversity for Thornton. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Drake Baldwin led off with back-to-back singles, and a Matt Olson double play almost got Thornton through the inning, leaving a runner at third with two outs. But Ozzie Albies hit a single to Francisco Lindor to drive in the game’s first run and put the Mets behind early. Thornton got a strikeout to end the inning but he had already put the Mets in a small hole early.
The Mets offense was clicking from the word go, so they weren’t down for long. A.J. Ewing led off for the Mets with a single, and Lindor hit a triple (that was very nearly a home run) to drive him in and tie the game. Pérez was able to stop the Mets offense there and get three consecutive outs to end the inning, but the Mets had shown some fight in the first inning.
The game was quiet for a little while, with both sides getting through their halves of the second inning without allowing a run. The Mets did the same in the top of the third, but Perez was not as lucky. Another Ewing leadoff single (and subsequent stolen base to put him on second) led to a Lindor home run (that nearly wasn’t) to put the Mets ahead by two runs. The Mets didn’t plate any more runs in the third but they had the lead.
Not for long, though, as an Olson walk to leadoff the fourth inning led to an Albies two run home run to tie the game. Thornton allowed a Michael Harris II single to follow the home run but settled down after and got out of the inning with the game tied once again.
Both teams were quiet for the next few innings, with Pérez eventually leaving the game after five innings. Connor Thomas, brought in to replace Pérez, immediately gave up a single to Tyrone Taylor (which maybe should’ve been ruled an error instead), and a Marcus Semien two-run home run to put the Mets back in front by two runs. He had a bit more traffic in the inning, giving up two more singles, but eventually got out of it without allowing another run to score.
Zac Thornton was pulled after getting the first out in the seventh, having allowed three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five, adding to a stellar rookie season. Huascar Brazobán was brought in to relieve him, and got through the inning unscathed.
The Mets offense absolutely exploded in the bottom of the seventh. A Francisco Alvarez walk and Jared Young single put runners on the corners with no outs, and they were both driven in by Tyrone Taylor, who hit yet another home run to put the Mets up by five runs. After the bases were loaded with just one out, Bo Bichette drove in the Mets ninth run of the game with a sacrifice fly, adding even more insurance for a hopeful Mets win. Thomas got out of the inning after that, but the Mets opened up a wide lead with just two innings left.
The bottom of the eighth featured even more fireworks from the Mets lineup. They were able to load the bases with just one out, and Luis Torrens walked to drive in the Mets’ tenth run of the day. Then A.J. Ewing hit a sacrifice fly to drive in yet another run, putting the Mets up by eight runs. Francisco Lindor then hit his second home run of the game to put the Mets up by eleven runs and drive Thomas from the game in favor of Jorge Mateo (the infamous position player pitching). Mateo eventually got a strikeout to end the inning, but the Mets had to simply keep the Braves from scoring eleven runs in one inning.
Daniel Duarte pitched two scoreless innings to end the game, striking out three in those innings. The Mets beat a first place team for the second day in a row, more of a moral victory than one of any real importance given their place in the standings. Still, in a slog of a season, these games stick out as much needed bright spots. The Mets face the Braves again tomorrow, with Christian Scott taking the mound for New York and Chris Sale getting the ball for Atlanta.
Big Mets winner: Francisco Lindor, +28% WPA Big Mets loser: Jared Young, -9% WPA Mets pitchers: +7% WPA Mets hitters: +43% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Marcus Semien’s two-run home run in the sixth, +23.0% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Ozzie Albies’ fourth inning game-tying home run, -19.6% WPA
DETROIT, MI - JULY 27: Leody Taveras #30 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrate after hitting a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning at Comerica Park on July 27, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles, fresh off a disappointing weekend series, hoped Kyle Bradish could play stopper this evening. Baltimore’s starter dealt with some uncharacteristic struggles, but the bats and bullpen picked him up in an 8-5 win over the Tigers.
The Birds jumped ahead by scoring in each of the first three innings. Pete Alonso punched a one-out double in the top of the first, and Gunnar Henderson followed with a base hit to right field. Alonso held up at third on the hard-hit single, but he came around to score on a soft grounder by Taylor Ward.
Jackson Holliday got the second started with a double to left, and Coby Mayo reached when third baseman Colt Keith failed to corral a bouncer at third. Jeremiah Jackson stepped in and delivered Baltimore’s second RBI groundout in as many innings, and Dylan Beavers plated the O’s’ third run with a base hit to right field. Alonso advanced Beavers to third with a two-out single, but Henderson flew out to end the threat.
Kyle Bradish danced around a pair of singles in the first, but Detroit broke through in the bottom of the second. Bradish was far from perfect tonight, but it’s difficult to blame him for the Tigers’ first run. Zach McKinstry punched what should have been a leadoff single to center, but Leody Taveras inexplicably made a diving attempt on the shallow liner. The ball fell in front of Taveras before skipping by him, and McKinstry raced all the way to third for a triple. The extra bases allowed Hao-Yu Lee drove in Detroit’s first run with a sacrifice fly.
Baltimore’s offense snatched the momentum right back in the next half inning. Taylor Ward worked a walk to start the third, and Holliday followed with his second knock of the day. Mayo stepped in with runners on the corners and delivered a base hit to left field to bring the lead back to three.
Holliday went first to third on Mayo’s single, and Jackson took a pitch off the hand to load the bases. The HBP brought up Chadwick Tromp with a force out available at every base, and you can probably guess what happened next. Tromp grounded into a 5-2-3 inning-ending double play. He finished 0-for-4.
Bradish used a double play to erase a leadoff single in the third, but the Tigers battled back in the fourth inning. The Tigers loaded the bases with a double, single and walk before Bradish managed to record an out. Lee drove in Detroit’s second run with an infield single that deflected off Holliday’s glove. The Tigers trimmed the lead to one with a sacrifice fly, but Bradish managed to strand runners on the corners to keep the game at 4-3.
With Bradish not quite looking like himself, it felt like the Orioles may regret leaving a few additional runs on the table. Instead, the offense responded with three runs in the fifth inning. Leody Taveras calmed the nerves with a LOUD solo home run to right field. Holliday chased Tigers starter Keider Montero from the game with his third hit of the evening, and Coby Mayo took right-handed reliever Brenan Hanifee deep to stretch the advantage back to four.
The insurance runs paid off as Bradish failed to deliver a shutdown inning. Dillon Dingler singled, Keith doubled, and Spencer Torkelson plated Dingler with a sacrifice fly. McKinstry followed with an RBI single, and Craig Albernaz came out to get Bradish with two outs in the fourth. Yennier Cano retired Lee to keep the game at 7-5.
Albernaz continued to make moves in the next half inning. The skipper sent out Tyler O’Neill to pinch hit for Dylan Beavers, and O’Neill delivered with a deep fly to left field. O’Neill’s seventh homer of the season made it 8-5 Baltimore.
The Orioles bullpen did the rest. Cano returned to record a pair of outs in the sixth, and Grant Wolfram recorded four outs without allowing a base runner. Andrew Kittredge allowed a single and benefited from a tremendous catch by defensive replacement Colton Cowser in the eighth, and Rico Garcia bounced back with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
The win ensured that the MASN broadcast booth would have more to smile about than a rogue squirrel in the field of play. Kevin Brown and Ben McDonald tracked the black rodent for a half inning before home plate umpire Bill Miller instructed Detroit’s grounds crew to chase the animal from the field of play. Miller gave the crew a shoutout over the microphone, and the MASN booth met the moment with the type of humor we’ve come to expect from the duo.
The game marked a positive step for several Orioles players. Holliday, making a rare start at shortstop, recorded a hit in each of his first four at bats. Mayo watched newcomer Christian Encarnacion-Strand make an instant impact over the last week, but the third baseman had a big night against right-handed pitching. Taveras made up for some lousy defense with a loud home run, and Garcia notched his fifth save of the season.
The Orioles moved to 52-55 with the victory. Baltimore will attempt to win the series tomorrow Dean Kremer on the hill against Troy Melton.
Make your pick for the Most Birdland Player of the Day in the comments below.
Jul 27, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30) drops a pop up foul ball against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
Blue Jays 3 Nationals 2
A lot happened in that game. But that Kazuma Okamoto stole a base was the biggest surprise to me. And it led to a run. He singled with one out. Stole second and scored on a Myles Straw single (yes, there was a Luis Urías walk that would have moved him up anyway). That made the score 3-1.
Max Scherzer started and….well….wasn’t great, but he only allowed one run to score in his 2.2 innings. 75 pitches in 2.2 innings tells you that it was a struggle. He allowed 4 hits and 3 walks, but he also struck out 4. He had the bases loaded in the first (but all stranded, even though Alejandro Kirk dropped an easy popup). Had a single, a walk, and a double in the second, but just one run scored. And in the third, he gave out a leadoff walk to CJ Abrams (who stole second and third), but he was stranded too.
Max’s ERA is under 10! (9.49).
Mason Fluharty got the last out of the third and pitched a quick fourth.
Adam Macko started the fifth. He gave up a solo homer while getting two outs.
Spencer Miles got the last out of the fifth. Then gave up a leadoff single in the sixth, but got a double play (just a terrific play by Urías, catching a soft line drive, then seeing that Daylen Lile wandered too far off second and made a nice throw to Vlad) and a strikeout.
Tyler Rogers had a quick seventh: ground out, strikeout, ground out.
Jeff Hoffman got the eighth, which didn’t scare any of us. He got two strikeouts, gave up a double (good pitch) and got another strikeout.
Louis Varland got the ninth. He got a popup on a 100.5 pitch to start the inning. Then a strikeout. But then it went single and walk to make us sweat (it’s 30 C here in Calgary, I didn’t need help). A long fly was just foul. Then he got a called strike three, but it was overturned on a challenge. But a 100 mph fastball, at the top of the zone, got swinging strike three.
On the offensive side….as always, it would have been nice to score more but:
We got two in the third: Urías had a one-out homer. Then Myles Straw and Ernie Clement had back-to-back doubles. Nathan Lukes walked, but Vlad lined out (380 feet, and he needed 390), and Springer popped out.
And one in the fourth, that was mentioned above (I have seen Kirk steal and Okamoto steal; I can die happy).
We had 7 hits and 4 walks. Straw had 2 hits. Lukes (with a walk), Kirk (with a walk) and Varsho had 0 fors.
There was some terrific defence from both teams. CJ Adams made an amazing play on a ground ball in the ninth.
Jays of the Day: Varland (0.20 WPA), Hoffman (0.14), Rogers (0.11), Fluharty (0.11), Miles (0.10), Straw (0.13) and Urías (0.12).
Other Award: Well, Varsho had a -0.10.
We used 7 pitchers, but gave up just two runs.
Tomorrow is another 6:45 Eastern start time. Shane Bieber (2-1, 4.70) vs. Cade Cavalli (7-, 3.58).
Jul 27, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
This one started with a Bryce Harper homer, of the two-run variety. The ball went off his bat, and towards center field in the space-age dome that is LoanDepot Park; Fish center fielder Jakob Marsee began to run towards it, then stopped. Perhaps he saw the inevitable, or perhaps he was distracted by the absence of the Red Grooms home run statue that had once graced the outfield. I will never forgive Derek Jeter for overseeing that change during his time as GM of the Marlins. That may not seem meaningful from a Philadelphia sports fan, but given that I was raised in a Yankees family in the Torre-led dynasty years, and still retain much affection for the pinstriped heroes of that era, I assure you that it is a serious criticism indeed.
Serious criticism, too, must be made of the Phillies defense, which had yet another ugly moment in this game. Otto Lopez, having made it to first by single, dashed for second. The throw from Realmuto was off, and bounced away from Bryson Stott’s glove, and to Trea Turner, who flung it wide of Alec Bohm. Lopez, having expected to burgle only a single base, found himself collecting much more, like a thief who breaks into a home to take perhaps a TV or a game console and instead finds a collection of Renaissance paintings. He scored, and so did Heriberto Hernández a moment later, when he sent a Zack Wheeler sinker soaring over the left field wall.
In the next inning, Griffin Conine sent a curveball barely over the right field wall, but fence-scrapers count the same as moonshots, and so the Marlins had a 3-2 lead. And not long after, it was 4-2, as Wheeler, plagued by unusually low velocity, continued to allow hard contact. Soon after that, it was 5-2, as Justin Crawford attempted a sliding catch on a ball from Otto Lopez that he couldn’t reach; Lopez ended up on third, though he was stranded there.
The Phillies put their first two batters of the fourth aboard, via single and walk. But J.T. Realmuto grounded into a double play, and a subsequent fly out ensured no runs would score.
Wheeler’s night ended after the third; Kyle Backhus was called in, and navigated his innings effectively. Meanwhile, the Phillies struggled to solve Marlins starter Tyler Phillips, posting just three hits through five innings. They reached the bullpen in the sixth, and soon started to put the Fish on the hook. Harper walked to lead off the inning, and scored on a Bohm single. A single from Stott and a ground rule double from Realmuto put the Phillies just one run back, and a single through the left side of the infield from Justin Crawford appeared to tie it— until it was determined that the ball, having slipped past the Marlins backstop, had lodged underneath the padding on the wall behind him. An illuminating conversation about ground rules ensued, and the result was that Realmuto was awarded home and the Phillies a lead.
They worked on adding to it in the eighth, when Bryson Stott led off with a triple, bouncing a ball off the right field wall and scampering to third as the Fish flopped around trying to get to it. He scored on a Realmuto sac fly.
Orion Kerkering took the eighth, allowing a leadoff single, and nothing else. Having come all the way back, the Phillies had earned the opportunity to let Jhoan Duran earn the save. He allowed a single up the middle to Jakob Marsee to start his attempt, then another to Otto Lopez, past the glove of a diving Harper. Lopez stole second, Duran hit the next batter, and the bases were loaded, with none away. The Marlins, riding a long losing streak, would either break it in spectacular fashion or continue it in an agonizing one. A Hernández hit up the middle tied the game, and Miami still had runners on first and second with none out. Then, after a bunt, the bases were loaded.
A 3-2 putout then put the game in that gloriously nauseous position where a single play could either doom the Phillies or redeem them; the next contact between bat and ball could be the game-winner sending Marlins fans happily to the exits, or the GIDP that sent the game to extras.
It was the former. Conine slapped one right over the glove of Stott, and the contest ended unhappily for the Phillies. The game was defined by uncharacteristic pitching from two of the Phillies’ very best. It can be hoped that the performances of Wheeler and Duran will be like the ball getting wedged under the padding: oddities that will not often recur.
The Phillies are 57-50, and will continue the series against the Marlins tomorrow at 6:40.
Jul 27, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Squirrel runs on the field during the seventh inning of the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Not an ideal outcome to the series opener against the Orioles as the Tigers lost 8-5. But hey, there was wildlife!
After losing their last two games over the weekend to the Royals, the Tigers really needed to win some games. Unfortunately, they were facing off against the Orioles, a sub-.500 team struggling in the AL East, and we know from this season the Tigers just can’t seem to get it together when playing against other struggling teams. So this was going to be a tricky series, because baseball makes no sense and nothing is reasonable. The Tigers had Keider Montero on the mound against Kyle Bradish for the O’s.
Pete Alonso got a one-out double, followed by Gunnar Henderson with a single. This put runners on the corners, so when Taylor Ward hit into a force out, Henderson was eliminated but Alonso scored. The O’s would have to settle for just the one run, but they were on the board first. Kevin McGonigle started the home half with a single. Then, with one out, Colt Keith singled. Two outs followed, though, leaving the baserunners stranded and the Tigers scoreless.
Jackson Holliday opened the second with a double. Then Coby Mayo reached thanks to a fielding error from Keith. This bumped Holliday to third, so a Jeremiah Jackson groundout was all it took to score another run. With two outs Dylan Beavers singled to score Mayo. Alonso got a single, but no additional runs scored. In the home half, Zach McKinstry got things started with a triple. Then a Hao-Yu Lee sac fly brought in the first Tigers’ run of the game. Two outs followed, but the Tigers were on the board.
Taylor Ward walked to start the third but was then eliminated in a force out off the bat of Leody Taveras. Holliday singled, pushing Taveras to third. Mayo then singled to bring in another run for the Orioles. Jackson was hit by a pitch (allegedly), but Chadwick Tromp hit into a double play to end the inning. McGonigle got a leadoff single for the second time in the game, but a lineout, followed by a double play off the bat of Keith, swiftly ended the inning.
Montero got the first 1-2-3 inning of the game for the fourth, which was much-needed. Riley Greene got a leadoff double in the bottom of the inning. Spencer Torkelson singled, but it was only enough to get Greene to third. A wild pitch allowed Torkelson to advance to second, then McKinstry walked to load the bases. Lee came through again with a single to score Greene. With one out, Matt Vierling hit a sac fly, scoring Torkelson. The two runs helped put them within one run of tying at the end of the inning.
In the fifth, Taveras hit a one-out solo home run. Holliday then singled, and that was it for Montero for the game. Usually reliable, it was an unusually rough outing for him. Brenan Hanifee came out to replace him with a runner on first. Coby Mayo then homered, because the Tigers just want to make this last week before the trade deadline the most painful week of our lives. Hanifee got the next two outs, but the home run made Montero’s final line for the game 4.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR on 80 pitches. Normally I can pull out some positives even from the most disappointing outings, but this one was just pretty bad. Dillon Dingler got a leadoff single to start the home half. Keith then doubled. With one out, a Torkelson sac fly scored Dingler. McKinstry then singled, scoring Keith. That was it for Bradish, who was replaced by Yennier Cano. Cano got the final out of the inning.
Tyler Holton came in and a pinch-hitting Tyler O’Neill won the battle of the Tylers with a leadoff home run. With one out, Henderson walked, and that was it for the short leash on Holton. Drew Anderson replaced him and got the final two outs of the inning. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, a black squirrel took to the field and became the most appealing part of watching this game. Bless ya, little guy. The O’s made a pitching change while the squirrel ran around the outfield. Someone made a makeshift sign for the squirrel. Grant Wolfram was the new Orioles’ pitcher while the squirrel was joined by a mourning dove. The final out ended the inning which is a bummer because watching the squirrel was truly the most fun I’ve had for this whole game.
In the seventh, the squirrel settled between third and home. After Holliday got a leadoff single, the squirrel moved into the infield for a bit before making its way back to right field. With one out, Holliday got mowed down trying to steal second by some nice, accurate throwing by Dingler. After the O’s were out, the entire Tigers’ ground crew banded together, with help from Leody Taveras, and worked as a dysfunctional and barely capable unit to finally catch the squirrel in a towel and certainly relocate it to some nice patch of trees somewhere downtown. Be well, furry little buddy.
In the bottom of the inning the Tigers went 1-2-3 despite bringing in Gleyber Torres to pinch-hit for Keith.
Jacob Waguespack was the new pitcher in the eighth and gave up a one-out walk to Colton Cowser. Paws brought out a “Free the Squirrel!” sign that got a chant going, and we learned the squirrel escaped and was not free in the belly of the stadium. Cowser stole second, but the Tigers got out of the inning with no additional runs scored.
Andrew Kittredge came in against the Tigers in the bottom of the inning, giving up a leadoff single to Torkelson. A frustratingly incredible catch by Cowser got the first out of the inning. Torkelson advanced to second on a wild pitch. The Tigers weren’t able to take advantage of a runner in scoring position, though.
Taylor Ward walked to start the ninth but was swiftly eliminated in a double play from Taveras. Waguespack got the final out of the inning, and turned it over to the lineup to try to stage a comeback. Rico Garcia came on for the O’s in the bottom of the ninth. McGonigle got a one-out walk, in theory, but the O’s challenged the ball call and it was overturned for strike three. With that opportunity shot, there wasn’t much left in the tank, and Dingler was the third out of the game. The Tigers dropped their third game in a row.
Jul 5, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Sproat against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
After playing a week and a half at home following the All-Star Break, the Brewers are on the road and spending a week on the West Coast. They will open their trip against the Giants, with game one of a three-game series tonight.
Brandon Sproat opens this road trip for the Brewers. He’s been pitching better over the last month and a half, posting a 3.46 ERA in June and a 3.86 ERA so far in July. One issue is that he hasn’t been pitching deep into games lately. In his last three starts, he’s only pitched 11 2/3 innings and pitched into the fifth inning just once. In his last start against the Mets, he allowed two runs on four hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings. He threw 99 pitches in that start.
For the Giants, Tyler Mahle gets the start tonight. Similar to Sproat, Mahle struggled to start the season but has been pitching better in the last month after returning from a left hamstring injury. He has a 3.76 ERA and 3.72 FIP in his last five starts. In his last start, he allowed three runs in five innings against the Royals. He allowed five hits and one walk while striking out four.
There was one roster note prior to tonight’s game. After being designated for assignment on Sunday, the Brewers officially released Lance McCullers Jr. today. This ends his short stint with the Brewers, and he becomes a free agent.
Here are the lineups for tonight’s game. The Brewers are starting the series with their regular lineup, with Jake Bauers starting in right field and Andrew Vaughn at first base. First pitch is at 8:45 p.m.
A rogue squirrel grabbed the spotlight in a showdown of teams desperately trying to stay relevant in the American League wild-card race.
As the Detroit Tigers faced the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park on Monday, July 27, a black squirrel managed to make its way onto the field. There was also a dove, but the squirrel had more lasting power and provided unexpected entertainment.
Before the bottom of the seventh inning, the Comerica Park grounds crew went out on the field in full force and managed to corral and remove the animal from the field. Orioles right fielder Leody Taveras even lent a hand, getting his glove on the squirrel, launching it into the air.
It took the entire Tigers grounds crew and Orioles outfielder Leody Taveras to remove this squirrel from the field
Home plate umpire Bill Miller even asked the crowd for a round of applause for the grounds crew 😂 pic.twitter.com/v1230aOIvj
The squirrel's speed, ability to swiftly change direction and low center of gravity made it tough to round up. Tigers play-by-play broadcaster Jason Benetti gave an enthusiastic account of the situation.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 11: Tyler Mahle #54 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Oracle Park on July 11, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Tyler Mahle, who enters tonight’s game with a 5.31 ERA, 4.52 FIP, with 77 strikeouts to 33 walks in 83 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 3-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals last Tuesday, in which he allowed three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat, who enters tonight’s game with a 5.09 ERA, 5.21 FIP, with 91 strikeouts to 43 walks in 86.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Brewers’ 4-0 loss to the New York Mets last Tuesday, in which he allowed two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks in four and two thirds innings.
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 21: Mickey Moniak #22 of the Colorado Rockies hits a sixth inning solo home run against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field on July 21, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Whether it be on the field or in the clubhouse, Mickey Moniak has made his presence known in his two seasons with the Colorado Rockies.
The outfielder—now in his seventh season as a Major Leaguer after stints with Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Angels—is slashing .277/.322/.553 this season, even though he missed nearly a month due to right ankle tendinitis.
His nine games with multiple extra-base hits are tied for the fourth-most in the Majors this season.
For his part, Moniak has helped Colorado avoid deficits and start well in games this season by displaying the ability to have success at the plate in early at bats.
For instance, he recorded a homer in the first inning in three straight games (June 30-July 2) to become the first player in franchise history to homer in the opening inning in three straight contests.
Moniak’s approach at the plate, no matter the situation, is straightforward.
“I just try to treat every at bat as the same,” said Moniak, whose 16 homers are second on the club only trail Hunter Goodman’s total of 31.
“However it may fall, obviously, hitting those homers those three games in a row was cool but it’s not like there’s any more focus on the first at bat versus the last.”
“I think every at bat is just as important, keeping zeroed in and just having a good at bat every time,” he said.
Moniak—who was signed by Colorado as a free agent on March 27, 2025—made his presence on the field felt immediately by slamming a pinch-hit home run in his first plate appearance as a Rockie just three days later on March 30 at Tampa Bay.
But for all Moniak’s contributions on the diamond, his time spent mentoring Colorado’s youthful roster the past two campaigns—including players such as Cole Carrigg, TJ Rumfield and Kyle Karros this season—has been invaluable.
Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer is quick to point why having someone with Moniak’s veteran experience is important.
“I wish you could see behind the scenes and see how much of an impact he has because it’s an enormous one,” Schaeffer said.
“Mickey is a team leader in the clubhouse every day. He shows up as the same guy every day, no matter what’s going on on the field, no matter what’s going on in his life. He comes and just sets the tone for the day, along with other guys. But he’s one of the main guys that does it and that just helps all the young players.”
“Absolutely, he’s the leader,” Rumfield said. “I think we look to him and I think he does a great job of just setting an example, being a great teammate, great guy and also a great baseball player.
“He brings knowledge and wisdom to the game beyond his years,” he added. “It’s really unbelievable to watch every night. You know you are going to get a good at-bat.”
Moniak takes the role of being a mentor to young players in stride.
“It’s one of those things that nobody tells you that, ‘Hey, this year you’re the veteran; you’re the guy leading the team or in a leadership role,’” Moniak said. “I’ve been very fortunate to be around a lot of good leaders in my time in the big leagues in Philly and with the Angels.
“I think just the biggest takeaway is to kind of lead by example. Go about your business, just be me,” he added. “I was a young player who had a lot of downs and a lot of learning to do. Just try to be a guy who guys can lean on.
“We have a lot of young guys in this clubhouse. If they have any questions, they know I’m an open door.”
With the trade deadline approaching and Moniak and Jake McCarthy both rumored to be trade candidates, which player would be more important to a rebuilding team? Would you value Moniak’s leadership or McCarthy’s athleticism? Let us know in the comments!
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 21: Tatsuya Imai #45 of the Houston Astros pitches in the fifth inning during a game against the Miami Marlins at Daikin Park on July 21, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (52-55) and Los Angeles Angels (42-64) begin a 3-game series tonight in Anaheim.
RHP Tatsuya Imai (6-4, 5.59 ERA) will start for the Astros vs. RHP Walbert Ureña (6-7, 2.78 ERA). Imai’s 1st career ML start was vs. LAA on March 29 at Daikin Park. He ended up with a no decision in a 9-7 Astros win (2.2 IP, 4 ER). This will be Ureña’s 4th career appearance and 2nd start vs. HOU, all this season. His most recent app. vs. the Astros was a start on June 9 at Angel Stadium (5 IP, 0 R in a 10-1 Angels’ win).
ABOUT IMAI: Tonight will be RHP Tatsuya Imai’s 15th start of the season. He was solid in his last start on July 21 vs. MIA, allowing just 1 run and 4 hits in 6.0 IP with 8 K’s to earn a 5-3 victory. The Astros have won 6 of his last 7 starts (he is 4-1 in that span). For the season, HOU is 9-5 in his 14 starts overall.
In 2025, Imai was an All-Star for the Seibu Lions in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB), where he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA (35ER/163.2IP) in 24 games.
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 5 of their last 6 games. Their recent 5-game win streak (7/20-25) matched their longest win streak of the season (other was 3/28-4/1).
ROAD WARRIORS: Tonight is the 4th game of a 6-game road trip for the Astros. HOU was 2-1 over the weekend at CWS on the first stop of the trip. The Astros are 19-13 (.593) on their last five road trips combined and are 25-19 (.568) on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season.
ROAD SLUGGING: The Astros have been one of the AL’s top offensive clubs on the road this season. They are currently ranked T-1st in the AL in road HR (76), 2nd in SLG (.418) and OPS (.742) and 3rd in road runs scored (259).
VS. THE HALOS: The Astros are 3-4 vs. LAA thus far in 2026. They dropped 2 of 3, June 8-10 at LAA in the most recent series. Over the years, the Astros have had success vs. the Angels. They are 141-92 all-time against the Halos, including a 67-48 record at Angel Stadium.
Note: The Astros were 2-0 vs. LAA in a 2-game, regular season series in Mexico, May 4-5 of 2019.
MEASURING UP: The Astros are 27-22 vs. teams currently over .500. Additonally, HOU is a combined 20-10 vs. the 6 AL clubs currently holding playoff spots, with a 10-5 record vs. the 3 AL division leaders (2-1 vs. TB, 6-4 vs. TEX, 2-1 vs. CWS) and a 10-5 record vs. the 3 current AL Wild Card teams (5-1 vs. BOS, 4-2 vs. CLE, 1-2 vs. NYY).
PLAYER OF THE WEEK!: Jeremy Peña was named AL Player of the Week today. Peña posted incredible numbers last week, hitting .500 (13×26) in 6 games with 5 HR, 8 RBI and 10 R while posting a 1.577. This is Peña’s 1st POTW Award. The Astros have won this award 4 times this season, with Yordan Alvarez winning the other 3 times.
Highlights from Peña’s week included:
*2 leadoff HR.
*2nd career grand slam
*collecting 3 hits in 3 straight games.
*homering in 3 cons. games.
PEÑA POWER: Jeremy Peña has hit safely in 8 straight games at a sizzling .516 (16×31) clip with 5 HR, 8 RBI and 12 R.
LEADING THE WAY: Jeremy Peña opened yesterday’s game at CWS with his 3rd leadoff HR of the season and the 8th of his career. He is one of 3 Astros to hit leadoff HR’s in 2026. Jose Altuve and Brice Matthews are the others.
THEIR KIND OF TOWN: After taking 2 of 3 games from the White Sox at Rate Field over the weekend, the Astros are 5-1 in the city of Chicago this season. They also swept a 3-game set from the Cubs at Wrigley Field, May 20-22.
CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are 31-20 in games decided by 2 runs or less: 22-12 in 2-run games, 9-8 in 1-run games.
MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez is a strong AL MVP candidate as he enters tonight leading the league in all three Triple Crown categories, ranking 1st in batting average (.323), HR (34), and RBI (77). Additionally, he currently leads all of baseball in OPS (1.074), OBP (.431), SLG (.643) and TB (245), and in the AL, he also ranks 1st in hits (123) and runs (72) and 4th in walks (70).
TAPPING FOR SUCCESS: Astros hitters have won an MLB-best 73 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (58%).
HIT PAREDES: Isaac Paredes is hitting .324 (11×34) in his 9 games since the AS Break with 2 HR and 8 RBI while posting a .559 SLG and a .943 OPS. Since June 3, Paredes is batting .294 (48×163) with 22 runs scored, 6 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 33 RBI and 19 walks in 44 games.
BRYAN’S BACK: RHP Bryan Abreu has a 1.59 ERA (2ER/11.1IP) in his last 11 apps. with just 7 hits allowed and 13 K’s in that span. Additionally, since May 1, he has a 2.39 ERA (7ER/26.1IP) in 27 apps., and is 5-for-5 in save opp. in that span. Prior to May 1, Abreu had a 12.54 ERA in his 1st 11 apps. of the season.
ON THE DEFENSIVE: The Astros lead the AL in fielding pct. (.988) and have the fewest errors in the AL (44). 1B Christian Walker has led the way, as he has not committed an error in his 99 games played at 1B. Dating back to last season, Walker has not made an error in his last 128 games at 1B (last error was Aug. 23, 2025 at BAL).
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1982 – RHP Nolan Ryan earns his 200th career win in style, going the distance in a 3-2 victory over the Reds in the Dome. Ryan also tallies 13 K’s in the historic win. He would end up with 324 wins in his HOF career, including 106 as an Astro.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Monday, July 27, 8:38 p.m. CT
Location: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA
TV: SCHN
Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
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