Austin Wells in his throwback gear during the Yankees-Cubs game on Aug. 2, 2026.
CHICAGO — On the 47th anniversary of Thurman Munson’s tragic death, Austin Wells paid tribute as a lookalike behind the plate.
The current Yankees catcher honored the former Yankees catcher in Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Cubs by arranging for special retro-looking gear — a burnt orange chest protector and shin guards, with Thurman’s retired No. 15 on the back and what looked like the back of a baseball card with the former Yankees captain’s year-by-year stats.
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“I just think what he meant to the team, his leadership ability and the fire he had behind the plate, leading his staff — obviously, he was an incredible player and team captain, so hard not to root for that guy,” said Wells, who even trimmed his goatee into a horseshoe mustache that looked like Munson’s.
Sunday’s tribute has been in the making for a while. Wells met Munson’s widow, Diana, two years ago before the idea came up last year around Old-Timers’ Day.
This year, Wells worked with EvoShield to create the special catching gear. He sent the company a picture of Munson and asked what they might be able to make for him.
“They pulled it off, and I thought it looked incredible,” Wells said.
Austin Wells in his throwback gear during the Yankees-Cubs game on Aug. 2, 2026. AP Photo/David Banks
Gerrit Cole, who threw to Wells on Sunday and is a Yankees history buff, appreciated the gesture.
“I thought it was great. I’m happy he did it,” Cole said. “Any time we get to honor some of our great players, great leaders and great ambassadors in the organization and in the game in general, it’s really special. It’s great to bring some awareness to how great of a human being he was.”
Giancarlo Stanton is scheduled to face Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt in live batting practice sessions Monday and Tuesday, though it does not necessarily represent progress in his rehab from a second right calf strain.
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“I think he’s been in position to probably do that now for a little bit,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But always good to go outside and see a live arm.”
The bigger hurdle for Stanton, who has been hitting “a lot” including off the Trajekt pitching machine, is running. The veteran DH has been continuing his running progression, Boone has said, but has not yet advanced to running the bases — often the final step before a return and where Stanton suffered a setback in mid-June.
David Bednar recorded a four-out save Sunday, the eighth time in 45 appearances he has worked more than an inning.
“What a luxury it is to have him,” Cole said.
Cody Bellinger is just over a week into the four- to six-week timeline that the Yankees gave for his return from a Grade 2 hamstring strain.
“He’s doing well,” Boone said. “I actually talked to him this morning. He already ran today, he’s hitting and throwing. Did his outside running. So I think he’s pretty pleased with the progress.”
The Yankees acquired Luis García Jr. from the Nationals.
Before Luis García Jr. puts on a Yankees uniform, he said his goodbyes to the city he called home for seven seasons in a post on social media.
García was traded to the Yankees on Sunday afternoon in a deal with the Nationals that included pitchers Yovanny Cruz, Jake Bird and prospects Ben Grable and Jack Cebert going to Washington. The move was an emotional one for García, who signed with the Nationals as an international free agent in 2016 and made his MLB debut in 2020.
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In a lengthy post on Instagram, which included a number of photos from his time with the Nationals, he thanked Washington and said that he wanted to “express my heartfelt gratitude” to the organization for “believing in me.”
“To everyone throughout the organization—from the front office, coaches, trainers, medical staff, clubhouse staff, and all those who work behind the scenes—thank you for your guidance, support, and commitment throughout my journey. I have grown not only as a player but also as a person because of the incredible people I had the privilege of being around every day.
“To my teammates, thank you for the memories, the battles, and the brotherhood we shared on and off the field. Those moments will stay with me forever.
“To the incredible fans, thank you for welcoming me from day one. Your passion, loyalty, and unwavering support meant more than words can ever express. It has truly been an honor to represent you.”
The Yankees acquired Luis García Jr. from the Nationals. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
García described Washington as a “second home” and explained that he was departing the nation’s capital “with nothing but gratitude, respect, and appreciation” for everyone he’s met along the way during his time there.
The infielder joins the Yankees amid a season in which he has a .283 batting average and 23 home runs, while also recording an .873 OPS and a .560 slugging percentage.
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The Yankees made the trade official Sunday evening, and there was excitement about the addition inside the clubhouse.
“I know he’s a great hitter,” José Caballero said. “Excited to see him here and what he can contribute for the team.”
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 02: Bryan de la Cruz #41 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates hitting a tworun home run in the third inning during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 2, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Some people like their recaps neat and tidy, so this will be the same. Since the Phillies played a shortened game today, this will be a shortened recap.
The starting pitcher? Zack Wheeler. He only went two innings because for some reason, the Orioles saw a window and tried to play through it. In those 2 1/2 innings, the Phillies were lucky that Bryan de la Cruz homered to give them a lead.
Then they delayed the game since the field was garbage.
After the delay was over, the Orioles’ pitching couldn’t throw strikes, leading to the Phillies scoring two more runs in the fourth. Bryce Harper joined the action with a home run in the fifth,
then a bunch of Phillies got hits in the top of the sixth to tack on some more runs.
J.T. Realmuto, Justin Crawford, Trea Turner – they all had hits! de la Cruz and Kyle Schwarber had sacrifice flies. It gave the Phillies an 8-0 lead and everyone was happy (except probably Wheeler since he didn’t get to pitch).
Then it started raining again, which forced the game to be called early. Good, since the Phillies didn’t need to see Orion Kerkering enter the game later after the runs scored.
Following the series victory in the Steel City over another NL Wild Card in the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Dbacks made the last stop on their 4 city road trip, this time facing off against another Wild Card contender in the Cleveland Guardians. While both the Guards and Pirates are trying to make a push for October, they are doing it in entirely different ways as the Snakes would go from facing a top 3 offense OPS wise in all of baseball in the Pirates, to a team that is dead last in the majors in team OPS in the Guardians. Even though the offense in Cleveland is lackluster, they would make up for their lack of offensive production with stellar pitching as their starting staff ranks 6th in baseball in ERA.
The Cleveland staff lived up to their hype in this series, only allowing 3 ER across a combined 17.1 IP and 19 K’s, keeping the Diamondbacks offense quiet for the most part. Thankfully the snakes were able to do their damage against the guardians bullpen and steal 2 very crucial games right before the trade deadline.
The Return of…Paul Meatballs
Speaking of doing damage against a team’s bullpen, that’s exactly what the Guardians did in Saturday’s Game 2 win that saw a combined 20 runs on 30 hits between the 2 teams. Of the 6 runs the Diamondbacks bullpen surrendered this series, 5 of them were in because of Paul Sewald’s continued struggles over his last 30 games (more so his last 11 outings). In those last 30 outings for Sewald he has pitched 26.2 innings to the tune of a 7.43 ERA with an opposing slash line of .262/.302/.569 and 9 HR allowed. After this outing in which he failed to record even one out and allowing 5 ER, his ERA on the season is now up to 6.45, which would be the worst ERA in his entire career and his highest since having a 6.07 ERA across 56.1 IP in 2018 with the Mets (13.50 in just 6 IP in 2020 so im not counting that small of a sample size).
These struggles of late had Gabe, Brandon and I asking ourselves if this was the last time we would see Paul Sewald pitch for the Diamondbacks in 2026 and if these struggle of late would put any pressure on DBacks GM Mike Hazen to try to add a high leverage arm to the bullpen before the deadline passes. The three of us were in the same boat in saying that we appreciate and acknowledge that Paul did have some early season success and had a stretch where he was as reliable of a closer as one could ask for (outside of Mason Miller obviously), hitters have finally started to readjust to his approach and that’s being shown in not only his career high ERA, but his career high in home runs allowed. It’s one thing to struggle against a top offense like Pittsburgh is one thing, but to fail to even record an out against a team who is dead last in OPS out of all 30 Major League teams shows that Pauls time in the desert just might need to come to an end.
If this was late April or early May I could see the thought process in keeping Paul and trying to let him work through his struggles and see if he can earn back his closer role, but in a race as tight as the NL Wild Card is this year every single game is critical to the teams playoff chances and if you can’t rely on Paul in low leverage situations against bad offense or high leverage situations against good hitting clubs, then what value does he actually bring to this bullpen going forward?
That’s Bush League Bro!
The only major excitement that the fellas and I would really get to breakdown from this series happened in Sunday’s game 3 finale, where a Tim Tawa’s decision to attempt a bunt not only led to Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey and second baseman Brain Rocchio having some words with Tim, the benches actually cleared and Guardians 3rd base coach Rouglas Odor (Uncle to former Ranger Rougned Odor) had to be held back by his own team.
One of the many unwritten rules in baseball is that you don’t try to break up a pitchers perfect game or no-hitter with a bunt, as many find it “soft” or even “bush league” and that the hitter should try to get a “real” hit (a hit is a hit in my book) and a bunt in these situations can rub some teams and players the wrong way. The fellas and I all agreed that there are certain scenarios where that it is indeed a weak move to go for the bunt (Erik Aybar bunting in the 8th inning and with 1 out in an attempt to break up Justin Verlander’s No-Hitter) compared to a scenario like Sunday’s game in Cleveland.
Gabe mentioned that if this was similar to Verlander’s No-Hitter attempt back in 2011 where it was late into the 8th inning and the possibility was getting real then there might be some merit to the Guardians reaction to Tawa’s bunt attempt, but this drama occurred in just the 6th inning where there is not only plenty of ball game ahead, Gavin Williams would most likely not even get the chance to go for a PG (if it was still intact late into the game) due to him having a pitch count north of 80 at the time. Brandon and I were also in agreement in saying that due to how much game was still left, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with a hitter trying to get an offensive spark started with some small ball. With the rainy and wet conditions, a bunted ball that gets even slicker after rolling in the wet infield could lead to some chaos and snowball into a big inning. I personally found it very ironic that a team that is known for small ball and even dubbed plays like that as “Guards Ball” would be so upset at another team trying to spark some offense with it.
Pad The Lead Against the Pads
Now that the 4 city road trip has come to end with the team going 6-4, they come back to Chase for a 10 Game home stand that kicks off with a very important 4 game series against the 3rd place San Diego Padres. Brandon, Gabe and I would discuss how this series could play a big part in whether or not both, one or maybe even none of these teams can take a Wild Card spot and sneak into the playoffs.
The Padres and Dbacks come into this 4 game series tied 3-3 on the season series with 7 games left to play against each other. The Padres have turned it up a notch when they needed to most, winning 8 of their last 10 and getting themselves only 1 game behind the Dbacks and the Phillies for the last 2 Wild Card spots. Obviously winning the series or even sweeping the series are the most ideal outcomes for the DIamondbacks, but a series split, loss or even a series sweep at the hands of the Pads could take all the wind out of the Dbacks sails and have them going into a big 3 game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers with their tails between their legs.
Please Sir, Just A Few Trades
The three of us ended the episode having hope that Mike Hazen will start to do his cooking and will address the needs this team has and will give us and the players that boost of reinforcements that we have all been asking and hoping for. With a potential lockout looming (Thank you Dodgers!) the asking price for rentals is even higher than in years past and there are more buyers than sellers, so some teams might have to give up more than they originally wanted to if they want to make improvements that could push them over the edge of contention and into October baseball.
Look out for a special Deadline Dispatch episode tomorrow after the dust has settled and before Monday night’s first pitch!
San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Mahle (54) throwing a pitch.
The Giants’ firesale appears to be underway.
San Fransiscio made its first move of the trade deadline by sending veteran starter Tyler Mahle to the Braves on Sunday night. Atlanta gave up right-handed pitcher Anthony Molina in return.
The 31-year-old Mahle is 3-9 with a 5.13 ERA in 18 starts for the Giants this season, but has been vastly improved in July when he went 2-1 with a 2.82 ERA, including six shoutout innings against the Brewers.
San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Mahle (54), who was traded to the Braves, throwing a pitch. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He joins a roation right now of Chris Sale, JR Ritchie, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder and Martin Pérez
While the Braves hope the righty can help them hold off the Phillies in the NL East and challenge for the NL’s best record, he could be just the first of numerous Giants to be traded before Monday’s 6 p.m deadline.
Pitcher Robbie Ray and infielder Luis Arraez are both names who had circulated ahead of the deadline.
San Francisco is a disappointing 47-55 under first-year manager Tony Vitello and sits 12 games out of a playoff spot with plenty of expensive veterans on the roster.
Molina has a 3.78 ERA and a 4.14 FIP, with 53 strikeouts and 20 walks in 52.1 innings in the minor leagues, mostly Triple-A this season.
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 02: Jake Bennett #64 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, August 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
What’s the opposite of “when it rains, it pours”? When the sky is clear, it gets even clearer? I don’t think that really makes sense, because a well-timed cloud is always a nice treat. When humidity dissipates, it dissipates to an even greater degree? That makes some sense, because who likes humidity? I don’t know if anyone actively notices humidity declining, though. Reverse-engineered idioms aside, things are going really well for the Boston Red Sox.
I mean, they just beat the Dodgers, 8-4, to complete a three-game sweep. The same Dodgers who are ruining baseball because they’re so much better than everyone else, or whatever. It started in the very first inning, when a flurry of walks and singles gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead. There was a blip in the bottom of the second, when the Dodgers scored three runs after several singles. Fortunately, there’s something in the Red Sox’s clubhouse water these days. Whenever they get punched, there’s a counterpunch. This time, it came when Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and Masataka Yoshida hit three solo home runs on seven pitches to regain the lead.
From there, it was fairly smooth sailing. Jake Bennett retired ten in a row after the second inning barrage, going 5.2 innings and limiting the Dodgers to just three runs. Jarren Duran tacked on another run via the long ball in the sixth, and the Red Sox grabbed two more in the eighth.
After Bennett, the bullpen was excellent. Justin Slaten finished the sixth inning, and then Tyron Guerrero, Jovani Moran, Greg Weissert, and Garrett Whitlock combined to allow one run. Despite the success, I can’t help but feel like the bullpen is a man short. Going to Whitlock, who is reportedly banged up, in a four-run game feels excessive. If Ryan Watson can’t be trusted with a four-run lead, maybe he isn’t the best use of a roster spot. An off day tomorrow likely gave Chad Tracy the ability to have a shorter leash on some of his arms, but I’d like to see one more arm come in to take some of the load off the top arms.
That’s the last West Coast game of the regular season. We can all go to bed at a reasonable hour going forward. Tomorrow is a day off on the field, but the trade deadline looms at 6 p.m. EST. Go get these fellas some well-deserved help, Craig.
Three Studs
Jake Bennett
I’ll admit, I was skeptical of how Bennett would perform against an offense like the Dodgers’. I thought his strike-throwing might get punished by a real long lineup. It wasn’t the most dominant outing — a 9% swinging strike rate is well below average — but he got the job done. He continues to miss barrels, particularly against lefties, and his changeup gives him a pitch to help neutralize righties. He leaned into his cutter and sweeper more today; neither was great, but improvements to either pitch would help his ceiling rise. Innings is an area to watch, but Bennett has been a stablizing force in the Red Sox rotation.
Nick Sogard
Sogard made at least two, maybe three diving plays in the infield. He reached base twice as well, although he didn’t score. Still, the defense was excellent and helped the pitching staff out of some innings.
Rafaela has been excellent all season, but he’s been particularly good over the last week. He hit his fourth home run in the series in the third inning to tie the game, while also scoring the first run of the game. He has the Jackie Bradley Jr trait of getting insanely hot each of the last two seasons, while playing top-tier defense in center.
Three Duds
Willson Contreras (0-4)
Andruw Monasterio (1-3, HBP, one weird defensive play that incited a Dodgers rally)
Me (Forgot I had laundry in the dryer for like, 2 hours. Now I have to fold it at 11 pm like a chump)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ceddanne Rafaela homered for the third straight game and the Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-4 on Sunday night to sweep the three-game series.
Masataka Yoshida homered and drove in two runs, and Jake Bennett (7-4) allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings to help the Red Sox win their fifth straight game. Boston is 23-3 since July 3.
Emmet Sheehan (4-8) was pulled after allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings, with the Red Sox pushing across two runs in a 30-pitch first inning.
Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu then clocked Sheehan for back-to-back homers to start the third inning, followed by Yoshida’s solo shot for a 5-3 lead two batters later.
Rafaela went 7 for 14 with four homers and five RBIs in the series. He has an eight-game hitting streak with four straight multi-hit outings.
Jarren Duran picked up Boston’s fourth solo homer in the sixth inning off reliever Kyle Hurt.
The Red Sox added two more runs in the eighth inning on a wild pitch and passed ball.
Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing was pulled out of the lineup shortly before the game started because of right arm irritation, with Eliezer Alfonzo taking over behind the plate.
Up next
Red Sox: LHP Patrick Sandoval (0-0, 3.32 ERA) was set to start the opener of a three-game series at home against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
Dodgers: LHP Justin Wrobleski (11-2, 2.88 ERA) could get the call in the first of three games at the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.
Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan reacts on the mound during the third inning of an 8-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium on Sunday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers were swept for just the second time this season after the red-hot Boston Red Sox hit four home runs, including three off embattled starter Emmet Sheehan, to take an 8-4 win on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium.
Boston hit three home runs in four at-bats in the third inning, with Sheehan giving up blasts to Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida as the Dodgers suffered their second three-game sweep at home in less than a month.
“It was bad execution,” Sheehan said. “I just missed my spots.”
Boston got to Sheehan early with a pair of RBI singles from Yoshida and Caleb Durbin in the first inning.
The Dodgers (69-43) responded with three runs in the second as Eliézer Alfonzo collected an RBI with a groundout against Red Sox starter Jake Bennett. Andy Pages then drove in two more runs on a single to right. He also hit an RBI double in the seventh for the Dodgers’ final run.
Sheehan (4-8), who has a 6.39 ERA over his past seven starts, gave up six hits and five runs over just 2⅔ innings.
Reliever Wyatt Mills also struggled, giving up two runs over two innings.
Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan walks off the field during the third inning against the Red Sox on Sunday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
“I don’t know,” Sheehan said about his rough stretch. “If I knew, I would fix it, but I’m going to keep trying to fix it. ... The only thing I can do is try to get better. There’s no other option.”
Added Dodgers manager Dave Roberts: “I just don’t think [Sheehan] was sharp today at all. ... They took a lot of comfortable swings [and] aggressive swings. There were some strikeouts and some swing-miss. But the end of the day, it’s about limiting runs, and if you can’t keep the ball in the ballpark, then it’s hard to win.”
Bennett (7-4), settled in after his rough second inning and threw 5⅔ innings as Boston won for the 27th time in 32 games after outscoring the Dodgers 20-10 in the three-game series.
Jarren Duran, a Cypress native, added to Boston’s lead with a 420-foot solo homer to center field off reliever Kyle Hurt in the sixth. It was Duran’s first homer since July 5 against the Angels.
Boston (60-51) closed out the scoring in the eighth, with Durbin scoring on a wild pitch from Mills and Andruw Monasterio scoring on a ball that got past Alfonzo.
“I think that if you look at it, unemotionally, they outplayed us,” Roberts said about Boston’s sweep. “They were hungrier. You’ve got a lot of players over there that are under control. They’re fighting a higher seed in the postseason. They’re playing good baseball, and they outplayed us.
“It’s not an excuse. I don’t feel good about it, but that’s kind of what I saw.”
Skubal arrives
Newly acquired Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal greets center fielder Andy Pages in the eighth inning of an 8-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, acquired by the Dodgers in a trade with the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, was in the Dodgers’ dugout during the game, exchanging pleasantries with his new teammates and coaches.
The team also shared a video of Skubal settling in on social media.
“We got better,” said Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz. “That’s the only thing I can say. We got … one of the best pitchers in the league, and now we have him as a teammate. So that’s a really good plus for us.”
Miguel Rojas (ankle) was available off the bench despite exiting Saturday’s game after fouling a ball off his foot.
“I felt better today, able to put some weight on it,” Rojas said, adding that his X-rays were negative. “The good thing is no break. So, I’m fine. If Doc needs me and the situation presents itself ... I need to be available every single day.”
Dalton Rushing was scratched with minor right arm irritation; Alfonzo started in his place.
“Dalton had some arm irritation when he was playing catch before the game, which is very uncommon,” Roberts said, adding that X-rays were negative. “I didn’t want to take a chance and kind of push him anymore, so that’s why I decided to scratch him.
“He got treated today, and my expectation is he’s going to be with us on the plane, and then kind of day to day.”
SAN DIEGO — All was quiet in the visitors’ dugout Sunday afternoon. No commotion to make a mid-inning substitution. Nothing to see for anyone on hug watch.
A few hundred miles up the coast, president of baseball operations Buster Posey and his contingent of Giants executives hunkered down in their offices inside Oracle Park and continued to put in the work that should mean the next 24 hours won’t pass so stealthily with several moves expected.
Giants pitcher Landen Roupp is trying to impress down the stretch, but he struggled Sunday against the host Padres. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
San Francisco made a move after the game, dealing right-handed pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Braves for right-handed pitcher Anthony Molina.
Others in the industry kicked into high gear approaching MLB’s trade deadline — 3 p.m. PT Monday — with starting pitchers Tarik Skubal (to the Dodgers), Freddy Peralta (Rays) and Luis Castillo (White Sox) headlining those already on the move.
The Giants, expected to be one of the league’s most active sellers, possess arguably the best lefty available besides Skubal in Robbie Ray, possibly the best hitter on the market in Luis Arraez and some other interesting pieces. But Posey preferred to let the clock tick, apparently hoping that as pressure grows for contenders so will the price San Francisco is able to extract.
On the field, it was business as usual in the final game before the deadline, even down to the starting lineup. Manager Tony Vitello didn’t take the same precaution as the Angels did with Jose Soriano, scratching the trade candidate from his scheduled start Saturday.
Arraez, held out for cramps in his lower half Saturday, was back atop the Giants’ order. In possibly his final at-bat with the team, he flew out to end its 5-4 loss to the Padres.
“I’m just trying to do my job during the game,” Arraez said afterward. “I just go out there and compete. I don’t want to think about the trade deadline or anything. If San Francisco trades me, I’ll go do my job.”
Ray’s cowboy boots provided a contrast to Arraez’s sequined black high-top sneakers, but the bottom line was that both pairs were still on each player’s lockers by the end of the day.
The Padres’ Jackson Merrill hit a two-run home run Sunday against the Giants. AP Photo/Denis Poroy
Heliot Ramos, whose name has also surfaced in trade rumors despite being under team control for three more seasons, played all nine innings.
Vitello, who doesn’t have the same kind of control over his personnel as he did running the program and everything that came with it at the University of Tennessee, went about his day, too. Although Posey and Co. “keep me in the loop,” he was more focused on the game in front of him.
That didn’t lead to many satisfying responses to the text messages lighting up his iPhone.
“Players I know from competing or recruiting or coaching text me. They think I have control over the trades,” Vitello said. “Our guys don’t have complete control over it [either].”
Like everything else, the trade deadline is a new experience for Vitello. Comparing it to the college transfer portal, he said “that’s a lot more emotional, and it’s a lot more chaotic.”
In the big leagues, he said, “the lines are thicker … it’s just a little more organized.”
Part of that means it’s on Posey and his lieutenants to find the best possible deals, rather than Vitello attempting to convince an 18- to-22-year-old with NIL money and playing time.
But the deadline shares something in common with college recruiting: It takes two to tango, and both sides have to be satisfied in order to sign off on a deal.
“It’s like anything with a match. What someone’s looking for has got to meet what someone’s willing to offer and what the other team’s looking for, too,” Vitello said. “So we’ll see how it all goes down. I’m sure it’ll be busy for everybody.”
The Giants dealt veteran right-hand pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for another right-hand pitcher Anthony Molina. The trade was first reported by Fansided MLB insider Robert Murray.
Molina will continue to develop as he was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento, the Giants said.
The trade comes less than 24 hours until the MLB trade deadline as the cutoff point is Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT).
Mahle, 31, leaves the Bay for the A, joining a first-place Braves squad. Overall, Atlanta (67-45) has the third-best record in the National League, sitting 2.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers.
Tyler Mahle contract and stats
Mahle signed a one-year, $10 million deal with San Francisco in the offseason, with hopes of bolstering their bullpen. As the Giants' season took loss after loss, the 10-year veteran pitcher put up a 3-9 record with a 5.13 earned run average, 89 strikeouts and a 1.39 WHIP.
His expiring contract made him an asset in trade talks, where he was linked to the Chicago Cubs, but it's the Braves who ultimately acquired Mahle.
Anthony Molina contract and stats
In return, the Giants received Molina, a 24-year-old pitcher who has limited MLB experience. He is in his third MLB season, having spent his first two with the Colorado Rockies. He's appeared in three games in 2026 with the Braves, including two he finished.
In five innings pitched, Molina delivered two strikeouts and has a 5.40 ERA. Molina joins a Giants team that is in need of bullpen rebuild. Overall, San Francisco has the third-worst record in the NL and the second-worst in the NL West.
The move appears to save the Giants some money as they now take on Molina's expiring contract worth $780,000.
San Francisco Giants trade grade: C+
The trade for the Giants is clearly a move that looks ahead to the future. It appears the team's front office is opting to focus on 2027, or 2028 in case there's a lockout year.
Moving off of Mahle's $10 million contract in exchange for $780,000 could save them money in the long run, setting up a contract for ready-now players with an ability to contribute immediately. Plus, Molina will be in the Giants' farm system as he was sent down to the Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats.
The Giants haven't been good all year. Ideally, trading for better players would seem more favorable, but with the postseason just about out of reach, looking ahead to the future should at the forefront of San Francisco's minds, the fans, too. The season is a wash.
Atlanta Braves trade grade: B-
This take could age horribly. And that's ok. But Mahle didn't do much damage in San Francisco. The Braves spending more money on someone with his stat line is risky. But you have to take risks to be successful and maybe a change of scenery to a winning team could spark something in the veteran pitcher.
That's the reason for the grade being as high, despite not loving this move from the Braves. How Mahle fits in with the Braves will be something to monitor in the final months of baseball.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 02: Willson Contreras #40 and Wilyer Abreu #52 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate a solo homer against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning at Dodger Stadium on August 02, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The hottest team in baseball stays sizzling, as the Boston Red Sox crushed four home runs against the Dodgers on Sunday, winning 8-4 and completing the sweep.
It was another rough first inning for Emmet Sheehan, as he allowed a leadoff walk to Nick Sogard to begin the game. After getting Ceddanne Rafeala to ground into a fielder’s choice, Wilyer Abreu singled up the middle. One pitch was all Sheehan needed to get Willson Contreras to line out to left, but the Red Sox broke through with a pair of two-out, RBI singles from Masataka Yoshida and Caleb Durbin. Sheehan finished his first inning with a strikeout, limiting Boston to the two runs, albeit on 30 pitches.
Sheehan would bounce back in the second inning, as he faced the minimum while striking out the side in order.
The Dodgers strung across a one-out rally in the bottom of the second inning against rookie Jake Bennett, as Kyle Tucker, Teoscar Hernández and Max Muncy singled to load the bases for Eliézer Alfonzo. Alfonzo drove home Tucker one a groundout to put the Dodgers on the board, and after an intentional walk to Shohei Ohtani, Andy Pages gave the Dodgers the lead with an opposite field, two-strike, two-run single.
Boston would waste little time getting those runs back, as Rafaela crushed his fourth home run of the weekend to tie things up at 3 in the top of the third inning. Rafaela is the first player to hit at least four home runs in a series against the Dodgers since Kyle Schwarber in 2024. On the very next pitch, Abreu put Boston back in front as he went back-to-back with Rafaela, while Yoshida would add the third home run against Sheehan of the inning, making it a 5-3 Red Sox lead.
Sheehan managed to get two outs in the inning before plunking Andruw Monasterio. Sheehan lasted just 2 2/3 innings while allowing the three home runs, with his pitch count at 58 on the game. It’s been a trying season for Sheehan, as the right-hander now has a 5.29 ERA on the season while the three home runs from Boston were the most he’s allowed in any start this year.
The barrage of scoring came to a close after the third inning, as Jack Dreyer and Evan Phillips combined to toss 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Sheehan, while Bennett retired 10 consecutive hitters after the two-run single from Pages. That all changed in the top of the sixth inning, as Jarren Duran ambushed Kyle Hurt for the fourth home run by Boston on the game, stretching the lead to three.
Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to 12 games, as he led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a leadoff infield single against Bennet to give the Dodgers their first baserunner since the second inning. His trip on the base paths was brief, as Mookie Betts grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. A four-pitch walk to Tucker kept the inning alive, and Bennet exited one out shy of a quality start. The Dodgers couldn’t pile on against Justin Slaten, as a diving snag by Sogard got Boston out of the inning unscathed.
The Dodgers put the leadoff man on again in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Max Muncy singled against Tayron Guerrero. Guerrero was one out away from keeping the Dodgers scoreless, but Pages came through again with two outs, slicing an RBI double to plate Muncy and cut the deficit to two runs. Pages finished Sunday with three RBI against Boston, marking the first time he drove in three since doing so on June 9 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Wyatt Mills was the next man out of the Dodgers bullpen, and he began his evening by plunking Caleb Durbin and allowing an infield single to Andruw Monasterio. After a sacrifice bunt from Duran moved both men into scoring position, a wild pitch brought home Durbin and a passed ball plated Monasterio, giving Boston a four-run lead. Mills managed to work a scoreless ninth inning, but he ended his night having tossed 53 pitches.
The Red Sox continue to stun the league with Chad Tracy under the helm, as they improve their overall record to 60-51 having won 28 of their last 33 games. It is the first time the Red Sox swept the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, and it’s the first time they’ve done so in general against the Dodgers since 2010. With the Dodgers losing three games in a row and finishing the homestand 2-4, they still trail the Milwaukee Brewers by half a game for the best record in baseball.
Enter Skubal
During Sunday’s game, the Dodgers’ shiny new addition Tarik Skubal got himself acclimated with his new teammates. He is set to make his Dodger debut on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
The Dodgers are on the road again as they fly out to Chicago for a three-game set against the Cubs beginning Monday (5:05 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Matthew Boyd goes for Chicago, while the Dodgers have yet to announce Monday’s starter.
The San Diego Padres rejected the Yankees' trade offer of right-handed starting pitcher Will Warren for left-handed reliever Adrian Morejon, according to a report Sunday evening by MLB.com's Bob Nightengale.
Warren, 27, is under team control through the 2030 season. He is 8-5 with a 4.14 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 108.2 IP over 22 games (21 starts) this season. His latest outing saw him allow four hits and stuck out seven batters in 6.2 scoreless IP of Friday's 2-0 win at the Chicago Cubs.
"He was awesome," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Warren after Friday's game. "... He was just super efficient, and that right there is what he's capable of when he's on his game."
The 27-year-old Morejon, meanwhile, is a free agent after the 2026 season. In 60 frames through 52 games this season, the Padres' setup man has a 1.07 WHIP.
"At the end of the day, control what you can control," Warren said after Friday's game when asked about trade noise. "Like I said, whatever's going to happen is going to happen. So, that's never really been on my mind.
"I feel like, ever since I've been with the Yankees, that's been a thing, so I'm kind of used to it by now. But just taking it day by day and, again, whatever happens is going to happen."
Believe it or not, it's been a little over four years since former Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ron Hextall acquired Rickard Rakell at the 2022 NHL trade deadline.
He was exactly what the Penguins needed and has been a stalwart in the top six ever since. He's had to go through multiple offseasons of trade rumors, including this one, but he's still with the Penguins and has two seasons left on his contract.
Rakell had a career season in 2024-25, finishing with 35 goals and 70 points in 81 games. His 35 goals and 70 points were career highs.
He followed that season up with 24 goals and 48 points in 60 games this past season and would've been close to his numbers from the 2024-25 season if he hadn't missed a month and a half in the first half of the season with a broken left hand.
Rakell spent a good chunk of the season as one of Sidney Crosby's wingers, but also spent time at center, a position he wasn't familiar with before this season. It was a major adjustment for him since he had to become more comfortable taking draws, becoming even more of a 200-foot player, and killing penalties.
He had barely spent any time on the penalty kill over the last five seasons before playing 34:57 on that unit this past season. It was Rakell's most time on the PK since the 2019-20 season, when he spent 45:04 on the Anaheim Ducks' penalty kill.
While Rakell did improve at center as the season went on, he's still a natural winger, and I expect him to start the 2026-27 season next to Crosby and Bryan Rust. Rakell is super comfortable with Crosby and does a great job reading off him while he's on the ice. If injuries do come up for some of the Penguins centers, Rakell can still shift to that position for a handful of games.
Some of the deployment on the top power play unit might be different for the 2026-27 season, but I'd still have Rakell up there. He's great in the slot area and has one of the top shots on the team. He also has the ability to move around and keep the opposing penalty killers honest.
Rakell might be another year older heading into this season (33), but I still expect him to score between 20 and 30 goals and finish with 50 and 60 points. He's been at or above that level in three of the last four seasons, and I don't see it changing right now. I'd be fairly surprised if he had a season similar to his 2023-24 year when he only shot 9.1% and finished with only 15 goals and 37 points.
He'll be a key component for a Penguins team that's trying to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a second season in a row.
SEATTLE, WA - MAY 27: Starter Luis Castillo #58 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates after a striking out Carlos Santana #41 of the Pittsburgh Pirates to end the top half of the sixth inning of a game at T-Mobile Park on May 27, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Castillo was brought in at the 2022 trade deadline, my whole perspective on this franchise shifted. Riding a 14-game winning streak, the Mariners found themselves in a playoff spot at the deadline. It was time. A top-10 prospect and a top-50 prospect plus two depth pieces was a high price, but I was sure Castillo was worth it. And for as good as Castillo was, it’s hard to overstate how much that trade meant. It was a signal about who the Mariners were as a franchise. They were in it for real.
And as for the man himself, I was smitten right away. Meeting up with the team in New York, Castillo dyed the end of his hair teal and blue to replace the Cincinnati Red. He was all in. He struck out 8 Yankees over 6.2 innings, picking up the first of his 43 wins in a Mariners uniform. The fact that the Mariners had outbid the Yankees to get Castillo only sweetened the moment, underlining Castillo’s meaning. He followed that up in his first home start at T-Mobile by facing the Yankees again, pitching eight shutout innings in the best game I’ve ever seen. Those were the first two of 11 starts he ripped off to close out 2022 with a 3.17 ERA and a strikeout rate of 28.9%.
On a team that had been lacking a frontline starter, he was the obvious choice to start Game 1 of the Wild Card Round. The only swear word in the Sun Hat Award record book refers to why he won the award that day: “for kicking the shit out of the Blue Jays in Seattle’s first postseason game in 21 years.” His final line that day? 7.1 IP, 0 R, 6 H, 5 K, 0 BB, 19 whiffs. He averaged—averaged—100 mph on both his four-seamer and his two-seamer. Luis Castillo was the proof. The Mariners had arrived.
He followed that up with an All-Star 2023. His final numbers belie how elite that season was. He pitched at least five innings in 32 of his 33 starts, living up to his La Piedra nickname. His 3.01 ERA and K-BB% of 21.8% through August had him entering the season’s final month in the pole position for the Cy Young Award.
Along the way, he was always the showman, even helping keep things light through the team’s struggles, using his signature flex to joke around with Shohei Ohtani. And he fought to keep the team in the running, collecting 22 whiffs in the game that saw his 1,000th career strikeout. It was a season that saw the MLB debuts of Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo, and Emerson Hancock. Certainly each of them was impressive as a rookie, but it’s easy to forget in retrospect how much they struggled and how much it mattered that Castillo was there to keep the ship steady.
As the team scuffled through 2024, Castillo was a shining beacon of competence. He was a key part of the rotation’s stretch of 21 consecutive games allowing 2 runs or fewer. One of those starts was his nine-strikeout dismantling of the Rockies as the snow fell in the Denver night, smacking down all the talk about how he’s a hot-weather pitcher.
It was the first year of his decline, but he was making adjustments to keep making it work, including a mid-game adjustment in a game against Anaheim to complete a sweep. That was one of several games when his fastest pitch of the night was his last one. Emptying the tank at the end is just one of many stratagems he shared with his rotationmates that helped them ascend to their own stardom.
Castillo’s arrival really signaled something about the franchise. And if all he did was anchor the 2022 stretch run, that would have been enough. But as the years passed by, his legacy came into clearer focus. From the time Bryan Woo replaced Marco Gonzales in June 2023, this rotation belonged to Castillo. Yesterday, Logan Gilbert told Angie Mentink, “Luis [always] told me after a bad outing, don’t change anything. You don’t need to change anything.” La Piedra was such a steady, level-headed presence that he could even get that message through to his most neurotic teammate. Gilbert reports that after one particularly bad bullpen outing, “He told me, ‘Don’t think too much, don’t change too much, don’t try too hard.’ . . . He knew the right words to say at the right time. He was always that way.”
Last year, the Mariners entered the season with the rotation as the unquestioned strength of the team, practically its whole identity. But while it was a strength, the starters struggled to stay on the field. Castillo was the only pitcher to make each and every one of his scheduled starts. Though he was no longer the front man of the rotation, he remained the rock. In that way, he was the man who led this franchise to its first division title in a quarter century. It’s no wonder he was on the mound the night they clinched that title, striking out 10 over 7.1 innings of one-hit ball.
Age comes for us all, and rosters turn over. Luis Castillo was the veteran who steadied the young team, and now the time has come for him to help shepherd another young team. The Mariners rotation is five home-grown grown-ups now. But they grew up under Luis Castillo, and that’s a mark that won’t be forgotten. When the Mariners celebrate their 100th season, he’ll be in the video highlights.
Before today’s game, Andrés Muñoz said, “Today is a sad day.” I couldn’t agree more. Castillo was a giant, and he gets a rare off-recap Sun Hat Award, his fifth and final one, in honor of his four years of exceptional service to the franchise, to the fan base, and to me. Gracias, La Piedra. La Piedra Para Siempre.
Jonathan Cannon 3.27 ERA, 22 IP, 5 BB, 20 K Mason Adams 2.08 ERA, 17 1/3 IP, 10 BB, 15 K Shane Murphy 7.79 ERA, 17 1/3 IP, 7 BB, 12 K Shane Smith 5.17 ERA, 15 2/3 IP, 10 BB, 18 K David Sandlin 2.92 ERA, 12 1/3 IP, 10 BB, 8 K Tanner McDougal 2.79 ERA, 9 2/3 IP, 6 BB, 11 K Hagen Smith 1.80 ERA, 5 IP, 3 BB, 8 K
The Knights had another strong month, going 14-10, and they are 10 games above .500 as of the end of July. Their overall record puts them in third out of 10 teams in the International League East this season.
With Jacob Gonzalez out of Charlotte (and the organization due to a trade with Pittsburgh), first baseman Ryan Galanie, 26, has been stepping up in a big way for the Knights. After Gonzalez won the first two Knight of the Month awards, Galanie has accomplished the same feat. In July, Galanie went 28-for-85 with six homers, four doubles, 21 RBIs, and his four stolen base attempts were all successful. The White Sox selected Galanie in the 13th round of the 2023 draft, and he has been more successful in his climb toward the majors than most anticipated. Galanie was promoted from Birmingham to Charlotte on April 17, and since then, in 73 games, he has been a consistent threat at the plate, slashing .294/.348/.580.
2026 Charlotte Knights Players of the Month Jacob Gonzalez (March-April) Jacob Gonzalez(May) Ryan Galanie (June) Ryan Galanie (July)
Birmingham Barons July record13-11; Second half record 14-17; Overall record 40-60
Barons Player of the Month Boston Smith .306/.479/.667, 72 at-bats (traded to Seattle on August 1)
Lucas Gordon 5.18 ERA, 24 1/3 IP, 10 BB, 23 K Jake Palisch 4.50 ERA, 24 IP, 9 BB, 14 K Dylan Cumming 3.60 ERA, 15 IP, 3 BB, 11 K Jackson Kelley 5.40 ERA, 13 1/3 IP, 6 BB, 15 K Connor McCullough 2.25 ERA, 12 IP, 7 BB, 16 K
Overall, after winning the Southern League Championship in 2024 and 2025, the Barons have not lived up to the hype from recent seasons. However, they put together a solid month, finishing slightly above .500 in July.
Once again, I am writing about Boston Smith winning a monthly award. Smith was the Dash Player of the Month in May and June, so it is no surprise that he was promoted to the Barons on July 1. Since then, Smith has wasted no time making an impact at the higher level. Since the promotion, Smith is 22-for-72 with eight homers, two doubles, 23 walks, and 18 RBIs. Since Smith entered the organization in exchange for Curtis Mead, Smith has exceeded expectations in a huge way. Although Smith’s stock was unremarkable at the beginning of the season, he became the No. 15 White Sox prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. That changed on the evening of Saturday, August 1, when a trade was announced. Smith, along with Seranthony Domínguez and Nolan Jones, is headed to the Mariners in exchange for Luis Castillo. Best of luck to these players as they begin the next chapter of their careers!
2026 Birmingham Barons Players of the Month Braden Montgomery (April) Anthony DePino (May) Anthony DePino (June) Boston Smith (July)
Winston-Salem Dash July record12-12; Second half record 17-17; Overall record 55-45
Dash Player of the Month Ryan Burrowes .329/.417/.658, 8-for-9 stolen bases, 73 at-bats (promoted to Birmingham on July 28)
Grant Umberger 5.40 ERA, 25 IP, 7 BB, 24 K Justin Sinibaldi 2.25 ERA, 20 IP, 11 BB, 15 K Max Banks 1.06 ERA, 17 IP, 4 BB, 8 K Jake Curtis 1.15 ERA, 15 2/3 IP, 2 BB, 10 K Drew McDaniel 4.70 ERA, 15 1/3 IP, 4 BB, 22 K
The Dash broke even in July, winning 12 of 24, and they remain exactly .500 in the second half of the season. At 55-45 overall, they are second out of six teams in the South Division of the South Atlantic League.
Ryan Burrowes, 21, earned a promotion on July 28, and it is easy to see why. Burrowes, who plays second base, third base, and left field, was on fire for the Dash. In July, Burrowes went 24-for-73 with five homers, two triples, five doubles, 10 walks, and eight steals while only getting caught once. In 88 games with the Dash, Burrowes slashed .261/.379/.421 (114 wRC+) while providing solid defense, and he played a sizable role in Winston-Salem’s success. It will be interesting to follow the young utility player as he gets tested by Double-A pitching moving forward.
2026 Winston-Salem Dash Players of the Month Colby Shelton (April) Boston Smith (May) Boston Smith (June) Ryan Burrowes (July)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers July record 13-11; Second half record 17-17; Overall record 50-50
Cannon Ballers Player of the Month Jaden Fauske .282/.446/.366, 13-for-15 stolen bases, 71 at-bats
Alexander Albertus .290/.410/.464, 69 at-bats Stiven Flores .283/.375/.333, 60 at-bats Nick McLain .268/.389/.357, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 56 at-bats Matthew Boughton .194/.325/.299, 6-for-7 stolen bases, 67 at-bats
Gabe Tanner 3.91 ERA, 25 1/3 IP, 13 BB, 11 K Truman Pauley 5.74 ERA, 15 2/3 IP, 8 BB, 14 K Alexander Martinez 4.11 ERA, 15 1/3 IP, 6 BB, 18 K Anthony Patterson 2.25 ERA, 12 IP, 7 BB, 13 K Ryan Schiefer 2.51 ERA, 14 1/3 IP, 10 BB, 14 K
The Cannon Ballers have had a roller coaster of a season. They got off to a dreadful start in April, but they recovered in a big way in May. Since then, Kannapolis has settled into a middle-of-the pack team, and they went 13-11 in July to keep that trend going.
Outfielder Jaden Fauske, 19, showed off multiple tools during an impressive month. The South Siders drafted Fauske in the second round of the 2025 draft, and like Landon Thome, Fauske went to Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park, Illinois. Fauske, who is primarily a center fielder, posted a .446 OBP in July, and he was a major threat after reaching base, swiping 13 bases in 15 attempts (86.7%). Overall, Fauske is 35-for-42 (83.3%) in stolen base attempts. As MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 White Sox prospect, Fauske is a well-rounded player, receiving 55 grades for his hit and run tools and 50 grades for his others. Given the abilities he has displayed to reach base frequently, cover a lot of ground in center, and steal bases, MLB Pipeline may be selling him a bit short.
2026 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Players of the Month Max Banks (April) Max Banks (May) Blaine Wynk (June) Jaden Fauske (July)
ACL White Sox July record 7-11; Overall record 19-41
Complex Sox Player of the Month Landon Hodge .333/.471/.519, 2-for-2 stolen bases, 27 at-bats
The Complex Sox wrapped up their season in July, and it was not a season to remember. The Complex Sox stumbled to a 19-41 finish, although they finished on a high note, winning five of their last nine.
Catcher Landon Hodge, 19, was a big reason behind the team’s solid finish to the season. In July, Hodge went 9-for-27 with a triple, three doubles, six walks, and both of his stolen base attempts were successful. The White Sox selected Hodge in the fourth round of the 2025 draft. Hodge struggled out of the starting blocks of his first professional season, but he turned it around in a big way down the stretch.
2026 Complex Sox Players of the Month Kendry García(May) Yordani Soto (June) Landon Hodge (July)
DSL White Sox July record 10-8; Overall record 16-24
DSL White Sox Player of the Month Ronald Cardozo .389/.453/.648, 51 at-bats
David Colmenares 2.03 ERA, 13 1/3 IP, 3 BB, 15 K Franchel Crisostomo 6.75 ERA, 12 IP, 17 BB, 13 K Jhoriel De La Rosa 3.18 ERA, 11 1/3 IP, 3 BB, 9 K José Taveras 5.56 ERA, 11 1/3 IP, 8 BB, 14 K Roderic Ramírez 10.45 ERA, 10 1/3 IP, 4 BB, 3 K
Against all odds, the DSL White Sox posted a 10-8 record in July. I did not think they had the potential for a month of .500+ baseball, but they proved me wrong.
Catcher and first baseman Ronald Cardozo, 17, was on a different level in July. Without Cardozo’s excellence at the plate, we would not be discussing the surprisingly strong performance by the DSL White Sox. Cardozo went 21-for-54 with three homers, a triple, three doubles, seven walks, and 21 RBIs. From start to finish, Cardozo was a major threat, and especially given his age and ability to play behind the plate, he has been one of the better stories from the DSL this season.
2026 DSL White Sox Players of the Month Sebastian Romero (June) Ronald Cardozo (July)
