Tyler Locklear hit a home run. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Inspiration.
The Diamondbacks had three weak positions at the All-Star break: First base, left field, and center field. The following table shows some highlight metrics in games through 16 July. Data from Baseball Beference and Baseball Savant.
“The sum total of these endeavors is wretched on a historical level. Over almost three hundred plate appearances, Arizona’s first basemen are batting .215/.249/.312 for a .561 OPS at the position. That is currently the lowest figure at 1B by a major league team in over a century.” — Jim McLennan, 18 June 2026
Let’s look at first base. More specifically, “What has recently changed?”
This season, who has played at first base?
Before we continue, a promising player in AAA who could have a future at first base is Manuel Pena. He is 22.6 years old. Recently, he impressed two writers, in May and July. This season, in games through 21 July, he worked on improving his batting. Four home runs in 110 PAs was great, but his 27% whiff rate needs to be nudged lower, and his .830 OPS is not as good as it seems because it’s AAA Reno.
So far, ten players have played first base. Let’s look at them briefly.
Mostly catchers: James McCann & Adrian Del Castillo.
Cup of Coffee: Luken Baker, released 15 June after 4 PAs.
Rookies who returned to AAA: Lu James Groover (33 PAs) & Jose Fernandez (60 PAs).
Negative 22 OPS+: Carlos Santana (26 PAs), released 26 June.
Positive 20 OPS+: Pavin Smith (53 PAs), DFA on 9 July, currently back in AAA.
The Contenders: Ildemaro Vargas, Tim Tawa, and Tyler Locklear. Let’s look at them in depth.
The Contenders.
How do the contenders compare in batting? After Pavin Smith’s DFA, the competition for first base started in earnest. Statistics from 10 July onward show that the contenders’ batting is very impressive. The following table shows their extraordinry batting. Data from Baseball Savant.
Although Ildemaro Vargas was best overall batter, noteworthy was Locklear matching his OBP, and Tawa with the better hits per ball in play (hits/BIP).
How do the contenders compare in Defense? Let’s look at this season’s Outs Above Average (OAA) at first base, which is based on range and catch probability, and Defensive Runs Saved (DRA) at first base, which compares all defensive actions to average (and is used by Baseball Reference to calculate WAR).
OAA. Tim Tawa and Ildemaro Vargas, each with 2 OAAs, are better than Tyler Locklear with negative 1 OAA.
DRS. Ildemaro Vargas with 5 DRS is better than Tim Tawa and Tyler Locklear, who have 1 DRS and 0 DRS.
Looking at OAA and DRS, Ildemaro Vargas is the best defender at first base.
Do splits in performance between left-handed and right-handed pitchers show a possible advantage to platooning? The following table shows the splits. Data from Baseball Savant.
The table shows a possible batting improvement if Tyler Locklear plays against right-handed starting pitchers and Ildemaro Vargas play against left-handed starting pitchers. And the benched player is available for pinch hitting in the late innings, depending on an advantageous matchup.
Summary.
After Pavin Smith’s DFA, the competition for first base started in earnest. Statistics from 10 July onward show that the contenders’ batting was extraordinary.
This season, looking at OAA and DRS, Ildemaro Vargas was the best defender at first base.
The OPS splits show a possible batting improvement if Tyler Locklear plays against right-handed starting pitchers and Ildemaro Vargas play against left-handed starting pitchers. And the benched player is available for pinch hitting in the late innings, depending on an advantageous matchup.
Former New York Rangers star Ron Duguay, who is being treated for Stage 4 colon cancer, has been hospitalized after collapsing at his home, his daughter announced.
Shay Thomas announced on Instagram on Monday, July 27, that Duguay, 69, had fainted on Friday, was unconscious and suffered facial injuries and lost some teeth. Her post showed Duguay being loaded into an ambulance and being wheeled on a gurney through a hospital corridor.
"After extensive testing, doctors found that he was extremely dehydrated and had been struggling to eat because of how sick he had been feeling," Thomas wrote. "They also discovered varices, portal hypertensive gastropathy, internal bleeding, and an ulcer.
"Because of the cancer in his liver, along with everything his liver has endured from surgery, chemotherapy, and the pump, pressure has built up inside the liver. That pressure can back up into the stomach and cause bleeding. The ulcer still needs further evaluation, but the bleeding and liver pressure are the major concerns right now."
The second-place Chicago Cubs (60-46) continue their road trip tonight at Busch Stadium as they take on the St. Louis Cardinals (53-53) in the second game of this NL Central series. Chicago enters play six games behind Milwaukee in the division race and looking to build momentum after a win last night, while St. Louis is trying to halt a slide over the last two weeks that has seen them drop eight of their last ten games and fall back to .500.
The Cubs opened the series with a 7-3 victory over the Cardinals on last night. Chicago's offense erupted for 14 hits, led by Alex Bregman, who broke out of an 0-for-12 slump by going 4-for-5 with a homer, two doubles, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Nico Hoerner also collected four hits, including a two-run homer in the ninth inning that put the game away. The Cubs received a solid outing from recently acquired left-hander David Peterson, who worked 5⅔ innings and allowed two runs. For St. Louis, José Fermín homered and Masyn Winn and Bryan Torres drove in runs, but the Cards were unable to overcome an early deficit created by Chicago's relentless offense.
The veteran Colin Rea (7-7, 4.85 ERA) gets the ball for Chicago looking to provide stability behind a Cubs' offense that has scored 25 runs over their last 3 games. Rea's most recent start came on July 22 against Detroit, when he took the loss after allowing four runs on six hits over five innings, striking out five while surrendering a pair of home runs. Prior to that outing, Rea delivered a quality six-inning effort against Minnesota, allowing three earned runs while striking out six.
Michael McGreevy (4-8, 3.07 ERA) takes the mound for the Cardinals. The right-hander enters with a strong 1.13 WHIP, among the best marks on the Cardinals' staff. His most recent start came July 23 against Arizona, when he suffered a 10-6 loss despite pitching into the seventh inning. McGreevy allowed four runs on seven hits over 6⅓ innings, walking three and striking out three. Before that setback, he was excellent against the Diamondbacks and Brewers, posting back-to-back victories while allowing just two earned runs combined over 12⅔ innings.
Lets dive into tonight's game and find a sweat or two.
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The Latest Odds: Cubs vs. Cardinals
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Chicago Cubs (-114), St. Louis Cardinals (-105)
Spread: Cubs -1.5 (+144), Cardinals +1.5 (-175)
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Cubs vs. Cardinals for July 28
Cubs: Colin Rea Season Totals: 105.2 IP, 7-7, 4.85 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 81K, 38 BB
Cardinals: Michael McGreevey Season Totals: 114.1 IP, 4-8, 3.07 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 74K, 27 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Cubs vs. Cardinals
Nico Hoerner has hit safely in 4 straight (8-17) and 8 of his last 9 games (19-40)
Alex Bregman collected 4 hits last night to snap a 0-12 streak
Pete Crow-Armstrong was 0-3 last night to snap a 3-game stretch in which he collected 7 hits in 14 ABs
Lars Nootbaar is 4-13 (.308) in his career against Colin Rea
Michael Busch is 3-8 with 2 HRs in his career against Michael McGreevey
Jordan Walker is 0-7 over his last 2 games and just 2-15 over his last 4
Ivan Herrera is riding a modest 3-game hitting streak (5-13)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Cubs vs. Cardinals
The Cubs are 48-58 on the Run Line this season
The Cardinals are 58-48 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed an MLB-worst 42 times in St. Louis’ 106 games this season (42-58-6)
The OVER has cashed 57 times in Chicago’s 106 games this season (57-48-1)
Expert picks & predictions: Cubs vs. Cardinals
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Here are the best bets our model for tonight’s game between the Cubs and the Cardinals:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cubs on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 9.0.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 27: Fans cheer as rain falls during the sixth inning between the New York Mets and 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
Due to inclement weather in Citi Field, Tuesday’s matchup against the Atlanta Braves vs the New York Mets is postponed in a doubleheader for Wednesday July 29.
Tonight’s game has been postponed.
It will be made up as a split doubleheader tomorrow, July 29, at 1:10pm & 7:10pm. pic.twitter.com/vMrq1mzmb1
As of now, Grant Holmes is set to pitch in the early matchup against Sean Manaea at 1:10 p.m. ET. And Chris Sale, who was set for Tuesday evening matchup is possible for Wednesday’s finale to close out the series. At the moment, however, the pitching matchup for that game is to be determined.
Stay tuned for more updates, as times and matchups are subject to change with the ongoing weather tomorrow as well.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 26: Jasson Domínguez #24 of the New York Yankees bats against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees got some of the worst news possible when MRI scans revealed that Cody Bellinger had suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in Saturday’s win over the Phillies and will likely miss 4-to-6 weeks. As it happens, it is from that very same game, an inning prior to the injury, that we find our nominee for At-bat of the Week, Jasson Domínguez crushing a solo home run off José Alvarado.
We join Domínguez leading off the seventh on Saturday night in Philadelphia. The Yankees are clinging to a 2-1 lead courtesy of an Austin Wells solo bomb and Bellinger RBI single. However, the Phillies have their flame throwing lefty Alvarado in the game and the dangerous top of their order due up in the bottom half of the frame, so the Yankees would love to tack on another insurance run.
There is no mystery to how Alvarado is going to attack you, the lefty throwing the fastball 97.3 percent of the time. The one wrinkle he introduces is the type of fastball he’s going to throw, using the sinker about two-thirds of the time and the cutter about one-third of the time. He goes with his primary offering to start things off here.
Domínguez takes this 96 mph sinker for a called strike one. You might wonder how he could take a pitch right down the middle. The camera angle doesn’t quite do this pitch justice, but this sinker starts about a half-foot in off the plate before its 16 inches of arm-side run carries it back into the zone. It’s therefore easy to see how a hitter might give up early on a pitch initially aimed toward him.
Alvarardo looks to play off the placement of that last sinker by throwing a cutter down a similar tunnel, hoping to fool Jasson into chasing a pitch that now breaks away from the zone toward him for a whiff or better yet, a soft grounder.
This is just unfair placement of this cutter right on the corner up and in. After seeing the way the previous sinker moved, you can understand why this would be a pretty automatic take from Domínguez assuming this pitch will remain high for ball one. However, Alvarado’s cutter has about a foot more downward break than the sinker, which allows it to drop into the zone at the last instant. Had Domínguez swung, it’s a likely broken bat, and had he used an ABS challenge, he would have lost.
Without a chance to swing the bat, Domínguez finds himself in an 0-2 hole. He knows a fastball is coming, he just has to guess which way the pitch is going to break given how hard it is to distinguish the sinker from the cutter based on reading the seams.
Interestingly, Alvarado breaks out the four-seamer trying to get Domínguez to chase something above the zone. He only throws the pitch two-percent of the time and it’s easy to see why given how poorly executed this one was.
Despite the clear lack of command of the previous pitch, Alvarado doubles up on the four-seamer.
Same pitch, same result. It’s obvious Alvarado has no feel for this pitch given how non-competitively high out of the zone both of them landed.
After two complete misfires, Domínguez can safely eliminate the four-seamer with the count now 2-2. He has to decide whether the next pitch is going to break away from him or toward him, and the smart money is on the pitch that Alvarado throws twice as much as the other. As such, I had a hunch that Domínguez was sitting on the sinker here having filed away useful information on the first one he took for a called strike. He needs to hunt something that starts up and a bit inside and trust that the pitch’s movement will fade it right into the hitting zone.
Domínguez gets the sinker right in his nitro zone and he swings with extreme prejudice, blasting the ball deep to left for a leadoff home run to double the Yankees’ lead.
Here’s the full AB:
Bellinger’s injury applies an even sharper magnifying glass to the Yankees’ Trade Deadline needs. Their desire for an upgrade at catcher has long been known, but now they find themselves in the market for an outfielder who at the very least can crush lefties given the very really possibility that neither Bellinger nor Aaron Judge are able to return for the end of the regular season.
On the whole, Domínguez has been a disappointment at the plate, with a minuscule four-percent walk rate, 82 wRC+, and replacement level value overall. However, barring a major addition to the outfield, Jasson projects to receive a hefty dose of playing time in the next month-plus. To that end, it is fair to highlight the strides he has made batting from the right side after all the hand-wringing about that aspect of his game in his first three big league seasons. Domínguez entered this year with a career 53 wRC+ batting righty — that’s up to a 91 wRC+ this season. The Yankees should obviously shoot for better from a starting outfielder, but with the injuries in the outfield mounting, it is some solace that he is no longer a liability batting from that side.
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 on Monday, in Detroit. (Jose Juarez / AP Photo)
The Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers combined for 13 runs, 23 hits and three home runs Monday at Comerica Park, but the biggest thrills of the game didn’t come from either team’s roster.
They were provided by a speedy and adventurous black squirrel, who spent the better part of an inning on and around the playing field and at one point led an army of ground crew members on a wild goose — uh, squirrel — chase in right field.
“At one point, I thought he was going to go into the batter’s box, see what was going on,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz told reporters following his team’s 8-5 victory. “He had a great view of the game.”
The critter covered a lot of ground inside the stadium as the game was being played. It could be seen behind Orioles third-base coach Buck Britton (who appeared to toss it a sunflower seed), all over the outfield and the warning track, and in shallow left field behind Orioles third baseman Coby Mayo.
“I wanted him, personally, to stay on the field,” Mayo said afterward. “Makes the game more interesting.”
During the top of the seventh inning, the squirrel found his way between the mound and home plate. Umpire Bill Miller took a few steps toward the creature, who then scampered into right field. That’s where it was during the seventh inning stretch, when at least 15 members of the ground crew began their pursuit of the furry fan.
It almost got captured several times but managed to escape the clutches of the crew members or from underneath the towels they were tossing. At one point, it ran into the glove of surprised Orioles right fielder Leody Taveras and ended up being momentarily launched into the air.
Taveras said after the game that he was merely trying to block the rodent’s path with his glove.
“I just was trying to stop it,” he said. “When it got into my glove, I don’t want to squeeze it, so I was just trying to bring it up. I wasn’t trying to do that.”
Finally, one of the crew members caught the squirrel under a towel and carried him off the field. A Tigers spokesperson told The Times on Tuesday that the team’s understanding is that the squirrel was in “fine health” after it was removed and released.
The critter gained numerous fans during its brief romp around Comerica, with the crowd booing after its capture and again when Miller called for a round of applause for the ground crew after the ordeal.
Several squirrels have frequented the ballpark during Tigers games over the years. Last season, one ran into the outfield and climbed into the team’s bullpen, where it reportedly hung out with the Detroit relievers for the rest of the game.
At the turn of the century in Queen City Book Store in Buffalo, amidst dozens of X-Men-tangential series and Tom Lyle’s high-key off-key emo Adam Warlock, there was a skinny self-published-looking collection of short stories and essays called The Nihilist’s Notebook. Maybe drawings, too. The last story ends as a man opens the trunk of his car to show another man the dead body he’s selling him to cannibalize, when an asteroid blazes overhead and crashes down, ending the world.
That juxtaposition was seared into my brain ever since, as was a mystery: does the transgressive leave a shadow in the light of annihilation?
In a big-picture sense, the 2027 Knicks definition of success is no mystery: repeat as champions. But as they now know better than anybody, that’s a long road. The built-in baby-teeth motivation of winning for the first time served its purpose, but winning for the second requires bigger teeth, and sharpening them means chewing on small-term goals along the way. And what triggers our hunger as seductively as the superlative? The taboo?
Until next spring, the question of ultimate success is pending. Once the games count again in October, the Knicks have plenty of reasons to keep pushing. Eight, let’s say.
GETTING AHEAD OF THE JONESES
So it’s hardly 1987, when for the 18th straight season a new champion was crowned. But the NBA’s currently in its most anti-incumbent era since, with the Knicks the eighth consecutive kings of yoink! When the 1988 Los Angeles Lakers became the first team since the Red Auerbach Celtics to repeat, it was kind of a big deal. Maybe not so much after Detroit knocked them off en route to their own repeat. After which Chicago won three straight, which . . . wow, right? Then Houston repeated. Bulls won three in a row again! Spurs blipped, then the Lakers went back-to-back-to-back.
Where was I? Ahh, yes. Believe it or not, if the Knicks were to win it all again in 2027 they’re in pole position to finish the 2020s as the team of the decade. That’d give them ownership of two decades, as they’re also the team of the 1970s, the league’s only other fragmented decade. Think about it. “The ‘70s Knicks” means something; it’s a proper noun, an ethos. Does it work with any other team from that time that won a ‘chip?
The ’70s Blazers, maybe, though for reasons more precious and parochial than cultural. The only team besides the Knicks to win more than once that decade were the Celtics, but unlike The ‘60s Celtics and The ’80s Celtics I’ve never gotten the sense the John Havlicek/Dave Cowens sides made the same kind of impact. Plus they’re the Celtics. So, no.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE FRIDAY NIGHT RUN-THROUGH AT THE LOMAXES
The Knicks have been around since the Truman presidency. There aren’t many heights nor hells this franchise hasn’t known. There are a few weird gaps. They’ve never won 46 games. Or 34. Or 25. Something else they’ve never done: win back-to-back titles.
Their best runs were reaching three straight Finals from 1951-1953, losing the first two to Minneapolis and then Rochester, and winning two titles while reaching three outta four Finals from 1970-1973. Simply repeating as Eastern champs would put these Knicks in a special place in team history. Repeating as NBA champs makes a case for them as the franchise GOATs.
LEAVE THEM OTHER CRABS BEHIND
If NBA teams were 30 crabs, 21 of them are either at the bottom of the bucket or within any number of crabs near enough to drag them down. Two crabs escaped long ago. Three are comfortably perched atop the bucket, looking down on the rabble. That leaves four crabs in-between the muck and the majesty. One is the Knicks.
The Knicks, Heat, Pistons and 76ers née Nationals have all won three championships. Only the Celtics, Lakers, Warriors, Bulls and Spurs have more. If the Knicks win this season, they’ll be all alone in sixth place. That doesn’t sound like much, but it’d give them bragging rights over 24 other teams. More importantly, it’d give us as fans bragging rights over 24 other fan bases. Is that petty? Petty’s what crabs is.
61
A magic number in New York sports. Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961. When 1986 NLCS MVP Jesse Orosco struck out Marty Barrett to win the World Series for the Mets he wore the number 47, but when Orosco broke in with the club in 1979 his first number was 61. The same number Rick Nash wore helping the 2014 Rangers to their first and only Stanley Cup Finals since 1994; Nash followed that up with a 42 goals in 2015. Props to those who remember Orestes Destrade, #61 for the Pinstripes in 1987. Admittedly this is Destrade hitting a home run for the Marlins, not the Yankees, when he wasn’t wearing 61. But it came against the Braves, and the ‘90s Braves went from easy to root for to easy to despise faster than you can say “Sammy Sosa.”
The Knicks record for wins in a season is 60, in 1970 and 1993. This year, they’re the hunted. What better way to stay sharp than to have something to play for over 82 games? Relatedly:
BE THE BIG FISH IN THEIR OWN POND
2013 was the last year Jason Kidd played. Same for Grant Hill. One ex-Knick, one never was, though Hill was rumored to be coming to the Knicks for so long it feels like played here. 2013 was also the last year the Knicks won their division. Droughts are the norm, apparently; the last one before then was 1994.
It’s not gonna get them a banner or anything, but I dunno. I grew up devouring box scores and standings. There’s just something cool about winning as much as you can, period. Divisions mean less ever, probably. I don’t care. It’s there. It exists. Win it. Relatedly:
BE THE BIG FISH IN AN EVEN BIGGER POND
1993 was the last year Michael Jordan played (the first time). Same for Bill Laimbeer. The man who tortured the ‘90s Knicks and the man who tortured the ‘80s Bulls. You probably knew MJ was born in NYC. Did you know Laimbeer was born in Boston? Two men born in two places many consider good enough. Both grew to surpass them — at the direct expense of their birthplace.
1993 was also the last time the Knicks finished the regular season tops in the East. Seems like it’s up for grabs, don’t it? The last two Eastern number ones, Cleveland and Detroit, are stuck somewhere between sad and meh. LeBron or no LeBron, superteams don’t jell overnight, and as long as Joel Embiid is a 76er their priority will always be game 83. Indiana’s never won more than 50 in the Tyrese Haliburton era. Boston? Har. Everybody else in the East? Har-dee-har-har.
There’s something cool about the road to the Finals going through MSG, something that’s only happened in 1953, 1954, 1970, 1971 and 1993. If the Knicks were to face a slate of, say, Washington, Boston and Philadelphia, they wouldn’t have to fly the entirety of the Eastern playoffs. Bet that came in handy last year, when New York went two months flying just once to Atlanta and once to Cleveland, versus San Antonio in the same period flying to the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Denver, Portland, Minnesota twice and Oklahoma City three times.
FIVE’S ALIVE
I was four when I started kindergarten. One morning a boy in my class went up to everybody as we were putting stuff away in our cubbies and asked how old we were. Everyone before me was five, to which he’d respond “Five’s alive.” When I told him my age he sneered. “Four’s a bore.” I was devastated.
1967 brought the Knicks the tail end of the Dick McGuire era and the arrival of a rookie named Cazzie Russell. It also brought a modest improvement from 30 to 36 wins. From such humble beginnings came four consecutive years of improved winning percentages, culminating with 60 wins in 1970 and the championship. If the Knicks win at least 54 games this season, it’d be five straight years, a franchise first. That won’t be on too many people’s minds this year, in the locker room or watching the games. But if they win a 54th game and your window is open keep an ear out for me, hollering with joy.
MIKE BROWN, KNICKERBOCKER TRAILBLAZER
There is somewhat of a chance Mike Brown coaches the Knicks for the entire 2026-27 season. If he does, he’ll move within twentysomething games of Don Chaney and Mike Woodson for the most in franchise history by a Black coach. While eight of the 22 non-Black Knick head coaches (36%) lasted at least three full seasons, 0% of their 10 Black coaches have.
Again: since the Truman administration. 50 years since Willis Reed became the Knicks’ first Black coach. Eddie Donovan, Hubie Brown and Mike D’Antoni all finished comfortably below .500. Brown would need to last two more seasons to approach their tenure. Would you bet that he does? It’s weird we can’t say yes with certainty. Not “weird” as in “unheard of,” a coach winning a title and being canned within two years. Weird as in “especially and peculiarly dumb,” which racists are and racism is.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 15: Fans wait out a rain delay before the game was eventually postponed before the first inning between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 15, 2021 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight’s game at Citi Field has been postponed. In anticipation of rain in Flushing this evening, the Mets and Braves will now play a split doubleheader tomorrow, July 29.
The first game will start at its previously scheduled time, 1:10 PM ET. Parking lots will open at 10:40 AM ET, and the gates will open at 11:40 AM ET. If you are wondering about the giveaway, the first 5,000 children will receive a Mr. and Mrs. Met Play-Doh set.
Game two will now start at 7:10 PM ET. Gates will not open for game two before 6:10 PM. If you previously paid for a ticket for tonight’s game (July 28), that ticket will be honored for the 7:10 PM game tomorrow night. The first 15,000 fans will still receive the Mr. Met on Deck Plush Doll. Prepaid parking will be honored alongside admission to the game.
If you are not able to attend the rescheduled game, digital vouchers and digital parking vouchers will be issued after game two as explained here.
Christian Scott and Chris Sale were supposed to face off this evening, and presumably will do so tomorrow evening instead. Sean Manaea and Grant Holmes are still listed as probably pitchers for the day game. The Mets will be looking to piggyback off their strong offensive showing on Monday night, and the Braves should have some relief pitching that is well rested in time for the back-to-back outings.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 26: Hunter Goodman #15 of the Colorado Rockies throws out a batter during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 26, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Boston Red Sox should be better after trading for infielder Curtis Mead.
It’s going to take more than that if they want to contend for the American League, though…
Mead was certainly worth the price they paid in order to obtain his services, as his presence not only ensures there will be some added pop to the lineup but puts others in a position to succeed. If you’re not convinced that he was worth giving up on starting pitcher Connelly Early, perhaps heed the words of chief baseball officer Craig Breslow on Sunday.
“I’ve tried to shift our goal… not to win the trade but to make our major league team better.”
Mead makes them better, but not as good as they’ll need to be to contend — which is why it is imperative that they continue both adding around the margins and taking swings at moves that can make them better both now and in the future.
What? Who? How?
It’s a losing proposition to identify individual players, but there are certainly some obvious positions to target — catcher, shortstop, starting pitcher, and relief pitcher.
The Red Sox have spent the last two years looking for that franchise cornerstone behind the plate, briefly being convinced by Carlos Narváez but presumably coming to the same conclusion that they previously came to with Connor Wong. Trevor Story and Marcelo Mayer have been soured on by just about everyone who gives a rat’s ass about the organization, with the majority of those same folks already turning their attention toward Franklin Arias — though he won’t probably make a difference at the big league level any time soon. Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett are approaching career-highs in innings pitched, so it would be nice to find someone who can eat innings in order to keep them kinda/sorta fresh for the stretch run.
Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams and Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman would represent those “swings” mentioned earlier, though obtaining their services would require giving up one of your stud young pitchers and/or several of your top prospects.
Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto and Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson are slightly cheaper options.
San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames and Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers are under-the-radar options.
I’d like to just see them continue the trend of trading from talent surpluses (outfield and pitching) to make upgrades that will help them for year’s to come (catcher and shortstop). If they don’t, their ceiling will remain relatively unimpressive.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JULY 7: Taj Bradley #26 of the Minnesota Twins (R) celebrates with Brooks Lee #22 as he returns to the dugout after pitching against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning of the game at Target Field on July 7, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A year ago, the Twins were major sellers at the trade deadline, sending 11 players away in trades including Carlos Correa, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and Louis Varland. But they kept most of their core young players, and a year later the organizations is hovering near .500, just a few games out of first. However they may decide to be aggressive sellers again, with pitcher Joe Ryan and catcher Ryan Jeffers drawing major trade interest. Whether Minnesota buys or sells this week could depend in part on how it performs against the Royals, making this series important for both clubs as the trade deadline looms.
Kansas City Royals (45-62) vs. Minnesota Twins (53-54) at Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
Byron Buxton is ninth among all hitters with 25 home runs, but is just 4-for-23 in his six games since coming off the Injured List from a hip injury. Trevor Larnach is hitting .342/.400/.562 with three home runs in his last 21 games. Ryan Jeffers is hitting .300/.379/.500 at home this year. Austin Martin has a .412 on base percentage against lefties. Josh Bell is hitting .327/.378/.598 with runners in scoring position.
Brooks Lee is hitting just .207/.276/.310 against lefties. Ryan Kreidler is hitting just .169/.197/.271 in 19 games in the month of July. The Twins are fourth-worst in Outs Above Average at -21 with Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee and Luke Keaschall each performing poorly in the infield.
The Royals haven’t yet announced starters for Wednesday or Thursday. Randy Dobnak seems like a good bet to face his former team, and the Royals could go with an opener again on Thursday ahead of Noah Cameron.
Taj Bradley is 4-1 over his last seven starts with a 2.93 ERA. He has the tenth-highest walk rate among qualified starters. He has a 3.14 ERA at home compared to 4.14 on the road.
Joe Ryan was scratched from his last start over the weekend with arm fatigue, after giving up eight runs in his last outing. He has dominated the Royals over his career, going 8-2 with a 2.49 ERA in 13 starts. Vinnie Pasquantino is 6-for-22 (.273) against him with a home run and two doubles.
Bailey Ober lasted just four innings, allowing four runs and had his fastball clocked in the high 80s in his last start. He has a 4.74 ERA in 14 career starts against the Royals. Ober throws his change up 35 percent of the time, with a 23 percent whiff rate, while opponents are hitting .298 against his four-seamer.
The Twins traded away much of their bullpen a year ago, but have assembled a collection of no-namers to post the tenth-best bullpen ERA this year at 3.32. They have just 12 blown saves – only four teams have fewer. Yoendrys Gómez has a 1.78 ERA in 30.1 innings since the Twins purchased him from the Rays in May. Kody Funderburk has a 59.5 percent groundball rate. Right-handed hitters are batting .314/.380/.529 against Taylor Rogers.
This could be a big week for the Twins as they assess their chances of competing in a weak division. They have dropped five of seven to the last place Royals this year, so they can hardly afford another disappointing series.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 20: Zac Veen #13 of the Colorado Rockies greets manager Warren Schaeffer #4 as teams are announced on the opening day of Spring Training games at Salt River Fields on Friday, February 20, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper)
The swing scouts wrote poems about in 2020 has finally shown up in a box score, and it arrived without the wreckage that usually accompanies it.
Zac Veen (PuRP No. 9), in his second full season at Triple-A Albuquerque, is doing damage at a rate he has never approached as a professional. He is slugging .562, up from .468 at the same level a year ago. His isolated power (ISO) has climbed from .179 to .256. He has 49 extra-base hits in 88 games — 27 doubles, six triples, and 16 home runs — after producing just 39 in 90 games in 2025.
ZAC VEEN WILL NOT BE STOPPED! His second home run of the day ties it up!
Gains that size come with a bill, and it is usually paid in the strikeout column. Veen has struck out in 21.0 percent of his plate appearances this season, against 20.4 percent in 2025. He is missing at the same frequency he did a year ago and doing considerably more with the pitches he catches.
The bill that never came
That distinction matters for a player with Veen’s history. Colorado drafted him ninth overall in 2020 out of Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange, Florida, on the strength of a left-handed swing that scouts believed would eventually produce power. It mostly didn’t, and the reasons were a mix of injury and approach: season-ending left-wrist surgery in 2023, a thumb injury that limited him to 65 games in 2024, and stretches where the pursuit of that projected power produced elevated strikeout totals instead. He struck out in 26.3 percent of his plate appearances at Low-A in 2021 and 24.4 percent across two levels in 2022.
A bigger player, not a different hitter
Part of the answer is that he is simply a bigger player than he was a year ago — and that he wasn’t trying to be a different hitter. Asked during spring training whether the added muscle explained his newfound power, Veen said he considered himself a hitter first, focused on driving line drives. He described an offseason getting back to the basics, hitting the ball up the middle, and said that as he got bigger and stronger, the ball simply started jumping more. He was explicit that he did not see himself as a power hitter. Four months of Triple-A slugging suggest that was right about the process and wrong about the label.
The straightforward reading of the rest is that he stopped chasing the power and it arrived anyway. The evidence supports it.
He is not selling out for loft — the strikeout rate would show it — and he is not living on home runs, either. The 27 doubles already match a career high at any level, and the six triples are tied for the most among Isotopes hitters. This is a hitter driving the ball to the gaps at a rate he has never previously sustained.
The walks disappeared June 1
The complication is the calendar, and it deserves more than a footnote.
Veen hit .358/.500/.617 in May, drawing 23 walks in 106 plate appearances. That is the best month of plate discipline in his professional career, and it ended abruptly. Since June 1, he has walked seven times in 173 plate appearances — a rate of 4.0 percent, against a strikeout rate of 20.7 percent. The hitter who controlled the zone in May stopped showing up in June and has not returned.
The PCL Player of the Month award for June goes to Mr. Veen!
He slashed .366/.385/.782 with 13 doubles, four triples, seven homers and 19 RBI. Also led the PCL with 37 hits and all of MiLB with 79 total bases in June.
Across the full stretch since June 1, he is still hitting .307/.335/.639, with 32 of his 51 hits going for extra bases. A collapsed walk rate and a .650 slugging percentage are not generally supposed to coexist for two months.
They stopped coexisting in July. Veen is hitting .215/.261/.415 this month with 16 strikeouts and just four walks in 69 plate appearances. The approach had been deteriorating since the start of June: what changed this month is that the contact quality finally followed it down. The only thing that hasn’t moved is his strikeout rate.
Whatever Veen lost in June and July, it wasn’t his bat-to-ball. He is putting the ball in play as often as he did when he was slugging .782; he is simply swinging at more of the wrong pitches and getting less out of them.
The case for a second look
Which leaves the Rockies with a genuine question rather than an obvious answer.
Veen is on the 40-man roster and holds 0.015 years of service time from a 12-game debut in 2025 that produced four hits and 14 strikeouts in 37 plate appearances. He turns 25 in December. The full-season profile — more power, same contact, a career-best .944 OPS — is the strongest argument he has ever made for a second look.
The last four weeks are the argument against, and they’re the ones happening now.
Albuquerque opened its six-game home set against the Round Rock Express (Texas Rangers) with a pair of wins, then watched the rotation come apart. The Isotopes dropped the final four, including both ends of Saturday’s doubleheader, and were outscored 38-9 over that stretch as three different starters allowed at least three earned runs. The back of the bullpen was largely untouched — John Brebbia and Nick Frasso combined for scoreless work across the series — but the early deficits proved too deep.
⬆️ Stock Up: Stevens stays scalding
Chas Stevens was one of the few Isotopes who never cooled off, collecting eight hits in 18 at-bats (.444) with a triple, a stolen base, and three multi-hit games in five appearances. He scored four times and reached base in four of the five games he played, keeping his season average at .332. On a club that managed nine runs across the final four games, Stevens kept putting himself in position to score. The Isotopes are losing ground quickly, now sitting in fourth place and nine games back of the PCL East second-half lead.
Chad Stevens leads off the third with a triple! He then comes in to score on a sac fly to put us on the board.
Adael Amador managed just two hits in 15 at-bats over five games, a .133 stretch that dropped his season average to .259. Both hits went for doubles, so the contact he did make had authority, but they were isolated moments in a series where he otherwise struggled to reach — he drew three walks and drove in a single run. For a player trying to make his case for another look at the big-league level, it was a step in the wrong direction.
Upcoming
The Isotopes head to El Paso for a six-game series against the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres).
Hartford spent a week in Richmond trading games with the best team in the Eastern League and never strung two together in either direction — the Yard Goats alternated wins and losses across all six, finishing 3-3 against a Flying Squirrels club (San Francisco Giants) that closed the week at 57-37. Mike Antico’s three-run homer and five RBIs carried the doubleheader opener; Jack Mahoney followed with six innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 win, and Stu Flesland III took the third victory with 6.2 innings on Saturday. The losses were competitive outside of a 7-0 shutout, in which Hartford managed five hits. Andy Perez was the most complete bat of the trip, homering twice, stealing two bases, and driving in four while playing all six games. Hartford sits at 11-16 in the second half, but has already clinched a postseason spot after winning the first half division title.
⬆️ Stock Up: Prosecky shuts the Squirrels down twice
Michael Prosecky (PuRP No. 25) took the ball first in two of six games and didn’t allow a run in either. He worked 4.2 innings across the pair, scattering three hits and two walks while striking out seven — including five in a 2.2-inning turn in Sunday’s finale. Both outings were short by design, but the results were identical: no damage against a lineup that scored 26 runs in the series. His season ERA dropped to 4.08.
⬇️ Stock Down: Kokoska can’t find a hit
Zach Kokoska went 0-for-13 across four appearances, striking out four times and failing to find barrels. He drew a pair of walks, but the hitless stretch pulled his average down to .258.
Upcoming
The Goats return home for six games against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays)
High-A: Spokane Indians (2-4, 46-50 Overall)
Spokane won the opener against the Tri-City Dust Devils (Los Angeles Angels), then lost four in a row before salvaging the finale with a 12-run outburst. Two of the losses turned on a single frame: a two-out grand slam off Tyler Hampu in the fifth on Thursday, and a seven-run seventh on Friday in which Justin Loer was charged with all seven (five earned) while recording one out. Tanner Thach homered three times and drove in eight despite hitting .174 for the week, and Bryson Hammer was excellent across two appearances, striking out 13 over nine innings with one earned run. The Indians remain tied for first place in the Northwest League second-half standings.
⬆️ Stock Up:Tommy torches Tri-City
Tommy Hopfe put together another strong week for the Indians. He collected 13 hits in 24 at-bats (.542) with a home run, two doubles, and eight RBIs across five games, opening with a 3-for-5 night and closing with a three-hit, three-RBI performance in the finale. He owns a .973 OPS since June 1 and is making a real case for a promotion.
Justin Loer’s second half has gone sideways in a hurry. He was charged with five earned runs while recording just one out in Friday’s seventh inning, walking three and surrendering a home run in an outing that turned a 3-1 game into a route. It was a near-copy of his previous appearance against Everett, when he allowed four runs and walked four while again only getting one out. Across those two outings, he has faced 15 batters, retired only two of them, and watched his ERA continue to climb.
Upcoming
Spokane heads north of the border to face the Vancouver Canadians (Toronto Blue Jays) in a six-game set.
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (5-1, 54-42 Overall)
Fresno dropped the opener to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Los Angeles Angels) and then didn’t lose again, reeling off five consecutive wins to close the home stand. Two of them came in the last at-bat — a three-run ninth to steal the second game and a 10-inning walk-off on Saturday— the Grizzlies bookended the stretch with blowouts, scoring 17 runs on Thursday and 19 on Sunday. Carlos Renzullo hit .423 over all six games, Kyle Fossum added a grand slam in the finale, and the bullpen quietly did its part: Luke Hansel, Yanzel Correa, Dylan Crooks, and Seth Clausen combined for 7.2 scoreless innings. Fresno is now in a three-way tie for first in the California League North.
⬆️ Stock Up:Wilder goes wild
Wilder Dalis (PuRP No. 24) was the best hitter in the entire California League this week. The shortstop went 12-for-23 (.522) with four home runs, three doubles, four stolen bases, and 12 RBIs, playing all six games and homering in three straight to open the series before adding a fourth in Sunday’s rout. His 4-for-5, four-RBI finale capped a stretch that pushed his season average to .300 with 11 homers and 51 RBIs.
It’s never fun to put a new addition in the stock down section, but Vidourek made a pretty good case this week. He managed just one hit in 17 at-bats across five games, striking out nine times, including four in an 0-for-6 finale. To his credit, he kept working counts — seven walks in the series meant he still reached regularly — but the contact never came, and his season average slipped to .161.
Upcoming
The Grizzlies hit the road to face the Ontario Water Buzzers (Los Angeles Dodgers) for a six-game series in Ontario.
ACL: ACL Rockies (3-1 in final regular-season week, 40-19 overall; 2-1 in the postseason)
The complex-league Rockies closed the regular season the way they spent all of it — on top. They took three of four in the final week, including a 10-2 win over the Guardians and a combined four-hit shutout of the Athletics, to finish 40-19 and win the ACL East. Then came the postseason: a 13-9 win over the ACL Angels in the one-game semi-final, followed by a 9-8 survival test against the ACL Reds in Game 1 of the ACL World Series. That one nearly slipped away after a ninth-inning grand slam made it a one-run contest. The Rockies fell 6-4 in 11 innings on Monday, setting up a winner-takes-all game three Tuesday night.
⬆️ Stock Up:Arguelles doesn’t cool off
Cristian Arguelles finished the regular season hitting .455 (5-for-11) over three games with a home run, a double, and three stolen bases, finishing at .402 for the year. Then he raised it: 5-for-8 with four RBI across the semi-final and the World Series Opener. Ten hits in 19 at-bats over the week in games of increasing consequence — Arguelles has been the most reliable bat in the ACL this season and hasn’t blinked in the postseason.
⬆️ Stock Up:Wilmes turns it on in the playoffs
Ben Wilmes finished the regular season at .405 after being signed by the organization on June 11, and found another gear once the games started counting double. He went 5-for-8 across the semi-final and the World Series opener with four RBIs, driving in three in the 13-9 win over the Angels and adding a double, a steal, and another run driven in against the Reds. Throughout the full week, he collected 10 hits in 21 at-bats and scored nine runs.
DSL: DSL Colorado (4-1) & DSL Rockies (2-3)
The two Dominican Summer League affiliates went in opposite directions again. DSL Colorado won four of five, opening with an 11-run third inning against the Mets Blue and closing with a 12-3 rout of the Rangers Blue, to move to 27-12 and hold first place in the DSL Southeast. Larry Suero homered twice and drove in five, Jendry Guaraco added a grand slam among his six RBIs, and Williams Ferrufino tripled twice while stealing four bases. DSL Rockies took two of five and sit at 18-20, fifth in the DSL East, though not for lack of drama — trailing 7-0 through seven innings on Saturday, they scored six in the eighth and six in the ninth to win 12-9. Carlos Mota drove in a team-high eight runs for the week, and Victor Castellano earned both Rockies victories.
⬆️ Stock Up: De Paula Keeps the Line Moving
Rosniell De Paula was on base constantly for DSL Colorado, going 7-for-19 (.368) with a triple, a double, and four RBI across all five games. What stands out is what happened after he reached: he scored nine runs, tied for the most on the club, and touched home in every game. He’s up to a .350 batting average on the year.
⬇️ Stock Down: Cancro Goes Cold
Danny Cancro managed two hits in 13 at-bats. The .154 stretch came with no RBIs and four strikeouts over four games. He remains one of the more productive bats in the Rockies’ order, which is what makes this quiet stretch worth watching rather than worrying about.
Many of you didn’t care for that idea as Detmers is more of a fly-ball pitcher.
So, let’s look at Soriano, who is known as more of a ground-ball type who might really be helped by the elite Cubs infield defense.
Soriano is a few months older than Detmers, but both are in their age-27 season in 2026. Soriano got off to a fantastic start this year, including six shutout innings against the Cubs March 31 at Wrigley Field. He was sailing along with an ERA of 0.84 and a WHIP of 0.938 at the end of April (in seven starts) when he went through a stretch much like the one Shōta Imanaga had. In 11 starts in May and June Soriano posted a 5.34 ERA and 1.605 WHIP and nine home runs allowed in 57.1 innings. (Okay, not quite as bad as Imanaga, but you get the idea.)
He’s returned to better pitching in July, posting a 2.74 ERA and 0.957 WHIP in four starts this month, with no homers in 23 innings.
He throws hard, but also has a good selection of offspeed stuff:
Like Detmers, Soriano comes with two years of team control after 2026. He’s making $2.9 million this year so the Cubs would be absorbing a bit under $1 million of contract if they trade for him, which they can certainly handle.
The Angels, according to a person briefed on their pursuits, are interested in acquiring a young catcher. Owen Ayers, the Cubs’ No. 10 prospect according to The Athletic’s Keith Law, might qualify. Ayers, 25, started the season in High A and is now at Triple A.
I wrote that I’d do that deal, Ayers for Detmers. I’d do the same thing for Soriano.
The Red Sox have been on a hot streak that has not only turned around their season and gotten them into a wild-card spot, but it’s also reshaped the futures markets.
Key Takeaways
The Red Sox won 15 consecutive games in July and are 18-3 over the month.
Kalshi gives Boston a 68% chance to make the postseason.
The team’s odds to win the AL went from +8,000 to +850 in five weeks.
The Red Sox, who are 18-3 in July, currently sit +850 at BetMGM to claim the AL pennant and are listed fourth in the operator's market behind the favored New York Yankees (+210), Tampa Bay Rays (+550), and Seattle Mariners (+550).
“The Red Sox season appeared to be over in June, but a historic 15-game winning streak has Boston back in contention,” BetMGM senior trader Matthew Rasp said. “Since the All-Star break, 50% of money wagered has been on the Red Sox to win the American League.”
Boston’s odds to win the World Series have gone from +15,000 to +2,200 over the last five weeks, though eight teams still have shorter odds and 10 have attracted more money in the World Series market.
What a run
The Red Sox looked destined to be sellers at the Aug. 3 trade deadline before its July surge changed the outlook. Instead, Boston is seven games back in the AL East and up two games in the wild-card hunt, with the club now reportedly seeking a shortstop upgrade before the deadline.
Boston, which has the second-best run differential in the AL, has won three of its last four games heading into Tuesday’s contest against the Athletics and sits 55-50.
At prediction market platform Kalshi, the Red Sox have a 68% chance of making the postseason. Their chances were as low as 12% on July 3, the day the 15-game streak began.
The Red Sox opened the regular season at +750, the fifth-shortest odds to win the AL. That number spiked to +8,000 on June 22 when they were 31-45 after losing six of eight contests. They went 6-3 over the next nine games and were 37-48 on July 3.
That incredible win streak started with a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Boston’s odds to win the AL were +4,000 on July 6. By July 20, the Red Sox were down to +1,000 after winning 14 consecutive games. They won the first of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles on July 22 but lost the nightcap, ending the run. Boston is 3-2 since the streak ended.
Market battles
The Red Sox have taken 9.5% of the tickets and 7.6% of the handle in the AL winner market at BetMGM, but the Chicago White Sox are the biggest liability with odds that ballooned as high as +20,000 in May. Chicago is down to +1,200 and getting 5.7% of the bets and 4.1% of the money.
The AL Central-leading White Sox are also the second biggest liability in BetMGM’s World Series winner market, second only to the NL basement-dwelling Colorado Rockies.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who own MLB's best record, are the most-bet team by tickets (11.8%) and handle (21.6%). Their odds have shortened from +350 when the World Series winner market opened to +170 this week.
The Yankees have also shortened from +800 to +550, and they are second with 9.1% of the bets and 9% of the money.
We are now approaching a month since the beginning of the 2026 free agency, and several former Florida Panthers players are without a contract.
The Panthers' lineup is likely full, as the team currently has just $34,286 of cap space with 22 players signed to their NHL roster, according to puckpedia.com.
The Panthers may sign some AHL deals or possibly two-way deals before now and training camp, but for now, the roster is set, which means the players who played for the Panthers last season won’t be returning.
Those players are highlighted by Luke Kunin, Jeff Petry, and Tomas Nosek. Other former Panthers players who remain unsigned include Reilly Smith, Mike Reilly, Evgenii Dadonov, and Vladimir Tarasenko.
Luke Kunin, C
Kunin signed a one-year deal with the Panthers last off-season, hoping to win the role of the fourth-line center.
It didn't pan out for Kunin, as the 28-year-old skated in just 62 games, serving as a healthy scratch for a large part of the season. Kunin mustered just four goals and 10 points and averaged a career low in ice time at just 9:41.
Kunin will likely be required to sign a professional tryout prior to pre-season and will aim to earn a league-minimum contract. He has previously shown he can be a viable player, but the 2025-26 campaign has hurt his stock. With 496 games of NHL experience, Kunin should find an NHL home.
Petry also signed a one-year deal with the Panthers last off-season, looking to serve as the Panthers' sixth defenseman. Unfortunately, Petry couldn't really find his footing with the Panthers and was traded to the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline.
At 38 years old, Petry is no spring chicken. Petry was once a solid offensive defenseman, but he doesn’t have the foot speed to be reliable and a difference-maker offensively. There is a real possibility that Petry is unable to find a team next season.
Nosek served valiantly for the Panthers in their second Stanley Cup victory, but a knee injury knocked the 33-year-old out for most of the 2025-26 season, and the Panthers ultimately decided to move on.
Lars Eller and Cole Schwindt are expected to take over the roles Nosek and Kunin occupied last season.
Nosek has accumulated 514 games of NHL experience, proving to be an effective fourth-line center. Like Kunin, if Nosek is hoping to continue his NHL career, he'll be required to sign a PTO.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 24: Max Muncy #13, Shohei Ohtani #17 and Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after defeating the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 24, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
That series in Arlington wasn’t a complete disaster thanks to that come-from-behind victory on Sunday, but the Mariners were pretty thoroughly outplayed by the Rangers over the last four games. That puts Seattle in a really tough position. The team clearly isn’t good enough as constructed — they’re also supposedly a buyer ahead of the trade deadline too — but it feels like the issues on the roster are deep enough that pasting over a few acquisitions this week won’t solve the underlying problems (namely, massive underperformance from Cal and Julio). Anyway, the M’s will be making big decisions about the rest of their season while playing a three-game set against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Good luck.
The Dodgers are well on their way towards becoming the first team since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees to win three championships in a row. They’ve got the best record in baseball, a 12.5 game lead in the NL West, and are essentially in cruise control until they reach the playoffs. They’ve dealt with their fair share of injuries this year — Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Edwin Díaz, and Will Smith are all currently on the IL and a knee injury is preventing Shohei Ohtani from pitching at the moment — but the depth on this roster has reduced the impact from all those issues. This team is truly the best in baseball.
Player
Position
Bats
PA
K%
BB%
ISO
wRC+
Shohei Ohtani
DH
L
447
23.0%
13.9%
0.329
143
Andy Pages
CF
R
452
20.1%
8.4%
0.191
115
Freddie Freeman
1B
L
446
16.6%
11.2%
0.190
140
Max Muncy
3B
L
367
24.0%
12.0%
0.244
133
Mookie Betts
SS
R
296
12.2%
7.8%
0.181
90
Tommy Edman
2B
S
113
18.6%
7.1%
0.153
153
Kyle Tucker
RF
L
413
19.4%
12.1%
0.138
99
Teoscar Hernández
LF
R
282
27.7%
9.2%
0.139
97
Dalton Rushing
C
L
231
27.7%
10.0%
0.217
119
While the impact from Ohtani’s knee injury has been focused on his work on the mound, it’s possible the injury has been affecting him at the plate somewhat. He injured the knee on June 11; since then he’s produced a merely human 107 wRC+. The Dodgers have two other former MVPs in their lineup and they’re aging in very divergent ways. Freddy Freeman is in the midst of another fantastic season (140 wRC+) while Mookie Betts has really struggled for the second consecutive season (90 wRC+). Los Angeles also hasn’t gotten much from Kyle Tucker, a huge offseason acquisition; he’s limped to a 99 wRC+ in what has been the worst season of his career. Despite uncharacteristically poor production from two of their superstars, Max Muncy (133 wRC+), Andy Pages (115 wRC+), and Tommy Edman (153 wRC+) have picked up a lot of the slack.
Justin Wrobleski has been one of the unsung heroes of the Dodgers pitching staff. Surrounded by big name pitchers, he’s posted the second lowest ERA and FIP among the starters on Los Angeles’ roster — better than Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, and Blake Snell. Wrobleski isn’t overpowering opposing batters, running one of the lowest strikeout rates among qualified starters. He doesn’t walk many either, which helps his strikeout-to-walk ratio look really good. The key to his success is inducing a ton of weak fly ball contact. That’s suppressed his BABIP and he’s been lucky enough to keep all that elevated contact inside the park. His 4.14 xFIP is nearly two runs higher than his ERA and a run higher than his FIP.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Eric Lauer
82
15.0%
8.1%
14.7%
31.4%
4.83
6.11
Emerson Hancock
105.1
23.4%
6.3%
11.1%
41.6%
3.16
3.73
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
44.1%
43.7%
91.0
84
95
87
0.367
Cutter
18.4%
22.6%
87.2
96
85
116
0.354
Changeup
19.5%
0.8%
84.3
79
43
84
0.319
Curveball
14.2%
8.3%
75.7
93
60
124
0.315
Slider
3.8%
24.6%
82.6
102
34
84
0.257
Eric Lauer enjoyed a nice bounce back season in Toronto last year after spending all of 2024 in Korea. He couldn’t keep up the improvements and he was traded to the Dodgers in May. His ERA has come down in Los Angeles, but his peripherals are still pretty rough and his limited success can probably be chalked up to the greatly improved team context he’s pitching in now. The biggest problem for him is the total collapse of his strikeout rate; it’s dropped nearly nine points and it’s currently at a career-low. Both of his breaking balls have seen their whiff rates drop dangerously low. Without those pitches earning swings and misses, he doesn’t have any other weapons to keep batters from pounding his fastball.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Roki Sasaki
93.2
23.6%
9.0%
18.9%
42.0%
4.71
5.19
Bryce Miller
68.2
26.9%
4.2%
12.8%
36.3%
2.75
3.65
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
39.1%
45.1%
97.8
98
89
105
0.409
Splitter
23.9%
28.4%
90.2
126
105
123
0.264
Forkball
8.6%
10.1%
85.4
121
94
133
0.225
Slider
28.4%
16.4%
86.6
110
121
113
0.236
Roki Sasaki’s introduction to the major leagues has been pretty rough. A shoulder injury interrupted his adjustment period last year, though he did return late in the season to play a critical role out of the Dodgers bullpen. This year, he’s tweaked his pitch mix to reintroduce a hard splitter to give him two different offspeed pitches to attack batters with. His command is still pretty spotty and his fastball hasn’t given him much of a foundation to work off of. Still, he’s shown spurts of promise with his expanded repertoire and honed mechanics. He may be working through his development process in the big leagues, but he’s shown a lot of resilience in the face of high expectations and tons of failure.
The Big Picture:
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Rangers
54-52
0.509
—
-21
L-W-W-L-W
Astros
53-55
0.491
2.0
-45
W-W-W-L-W
Mariners
52-55
0.486
2.5
+8
L-L-L-W-L
Athletics
44-62
0.415
10.0
-127
L-W-L-L-L
Angels
42-65
0.393
12.5
-67
L-L-L-W-L
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Yankees
60-46
0.566
+6.5
+88
W-W-W-L-W
Red Sox
55-50
0.524
+2.0
+48
L-W-L-W-W
Guardians
54-53
0.505
—
-18
L-L-L-L-L
Twins
53-54
0.495
1.0
-27
W-W-L-W-W
Astros
53-55
0.491
1.5
-45
W-W-W-L-W
Mariners
52-55
0.486
2.0
+8
L-L-L-W-L
Orioles
52-55
0.486
2.0
-11
W-L-W-L-W
The Mariners slipped to third place in the division after the Astros won the first game of their series against the Angels yesterday. Los Angeles was leading 4-2 in the ninth, but allowed four runs on one hit in the top of the ninth to blow the game. After beating up on the Mariners, the Rangers will head to Tampa Bay to face the best team in the AL. Over in the Wild Card race, the Guardians play in Cincinnati this week while the Twins host the Royals.
