Jul 27, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (54) delivers a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It’s been a pretty good 24 hours for Yankee fans. Will Warren may have put out the best start of his career last night, leading to a Yankee win, and Camilo Doval is no longer a member of this ballclub. The team can turn a good 24 hours into a great one with another win tonight against the Cubs, but hopefully one that isn’t quite so close as the series opener.
Fried will be making his third start since returning from the IL, one against the Pirates that was excellent and one against the White Sox earlier this week that was considerably more mixed. The Yankees ended up beating the Pale Hose 9-5, but Fried went just three innings, allowing a trio of runs on five hits. In fairness to Max, all three runs came in a first inning where he got death-by-a-thousand-cuts’d a bit, looking much better in each successive frame. To view it pessimistically, the Cubs hit better as a squad than the Sox do.
David Peterson, the erstwhile Met, will make his sixth start as a member of the North Side boys, and they have not been a pleasant five previous outings. Peterson has lowered his ERA by almost a full run with the Cubs, but his FIP has shot up to an ugly 5.12 and in those five starts, providing … 0.0 fWAR. It’s an easier assignment for the Yankee hitters today, but then again we’ve seen how that can go already this year.
This is, by my count, the 835th time a lefty has made a start against the Yankees this year. That is only a slight exaggeration — Michael Zeno found that since June 14th, 42 percent of all Yankee at-bats have been against left-handed pitching, by far the highest rate in the majors and further exploiting the losses of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. The lefty-specialist (so to speak) lineup should be familiar to us now, with Amed Rosario and Paul Goldschmidt in their usual places, although at least Rose is DH’ing today to spare us the usual threat he poses at third base. Ben Rice gets a day off as well, a rare one for the best hitter left on the team.
How to watch
Location: Wrigley Field – Chicago, IL
First pitch: 7:15 pm ET
TV broadcast: FOX
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | 104.3 The Score, WPPN 106.7 / TUDN (CHC)
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 31: Andres Chaparro (87) of the Washington Nationals slaps five with 3rd base coach Victor Estevez (7) after hitting a home run during the Friday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals on July 31, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
So far this series has not gone according to plan. The Nats dropped the first two games, going 0 for 17 with RISP. However, they still have a chance to salvage a split if they win these next two games this weekend. That will be easier said than done against a tough Braves team.
Despite the injury scare last night, first baseman and trade candidate Luis Garcia Jr. is back in the lineup. Nasim Nunez is at second base after a day off. James Wood will be the DH for a second straight night. Jorbit Vivas and Keibert Ruiz also re-enter the lineup. Miles Mikolas will start this contest without an opener in front of him.
With a righty on the mound, the Braves will make a couple tweaks. Dom Smith and Mike Yastrzemski are back in the lineup after sitting yesterday. With Smith in the DH spot, Drake Baldwin will be back behind the plate. Otherwise it is a lot of the same faces we have seen for many years. Reynaldo Lopez came up in the Nats system, but now he is a Brave and will get the start tonight.
The Nats have stuck around .500 for most of the season, and will look to get back to that mark tonight. This has not been a great week for the boys, but they have a chance to salvage things somewhat this weekend. There are only two more games before deadline day. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
Baseball: Philadelphia Phillies Christopher Sanchez (61) looks on from the mound vs New York Mets at Citi Field. Flushing, NY 8/25/2025 CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X164759 TK1)
Friday night’s comeback win was about as good as it gets. Down two in the seventh, the Orioles strung together a four-run rally set up by Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s pinch-hit two-run double, and an emotional two-run triple by Gunnar Henderson. It felt like the kind of win that can really carry clubhouse momentum into the next day…
Now, how long exactly this good feeling will last is unclear, because tonight’s assignment is simply brutal. We have arguably the best lefty starter in the game facing an Orioles team that has struggled against lefties all year. Let’s say this is a matchup that ain’t for the faint of heart.
If you don’t know much about Sánchez, here’s some background. The 29-year-old Dominican signed as an international free agent with Tampa at a youngster, then spent the better part of a decade as a Rays farmhand before getting dealt to Philadelphia in 2019. Sánchez didn’t stick in the majors for good until 2023, but now that deal looks like highway robbery. He was named an All-Star in 2024, then runner-up for the NL Cy Young in 2025 after a 13-5 ERA season where he led all NL pitcher in bWAR (8), tied for first in quality starts, and was second in FIP (2.55), third in ERA (.250), fourth in WHIP (1.06), and fifth in strikeouts (212 in 202 IP).
This year, folks, he’s still good, entering this matchup with a 2.73 ERA in 22 starts. His sinker is one of the best in the game. Earlier this year, he even reeled off a 50 2/3-inning scoreless streak, the longest ever by a left-hander and fifth-longest by anyone in MLB history.
In short, prepare yourself for an O’s lineup full of right-handers, and a lot of strikeouts anyway. Coby Mayo is batting leadoff for the first time in his life, and I am curious! New guy Christian Encarnación-Strand is batting sixth, and still OPS’ing over 1.000 for his new team in nine games.
As for Shane Baz, it’s been kind of an interesting first season with him in Birdland. After signing with the O’s in the offseason, he inked a 5-year, $68 million extension before throwing a pitch, then appeared to be bad for his first month or two. But since June, Baz has been nothing to sneeze at. He posted a 3.68 ERA in six starts in June, then an even 3.00 ERA in four starts in July. His last start, which saw him allow one earned run in 4 1/3 innings against Atlanta, dropped his ERA below 4.00 for the first time this season.
He’s got a tall matchup, but it’s cool to see Baz string together good start after good start. Let’s see if it continues. Baz is mostly a mystery to this Phillies lineup, with only Bryce Harper (1-for-4), Bryson Stott (1-for-6), and Trea Turner (3-for-6) having seen him more than three times.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 26: Cristopher Sánchez #61 of the Philadelphia Phillies smiles prior to the game against the New York Yankees at Citizens Bank Park on July 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Yankees 11-4. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The city skyline view from Lake View Cemetery. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
GUARDIANS
Corbin Carroll – RF
Steven Kwan – CF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Jose Ramirez – 3B
Gabriel Moreno – DH
Chase DeLauter – DH
Ketel Marte – 2B
Rhys Hoskins – 1B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Angel Martinez – RF
Tim Tawa – CF
David Fry – LF
Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
Travis Bazzana – 2B
James McCann – C
Austin Hedges – C
Ryan Waldschmidt – LF
Brayan Rocchio – SS
Kohl Drake – LHP
Parker Messick – LHP
The D-backs continue to move on up. Since the last game in San Diego, before the break, they are a National League best 13-5. Their 106 runs scored in that time, is the highest in the majors, with nobody else having even reached a hundred runs. With a +33 run differential, the record has almost entirely been justified. Arizona have their catchers to thank in large part. James McCann and Gabriel Moreno have combined to bat .393 in that time, going 35-for-89 with five home-runs and an insane 26 RBI. Behind them is Ryan Waldschmidt’s .915 OPS, and Ildemaro Vargas is back on the horse, with an .898 OPS over his last fifty plate-appearances.
However, it’s not all good news. Among the dozen Diamondbacks with 20+ PA, positions #10, #11 and #12 by OPS go to the people we would expect to be leading the team, offensively. Corbin Carroll is hitting .179 with a .664 OPS. Geraldo Perdomo is hitting the same, and while still walking more (16) than he has struck out (10), his lack of power holds him to a .659 OPS. And bottom of the heap is Ketel Marte. He has shown the power of Perdomo of late, each man managing only four extra-base hits since July 8th, but without any of the plate discipline. His line is consequently .192/.231/.301 for a .532 OPS.
It’s a good thing that the rest of the team has been able to hold up their end, and keep the offense running well – averaging close to six runs per game of late. If the trio above join in, then this team could be almost unstoppable. But it’s weird that all three of them are misfiring simultaneously.
HOUSTON, TX - JULY 31: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers attempts to turn a double play during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Friday, July 31, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Michaela Schumacher/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
TORONTO, CANADA - AUGUST 1: Kevin Gausman #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches in the first inning of their MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Rogers Centre on August 1, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cardinals 1 Blue Jays 5
Three in a row. I think they need six in a row before I start thinking they can get back in the race, but I’ll never complain about a win.
Well, if that was Kevin Gausman’s last start for the Blue Jays, it was a good one. It was very nice seeing him get a standing ovation when John took him out of the game. Good on John for taking him out so he could walk off the field and enjoy the love.
He gave up a lot of hits, 9 in 5.2 innings, but most of them were softly hit. He worked his way out of trouble almost every inning.
He gave up three singles in the third and got out of it without a run scoring. Two singles in the fourth. And then two doubles in the sixth, with the run scoring in that inning.
He also had 4 strikeouts in his 5.2 innings.
Braydon Fisher got the last out of the sixth and the first two outs of the seventh.
Mason Fluharty got the last out of the seventh.
Jeff Hoffman started the eighth. He got a lineout, gave up a walk, got a strikeout and then gave up a double off the right-field wall, giving runners on second and third. But a ground ball at Vlad got him out of the inning.
Tyler Rogers pitched a quick ninth, in a non-save spot.
On offense, we scored:
One in the third: Davis Scheider walked, after an out (nicely hit line drive by Luis Urías that found a glove, .850 expected bat average), Vlad singled him to second. Kazuma Okamoto flied out. But George Springer singled home Davis.
One in the fourth: Ernie Clement led off with a single. Myles Straw doubled him to third (Clement thought the ball might have been caught. Straw was waving, yelling for him to go, so he only got to third). And Luis Urías brought him home with a sac fly.
Three in the seventh: Andrés Giménez was hit by pitch to lead off (he was hit Wednesday too). Vlad followed with an infield single. After Okamoto popped out, Springer doubled in Giménez. And then Alejandro Kirk singled in two more.
We could have scored more. We had nine hits and four walks. Vlad and George had two hits each. Okamoto had a rough day, going 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jays of the Day: Springer (0.21), Gausman (0.17, he was getting one no matter what), and Fisher (0.11).
Other Award: Okamoto (-0.13).
Tomorrow we have a 1:30 start time. Max Scherzer (1-4, 9.49, who better be on a short leash) vs. Michael McGreevy (4-9, 3.57).
Now that LeBron James has chosen the 76ers as his next NBA franchise, the question has become what the Sixers’ ceiling is with him on their roster.
There’s no doubt that this team is loaded with talent after having added James and trading for Jaylen Brown. But some seem to think that there might be too much talent in Philadelphia because only one person can have the ball at a time.
LeBron James is set to play for the 76ers after joining the team as a free agent. USA TODAY Sports
Rockets star Kevin Durant doesn’t seem to think so, which was made clear by the comments he made when asked about James’ decision on Saturday.
“For sure! I mean, you don’t think so?” Durant said when asked whether he believes the Sixers are contenders, per an X post from Ben Golliver of ESPN.
Kevin Durant said the 76ers remind him of his Warriors teams.
“[The] last time they put three 20-point scorers on a team, they said it was unfair, which was the [Warriors] team I was on. They’ve got four 25-point scorers on this team. So, hell yeah, I think they’re going to be a contender. They’re going to be a great team to watch,” Durant added.
Kevin Durant on LeBron James’s 76ers: “The last time they put three 20-point scorers on a team, they said it was unfair, which was the [Warriors] team I was on. They have got four 25-point scorers on this team. So, hell yeah, I think they’re going to be a contender.” pic.twitter.com/aFcSyDoEq1
Of course, Durant is referring to when he joined the Warriors in July 2016, a move that paired him with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Durant received a ton of criticism for this decision, especially because the Warriors had just defeated his Thunder in the Western Conference finals a few months prior.
Durant’s decision led to two NBA championships for Golden State, which also won a title before he arrived and won another after he left.
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 30: Luis García Jr. #2 of the Washington Nationals reacts as he lays his head on third base after hitting a RBI triple in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Join us and discuss tonight’s game in the comments below!
In the number of years alone, a 40th championship reunion can’t help but be a special occasion, and perhaps more so for the ’86 Mets, as famous for their nocturnal carousing as their ballplaying.
As Darryl Strawberry said with a laugh before Saturday’s ceremony at Citi Field:
“I can’t believe some of us are still alive.”
With that as a fitting backdrop of sorts, it was indeed a feel-good day, from the re-telling of all the old war stories as players gathered early Saturday, to the introductions on the field that officially brought the World Series-winning ballclub together again.
And yet it was impossible to ignore the elephant in the ballpark, if you will, that made the celebration as much of a commentary on the state of the current Mets as a feting of the most recent championship in team history.
For starters, the Citi Field stands were only about half-full as Howie Rose handled the on-field proceedings, as highlights played on the video board from that remarkable season and then players were introduced individually, wearing their ’86-style jerseys, as they took the field.
Forty years is a long time, but this was such a legendary team, with countless documentaries made and books written detailing the drama of their on-field heroics and their well-documented off-field drama, that it seemed reasonable to think fans would fill the ballpark in appreciation.
Then again, when the current team is out of contention, with Monday’s looming trade deadline all that really matters at the moment, maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise the crowd was relatively sparse.
For that matter, the ’86 Mets weren’t surprised.
“We’re not the show,” Bobby Ojeda said. “It’s great to be celebrated after all these years, but fans don’t live in the past. It’s about today’s team. And I don’t blame fans if they don’t want to spend their money on this team.”
Even so, there were rousing ovations as players were introduced in pairs, from Ron Darling and Doc Gooden to Keith Hernandez and Mookie Wilson.
And there were poignant moments as well. The video board showed images of those connected to the team who have passed away, most notably manager Davey Johnson, who died less than a year ago, in September of 2025.
Then there was Ray Knight, introduced in a wheelchair, rolled onto the field by Howard Johnson. Knight was in some ways the heart and soul of that ’86 team, the one-time Gold Glove boxer who backed down the likes of Dave Parker in brawls during that championship season. Seeing him in a wheelchair brought home the reality of the 40-year timeline.
In that sense, celebrations like this one are meant to be savored.
As Ojeda said, “Forty is a big number. Who knows how many of us will be here for the next one (50 years)?
“But it’s also hard to believe it’s been forty years and we’re still the last team to win. I think for the fans, and even us as players, a celebration like this reminds you about how long it’s been for this franchise, and how bad it is this year.”
Yes, in talking to players before the ceremony, I was struck by how much they were interested in commenting on the current state of the Mets and the 40-year drought, rather than simply reliving their glory days.
“It really bothers the heck out of us,” Wally Backman said. “We’ve all been talking about it: How can it be this long? How can it be this bad?”
In that sense, several players sounded like frustrated Mets fans, many of them complaining that the organization, with David Stearns calling the shots, has gone overboard in relying on analytics.
“It’s a long time ago, but our team was a great example of how much chemistry mattered,” Backman said. “We were talented, but we played with a lot of fight, and we actually did fight a lot against other teams, which really brought us together as a team. It’s more than just putting a team together by what the numbers tell you.”
Strawberry was quick to agree.
“It takes fight to win here in New York,” he said. “We had a team that didn’t always get along; we butted heads at times, but we also fought for each other because deep down, we loved each other.
“It’s different now, as far as fighting on the field, but you still need that attitude. That’s what the Knicks did this year. They played for each other, they took it to the next level, and the city embraced them. It can be so great in New York, but that’s where the human part comes in when you’re building a team. Who’s going to lead? Somebody’s gotta take the responsibility.
“I’m thankful for the Mets giving us a day to celebrate, but I feel like it’s hard not to think about 40 years without a championship. That’s heartbreaking.”
Finally, Ojeda, the former SNY analyst for Mets pre and postgame, said he rarely watches the games these days.
“I try not to even think about it because it’s so frustrating,” he said. “I really think it’s on Stearns. He built this thing and I don’t think he believes in intangibles, which I believe are so important to a winning ballclub. I don’t feel like he’s taken enough accountability either.
“See, you got me talking about this and now I’m sweating because it makes me mad.“
At that point Ojeda laughed and said, “Let me just go and enjoy our day.”
That was really the point of Saturday’s 40th reunion, after all. And as legend has it, nobody knew how to enjoy themselves quite like the ’86 Mets, so no doubt a good time was had by all.
How many of them stayed to watch the 2026 Mets is likely quite another story.
TORONTO, CANADA - AUGUST 1: Quinn Mathews #60 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches in the first inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 1, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All eyes were on St. Louis Cardinals starter Quinn Mathews as he made his Major League debut Saturday afternoon. All things considered, Quinn was impressive, but what kind of run support would the Cardinals provide behind him? Answer – not nearly enough.
It only took 3 batters for Quinn Mathews to register his first Major League strikeout. He accomplished that with a 96 mph four-seam fastball that he blew past Okamoto.
The St. Louis Cardinals offense did not lack hits Saturday, but connecting them in rally form that would result in runs seemed elusive. Despite having 7 hits in the first 5 innings, St. Louis did not score any runs behind Mathews. It would be the Toronto Blue Jays that would score first as they finally were able to get to Mathews after he walked Schneider to open the bottom of the 3rd inning. Guerrero Jr. hit a single one out later and Schneider scored the first run of the game when George Springer singled to left to make it 1-0 Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays would double their lead in the bottom of the 4th inning when Ernie Clement led off with a single. Straw followed that with a double to left, but Clement held up at third. With runners at 2nd and 3rd with no outs, it’s to Quinn Mathews credit that the Blue Jays only managed one more run when Urias hit a sacrifice fly to center increasing the Blue Jays lead to 2-0 after 4 innings.
The Cardinals would finally get some forward momentum in the top of the 6th inning when Iván Herrera hammered a leadoff double. He moved over to third on a groundout from Lars Nootbaar and then scored when Masyn Winn drove a ball into the right-centerfield gap for a RBI double reducing the Blue Jays lead to 2-1. They would also chase Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman out of the game in the 6th. He’s one of the prime targets likely to be moved before Monday’s trade deadline.
Quinn Mathews would stay in the game until the start of the 6th inning when he allowed a leadoff bunt single to Varsho. His final stat line would be 5 innings, 2 earned runs, 2 strikeouts while also walking 2. A very positive first impression for his MLB debut. Luis Gastelum took over for Mathews and was able to complete the bottom of the 6th inning without allowing any more Blue Jays runs.
The Cardinals managed a mini-threat in the top of the 7th inning when Jordan Walker managed a two-out single. He would move up into scoring position when Alec Burleson walked giving St. Louis runners at first and second, but nothing would come of it when Iván Herrera grounded out on the first pitch he saw to end the Cardinals 7th.
If walking the leadoff man always comes back to haunt you, the same can be said when you hit a batter with a pitch which is what Luis Gastelum did in the bottom of the 7th inning when he plunked Gimenez on the foot. Vlad Guerrero Jr. then reached on an infield single that Masyn Winn tracked down in the hole, but couldn’t manage a throw. George Springer followed with a double to right just beyond a diving Jordan Walker, but only one run would score (for now) as Guerrero Jr. held at third with the Jays now leading 3-1. Manager Oli Marmol lifted Luis Gastelum for Peter Strzelecki who was greeted rudely by Alejandro Kirk who lined a single to right field scoring 2 more runs giving the Blue Jays a commanding 5-1 lead.
The Redbirds showed the desire to score again in the top of the 8th when Masyn Winn walked and Blaze Jordan doubled off of the right field wall, but no runs would cross the plate because that’s not what the Cardinals do these days. Nope, instead no runs were scored because we’re trying to drive our RISP left on base to stratospheric heights. Sorry, but it’s really hard to not be sarcastic right now watching this team that started with so much promise showing how much roster work that still needs to be done.
Final score Saturday was Blue Jays 5 and Cardinals 1 even though St. Louis had more hits than Toronto which is just how things go during the second half of the season for the Cards.
The St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their brief road trip to the Great White North Sunday as it’s game 3 against the Toronto Blue Jays. Matthew Liberatore will start for the Cardinals and he’ll compete with University of Mizzou alum Max Scherzer who gets the ball for the Blue Jays. First pitch is set for 12:37pm central time and the game broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 02: Pitcher Andrew Abbott #41 of the Cincinnati Reds walks to the dugout during a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Great American Ball Park on June 02, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Don’t look now, but the Cincinnati Reds are on a roll!
They’re still just 52-57 on the season, in last place in the National League Central, and remain 4.5 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot, so perhaps look just a little bit. Still, they’ve gone 9-5 since the season’s second half began, and Friday night’s comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates certainly wasn’t indicative of a team that’s folded up its tent and begun to sit idle until the front office rips it apart at Monday’s trade deadline.
Sal Stewart, in particular, seems to have been the one to begin leading the Renaissance. His homer and 4-RBI game last night fueled the comeback, and Nick Krall is probably shaking in his boots right now as he debates whether to sell off the likes of Brady Singer and Tyler Stephenson or hold on to them as the team attempts a miracle run through the second half.
Andrew Abbott gets his turn in the rotation on Saturday in Great American Ball Park as the series vs. the Pirates heads into the 3rd of 4 games, and the Reds can wrap up a series victory with a win tonight thanks to last night’s heroics. Standing in the way of the Reds will be Bucs starter Braxton Ashcraft, with first pitch set for 6:40 PM ET.
If ever there were a time for the Reds to lean into a miracle, it’s this weekend. So far, so bueno.
Here’s how both clubs will line up to start this evening’s affair:
The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures.
We are continuing to look at potential options for the Sabres, now that veteran Patrick Kane has returned with Chicago. Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.
Kekalainen ideally is looking for someone who could make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, or someone who can fill the leadership gap and/or add some snarl and sandpaper to the middle-six.
Will the Sabres add scoring help before the start of training camp?
A player who could be available for next to nothing in a trade is veteran winger Frank Vatrano. A Massachusetts native and product of the US National Development Program, the undrafted college free agent signed with Boston in 2015, but did not achieve any NHL success in three years with the Bruins and only blossomed after being traded to Florida in 2018.
The 32-year-old has been remarkably consistent until last season, with seasons of 24, 16, and 18 goals with the Panthers, 18 with FLA and the NY Rangers in 2022, and 22, 37, and 21 goals with the Ducks. Vatrano’s scoring success ended last season, due mostly to a shoulder injury in late December that caused him to drop to five goals in 50 games.
As with Alex Killorn and Chris Kreider, Vatrano may be on the trade block because the Ducks are looking to shed salary to sign RFA winger Cutter Gauthier after Anaheim matched the offer sheet to Leo Carlsson. Both Killorn and Kreider are 35 or older and have a cap hit in excess of $6 million, but they are each entering the final year of their contracts.
Vatrano is younger, is more likely to bounce back from a bad season now that he is healthy, and his cap hit is $4.57 million, but he is signed through 2027-28. Another factor for the Sabres might be the salary deferral of $9 million ($3 million for each year of his three-year, $18 million contract extension), that is paid out at $900,000 annually for 10 years starting in 2035.
That factor could limit the cost to acquire the veteran winger to nearly nothing, but it might rule out the Sabres interest in Vatrano based on Buffalo’s fiscally conservative nature.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 26: Braxton Ashcraft #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on July 26, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are turning the calendar to August as the National League Wild Card race heats up. Tonight, they will look to maintain their footing as they take on the Cincinnati Reds in the third matchup of a four-game set.
The Pirates are turning to All-Star Braxton Ashcraft for his 22nd start of the season. He’s coming off a win against the Chicago Cubs in his last start on July 26, when he pitched six innings and gave up seven hits and four earned runs.
This marks Ashcraft’s third start of the year against the Reds. He previously pitched against them on March 30, when he went six innings and gave up four hits and two earned runs in a 2-0 loss at Great American Ball Park. He also pitched against them at home back on May 3, giving up four hits and no earned runs in 7.2 innings during a 1-0 victory for the Pirates.
Andrew Abbott is getting the start for the Reds. He last pitched against the Pirates on June 26, giving up six hits and three runs in 5.1 innings. The Reds picked up a 6-4 victory at PNC Park. In his last start on July 26, he went six innings, giving up three hits and two runs in a 5-3 victory in 10 innings. Abbott is looking for his first win since June 20, so the Bucs will look to deny him a victory once again.
Location: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Braxton Ashcraft (10-4, 4.05 ERA) vs. Andrew Abbott (5-6, 3.85 ERA)
BD community, this is your gameday thread for today. Chime off in the comments section below.
TONIGHT’S GAME: The first-place Astros will host their intrastate rivals, the Rangers, for the middle game of their huge three-game series between the top two teams in the AL West.
RHP Ronel Blanco (0-1) will make his third Major League start of the season tonight as he opposes RHP Jacob deGrom (7-6) and the Rangers.
SILVER BOOT SECURED: With last night’s win, the Astros improved to 7-4 against the Rangers this season, securing them the 2026 Silver Boot.
The Astros have now won the Silver Boot in 10 consecutive seasons (since 2017), during which the Astros have gone 100-55 vs. the Rangers.
THE TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, the Astros are 36-24 since May 22, which ties as the best record in the AL in that span.
On that date, the Astros were 20-31, 11 games under, which is their low water mark for the season.
Winning Percentage since May 22, AL T1. Astros 36-24 (.600) T1. Red Sox 36-24 (.600) T3. Orioles 33-27 (.550) T3. White Sox 33-27 (.550)
MEASURING UP: The Astros are 31-19 vs. teams currently at .500 or better, the second-best mark in the Majors, trailing only the Brewers (34-17).
Also, Houston is a combined 14-7 vs. the five other AL clubs currently holding playoff spots, with a 4-2 record vs. the two other AL division leaders (2-1 vs. TB, 2-1 vs. CWS) and a 10-5 record vs. the three current AL Wild Card teams (5-1 vs. BOS, 4-2 vs. CLE, 1-2 vs. NYY).
ROAD WARRIORS: On Wednesday, the Astros completed a 5-1 road trip that took them to Chicago-AL (2-1) and Anaheim (3-0).
The Astros are 22-13 (.629) on their last five road trips and are 28-19 (.596) on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season.
Houston is 29-28 overall on the road in 2026.
TONIGHT’S BROADCASTS: Tonight’s game will be televised by Space City Home Network with Todd Kalas, Geoff Blum and Julia Morales on the call.
The Astros English radio broadcast on SportsTalk 790 will feature Robert Ford and Kevin Eschenfelder Francisco Romero and Alex Treviño will be on the call on the Astros Spanish radio broadcast on TUDN 102.9 FM.
FRIDAY NIGHT FIREWORKS: The surging Astros smashed three homers and recorded 18 hits in their 11-2 series-opening win over the Rangers last night.
Five different Astros had multi-hit games, including C Yainer Diaz (4×5, RBI) and 3B Isaac Paredes (2×3, HR, 2RBI), who both homered in the contest.
RHP Hunter Brown (2ER/5.2IP) started for the Astros, picking up his third win of the year.
WINNING WAYS: The Astros are above .500 and in first place for the first time this season since they were 6-5 on April 6.
Last night’s victory gave them wins in nine of their last 10 games, which included a five-game winning streak (July 20-25).
THREE-HOMER GAMES: Last night marked the Astros 22nd time to hit three homers in a game, which are the most three-homer games by any team in the Majors this season.
Overall, the Astros rank third in the Majors in home runs (154), trailing only the Nationals (164) and Yankees (155).
MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez is a strong AL MVP candidate as he leads the league in all three Triple Crown categories, ranking first in batting average (.324), HR (35), and RBI (82).
Additionally, he currently leads MLB in OPS (1.077), OBP (.436), SLG (.641) and TB (253), and in the AL, he ranks first in hits (128), extra-base hits (55), and runs (74), and tied for third in walks (75).
HOT IN JULY: DH Yordan Alvarez hit .360 (31×86) with nine home runs, 22 RBI, a .467 OBP, a .721 SLG, and a 1.188 OPS in 23 games in July.
In the month, Alvarez led the AL in home runs, RBI, OPS and SLG, while ranking second in walks (15), second in hits, and fourth in batting average and OBP.
PEÑA’S STREAK: SS Jeremy Peña has hit safely in 12 straight games at a .431 (22×51) clip with six homers and 12 RBI in those contests.
It it also the longest active hitting streak in the AL and the 2nd-longest in the Majors behind only PIT IF Nick Gonzales’ 15-game hitting streak.
FOUR-HIT YAINER: C Yainer Diaz has back-to-back four-hit games for the first time in his career, marking the 16th time in Astros history for a player to record consecutive four-hit games.
Of course, the last Astro to do so was DH Yordan Alvarez (Sept. 3-4, 2025), but the only other Astros catcher to do so was C John Bateman from Sept. 5-6, 1966.
BLANCO’S BACK!: RHP Ronel Blanco is making his third start of the season after missing the first few months while recovering from right elbow surgery.
Blanco was a mainstay in the Astros rotation prior to his injury, making 45 starts over the 2023-25 seasons, going 18-11 with a 3.36 ERA (94ER/251.2IP) and a .200 opponent average in that span.
WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader, who is 14-for-14 in save opportunities with a 1.23 ERA, enters tonight with 76 career saves as an Astro, needing one more to move past RHP Fred Gladding for fifth place all-time among Astros relievers.
DOWN AT TRIPLE A: The Sugar Land Space Cowboys picked up a walkoff win last night over Salt Lake, improving them to 18-6 in July, which ties as the most wins in a month in franchise history.
In the victory, 2B Shay Whitcomb, who scored the winning run on a wild pitch, recorded his 381st career hit for Sugar Land, making him the Space Cowboys all-time franchise leader in hits.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Saturday, August 1, 6:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
