BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 13: General view of the ballpark from field level as Trey Gibson (43) of the Baltimore Orioles delivers a pitch to Xander Bogaerts (2) of the San Diego Padres during an MLB game on June 13, 2026 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Hello, friends.
Are you ready to start to think about the 2027 Orioles? This isn’t a statement about the team’s postseason chances. Rather, MLB released the regular season schedules for every team for next year, setting Orioles Opening Day for March 25 for a season that will run through September 26. That’s early!
The looming expiration of baseball’s Collective Bargaining Agreement at the beginning of December does mean there is a certain amount of optimism in thinking that the season will actually begin on that date. The owners are going to lock out the players as soon as the deal expires, which will put a halt to player movement until there is a new deal reached.
There is a lot of doomerism that goes around regarding whether there will even be a 2027 season. I don’t go in for that. I think it will probably look a lot like it did the last time around, five years ago. It will take the soft deadline of spring training starting up and regular season games being imperiled to solve whatever brinksmanship is going on. The last round of negotiations actually saw the league cancel a week’s worth of games before later deciding, no, we’ll still play 162, just the scheduled first week will happen last instead.
That’s going to make for a boring December and January for people who like to follow the flow of a baseball offseason. There will be no player movement during the lockout period. No major league free agent signings, no trades. Orioles fans are used to this already from Mike Elias’s typical offseason behavior, though that joke is a bit more stale after Elias did do some major moves over the last offseason.
The situation will probably feel apocalyptic up until the calendar hits February and they start to get serious with the negotiation. If the owners feel like they have leverage as the situation winds to its conclusion, that will probably result in worse things happening to the game of baseball overall. If the players end up with the upper hand, they may be able to make things a little better for themselves. Once a deal comes together, there will be a frantic week or two before players report for spring training, then everything can go from there.
Or at least that’s my guess. Despite my inherent pessimism, things often go worse than I figure they will. This would hardly be the first time. The 2026 Orioles season so far is another such example. I didn’t have high hopes for these dudes, and they’re still disappointing me. It won’t be the last time either.
The non-mathematical second half starts in Houston at 8:10 tonight. We’ll start to find out if they can rally out of the hole they’ve dug for themselves early on. It’s not as deep of a hole as last year, but it’s still a hole and they’re going to have to keep playing well to get out of it. On Thursday evening, the Orioles announced the rotation coming out of the break. Dean Kremer starts tonight, with Trevor Rogers on Saturday and Kyle Bradish on Sunday.
The Orioles also made the roster move putting Blaze Alexander on the injured list yesterday. The team recalled infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand from Triple-A Norfolk as the corresponding move. The 26-year-old righty batter has played in parts of three MLB seasons before this, compiling a .233/.275/.404 batting line with spotty defensive numbers, mostly at first base. He’ll fit right in. He’s posted a .273/.309/.555 line with the Tides, knocking 17 homers in 61 games. If he hits a lot of homers in a short span for the Orioles, we’ll probably like him. First impressions are worth a lot.
Orioles arms need to keep pitching in for second half run (School of Roch) Kind of as a companion to the above, one thing that will keep Elias from getting fired is if the pitchers that he has assembled deliver better collective results than they did before the break.
Replacement-level killers: Center field, left field (FanGraphs) The Orioles check in for having the second-worst center field situation of any contending team. If Colton Cowser was hitting overall, this would not be so bad. But, he’s not.
How Blaze Alexander adjusted his swing to become one of MLB’s top bats (The Baltimore Sun) Let’s just be plain, Alexander isn’t one of MLB’s top bats under any range of “top” that I’d accept. He did very well from May 1 until his injury, though, and his absence is going to be felt. Hopefully the team can manage to get a couple of its still-struggling guys to find adjustments that will work for them too.
Today in 1991, Sam Horn set a record by becoming the first position player to strike out six times in a row within the same game. This lamentable feat occurred over the course of a 15-inning Orioles loss to the Royals.
There is one lone former Oriole who was born on this day. Happy 32nd to Josh Lester, who appeared in 11 games for the 2023 Orioles.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: Declaration of Independence signer, 5th vice president, and enduring congressional district-shaping namesake Elbridge Gerry (1744), actor James Cagney (1899), pianist Vince Guaraldi (1928), longtime German chancellor Angela Merkel (1954), and DJ Darude (1975).
On this day in history…
In 1203, soldiers of the Fourth Crusade, who had been organized to capture Jerusalem, assaulted Constantinople instead, sending the Byzantine emperor of the time, Alexios III Angelos, into exile.
In 1453, the final battle of the Hundred Years War was waged as the English and French clashed in Castillion. The French victory in this battle led to England losing all possessions on the continent except for Calais. It took until October for the war to officially end.
In 1821, Spain transferred control of Florida to the United States.
In 1918, deposed Russian tsar Nicholas II and his immediate family were executed while being held in captivity in Yekaterinburg.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on July 17. Have a safe Friday. Go O’s!
The MLB trade deadline is fast approaching, but finding any clarity in the playoff chase before then is highly unlikely.
With roughly two-thirds of all major league teams at least within striking distance of a wild-card spot, it's going to be hard to tell the buyers from the sellers over the next few weeks. Until they start making deals.
Expect a lot of waiting and then a flurry of trades before the deadline as teams look to tweak their rosters for the stretch run. Any players on the 40-man roster acquired before the deadline will be eligible to play for their new clubs in the postseason.
When is the MLB trade deadline?
The MLB trade deadline, traditionally July 31, is a bit later than it's been in the past. With the 31st on a Friday this year, MLB has decided to move the deadline later.
Trade deadline: Monday, August 3
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Which teams are looking to make a splash at the deadline?
There seems to be no shortage of interesting arms this time around as well. The big question is whether or not their current teams will be willing to part with them. Starters Tarik Skubal, Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan could be difference-makers in the postseason. So could closers Mason Miller, Josh Hader and Aroldis Chapman.
On the hitting side, the San Francisco Giants could be the most active seller with 1B Rafael Devers, 2B Luis Arraez, SS Willy Adames, 3B Matt Chapman and IF Casey Schmitt all reportedly available.
Here are six teams – three from the American League and three from the National League – with the greatest needs:
The Yankees desperately need an upgrade at catcher. Minnesota's Ryan Jeffers would make sense, but Colorado's Hunter Goodman would be the ultimate prize. Do the Yanks have the prospects to get a deal done? They could also use some pitching depth while they wait for injured starters Max Fried and Carlos Rodon to return. Surprisingly, the Yankees have the lowest bullpen ERA in the majors (3.04) at the break.
Tampa Bay Rays
Record: 56-38, 1st in AL East
This season is shaping up as the Rays' best chance to win a World Series since they fell to the Dodgers in 2020. Upgrades at catcher and middle infield would help. Or do they just try to patch those holes from within? A big left-handed bat to complement slugger Junior Caminero might be what puts the Rays over the top.
The Mariners have been hovering all season around the .500 mark, which up until recently was good enough for first place in the division. A five-game losing skid just before the break still lingers as they plot their strategy. With perhaps the deepest starting rotation in the majors, Seattle could even look to deal veteran Luis Castillo to upgrade an offense that ranks 28th out of 30 teams in scoring at 4.04 runs per game.
Atlanta Braves
Record: 55-40, 1st in NL East
The Braves have survived a flood of injuries and still managed to stay atop the division. But the Philadelphia Phillies are surging, and the Miami Marlins are surprisingly keeping pace. Outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. seems close to returning from his hamstring strain, but starters Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach may not be back until September. An addition to the rotation seems like a must. Could Atlanta make a move to pair Skubal with another Cy Young-winning left-hander in Chris Sale?
Miami Marlins
Record: 52-45, 3rd in NL East
Could a franchise that's never won a division title − but has won two World Series − take that pathway to success once more? The Marlins have above-average hitting and pitching, but could benefit greatly from a big outfield bat.
Chicago Cubs
Record: 54-42, 2nd in NL Central
The Cubs are five games out of first place in the division but currently sit in the first wild-card spot. They have the resources to add payroll, but they may not have the prospects to land an impact player. So, youngsters Matt Shaw and Moises Ballesteros could be on the block. The Cubs already added lefty David Peterson to supplement an injury-ravaged pitching staff. Much more needs to be done.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees is introduced before the 2026 Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park on July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome back to the show everyone. After a four-day All-Star Break excursion, we now return to our regularly scheduled programming. The second half of the season is here, and the Yankees start off the back end of their calendar with a doozy, a three-game set against the two-time defending-champion Dodgers. It’ll be the first time the Yankees and Dodgers have faced off in the Bronx since that fateful Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, giving the Yankees a chance to exorcise some demons, at least in a small way.
You can get prepped for the series with LA with Josh’s preview of the three games. We’ll also continue our trade deadline coverage with Matt’s look at Twins starter Joe Ryan, and our Yankee Birthday series with Nick’s profile of a quietly important figure in Yankees history. And later, Jonathan reviews how the Yankees’ 2026 draft picks did in the College World Series, and Madison delivers the answers to this week’s mailbag.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Time: 7:05 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, SportsNet LA, MLB Network
Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Questions/Prompts:
1. What do you expect from this interesting Gerrit Cole vs. Roki Sasaki matchup tonight?
2. Did you catch up on anything you’d been meaning to during the All-Star Break?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 05: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees singles during the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on July 05, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
SNY | Alex Smith: MLB announced full schedules for the 2027 season Thursday. The Yankees will start the campaign at home with three-game sets against the Blue Jays and Athletics before heading to Cleveland and then Pittsburgh on a road trip. The Subway Series will be held in Queens from May 28-30 and in the Bronx from July 16-18. The Yankees close out the year with three consecutive series against division opponents that could prove pivotal to the playoff race.
New York Post | Jack Harris: When the Dodgers take the field this weekend in the Bronx, they’ll be without their best pitcher. After having his knee drained over the All-Star break, Shohei Ohtani will not take the mound against the Yankees. The Dodgers are hopeful he’ll be able to remain in their lineup at DH. Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are scheduled to start during the three-game set. Ohtani is 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA through 14 starts this year.
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: ($) Cam Schlittler likes to pitch angry, using slights (real or perceived) to motivate him. The Yankees have been adding fuel to the fire. Ahead of his eight-inning, one-run performance against the Rays last week, Yankees director of organizational performance Chad Bohling played a clip of podcaster Jared Carrabis saying Schlittler was regressing. The motivational tactic is a trend that dates back to college, when the little-heralded prospect would consume media that failed to mention him to keep him hungry. It’s an approach he hopes is well-suited for the Big Apple. “We’ve seen a lot of guys come here and try to play, and they can’t do it,” Schlittler said. “That’s why they leave. They may have had successful careers. It’s my first full year, though. I could be saying all this, and in a few years, it might not work out. I’m confident it will. I feel like I handle that stuff well. There’s added pressure, but I welcome that. I think we need to be held to a high standard.”
Greg Joyce | New York Post: A profile on Hunter Dietz, the Yankees’ first-round pick in last weekend’s MLB Draft. After missing the beginning of his college career almost entirely due to a stress fracture in his elbow, the southpaw made 16 starts this year for Arkansas, striking out 131 in 85 ²/₃ innings. The Yankees have been following Dietz since high school, and were encouraged enough by what he showed this year to make him their top pick. He expressed enthusiasm about his landing spot, saying “there’s a lot of potential that I need to unlock. I just feel like this staff is perfect for me, once I start my buildup, just to get ready for next year and the coming outings that I’m going to have. I feel like it’s just perfect for me as a player.”
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Francisco Alvarez homered twice, Brett Baty also went deep and the New York Mets defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 on Thursday night in the first major league game following the All-Star break.
The start time was pushed up an hour and the teams played under a hazy sky with diminishing air quality because of smoke that moved into the region from wildfires burning in Canada and Minnesota.
Christian Scott (3-1) pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings for the Mets, who launched three solo homers off starter Aaron Nola.
New York slugger Juan Soto was removed in the eighth because of left calf soreness, but interim manager Andy Green said the All-Star outfielder is expected back in the lineup this weekend. Soto missed about 2 1/2 weeks in April with a right calf strain.
Alvarez drove a 1-2 slider over the center-field fence in the third. The catcher added his 11th homer of the season in the seventh, when he went back-to-back with Baty.
A.J. Ewing added an insurance run for the Mets with an RBI double in the ninth. Devin Williams got three quick outs for his 100th career save and 14th this season.
Scott allowed three hits and struck out seven, posting consecutive scoreless starts for the first time in his big league career. He nearly gave up a tying homer to the final batter he faced, but Kyle Schwarber’s long fly hit the railing atop the right-field wall and ricocheted back into play for a double.
Nola (3-7) gave up just one run and three hits through six innings, but Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly sent the right-hander back out for the seventh even though he had thrown 90 pitches and a reliever was ready in the bullpen. That’s when Nola served up back-to-back homers to Baty and Alvarez.
Trea Turner homered for Philadelphia in the eighth, the first home run by a right-handed hitter off Mets reliever Luke Weaver this season.
Weaver had gone 25 straight appearances without allowing an earned run. The streak dated to May 1 and was tied for the second-longest in team history.
Before the game, the Mets reinstated second baseman Marcus Semien from the injured list and designated infielder Zack Short for assignment. Semien didn’t play. He had been on the IL since June 25 with a left hip flexor strain.
Up next
After a rare Friday off, the Mets and Phillies resume their series on Saturday. LHP Sean Manaea (2-4, 4.56 ERA) is scheduled to start for New York against LHP Jesús Luzardo (8-4, 3.51).
Manager Derek McInnes has suggested Rangers could complete more signings before Wednesday's friendly meeting with St-Etienne at Ibrox on Wednesday.
Rangers, third in last season's Scottish Premiership, have already brought in six new recruits, with Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin following McInnes from Tynecastle to Ibrox.
"The club has done brilliant work at this moment in time to try and bring in the additions that we clearly needed," McInnes said in a club media interview from the club's Spanish training camp.
"We want to make sure we are a more rounded squad when it comes to the bit that we're ready, but the work will be ongoing. We're still looking to try and get a couple of things done ahead of the St-Etienne game.
"We're two weeks away from Dundee United [opening day of the league campaign], and I feel that the fitness of the players is a lot better and stronger to where we want it to be, from when we set off a couple of weeks ago."
Rangers ended their camp with a 2-2 draw against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta'zim, with McInnes calling it "a good test against a team who are well up and running in their season".
Devlin, Ivor Pandur and Thelo Aasgaard will join training on Monday after their involvement at the World Cup and McInnes welcomes the "jag of quality" the trio will bring.
McInnes, who steered Hearts to second place last term, also stressed the importance of team building in the early days of his reign.
"I want us to be more together as a squad," he said. "What we have is a lot of good individuals and we saw signs of that last season - Rangers, at times, were really strong. Individually, players were at a good level, but when it came to it, we needed to be more of a team.
"I really want to build that work ethic, that togetherness that gets you through tough times."
India has reportedly decided to move on from Rohit Sharma as part of its preparations for the 2027 World Cup, with the BCCI informing the veteran opener he no longer features in the nation’s long-term plans.
The two teams locked in a battle for fourth place in the National League West will renew their rivalry early and late next season. That battle might come down to the bitter end as the San Francisco Giants close the 2027 season with a three-game series at Coors Field.
The 2027 schedule is out and the Giants will open at home against the Rockies on March 25*. They'll also finish their season against the Rockies, but at Coors Field.
The season will kick off early, on Thursday, March 25 in San Francisco, before the teams take a well-earned rest day on Friday before continuing the series. The Giants start the season with six games against NL West opponents, then don’t see a division rival for five more weeks, when they travel to UNIQLO Field to face a Los Angeles Dodgers team that will probably have added Robbie Ray, Tarik Skubal, Luis Arraez, and LeBron James in free agency.
They won’t play the San Diego Padres until May 24, to start one of their two 10-game homestands of the season. The second 10-game stretch at Oracle Park will follow the All-Star Break, starting with the A’s, ending with the Padres, and stuffed with a whopping four-game helping of Rockies in the middle. September has a nine-game homestand and jsut two six-game road trips,
Do you like June Swoons? The Giants are set up for one of those next season, with trips to San Diego, Arizona, Philadelphia, and Toronto, and visits from the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, and the New York Mets, who have to be better next season, right?
The reward for making it through the June gauntlet is a 10-game road trip leading into the break, including a stretch of 16 games in 16 days. It could be brutal for the pitching staff, with a four-game series in the launching pad of Arizona’s ballpark followed by three games at the moon base of Coors Field, which is an even better hitters’ park
But things ease up as the season progresses. August begins with the Dodgers, Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and Dodgers again, but then the Giants get six games with the Miami Marlins, three each with the Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, and the A’s. September has a nine-game homestand and just two six-game road trips, each featuring a strange geographic double: St. Louis-San Diego and Minneapolis-Denver.
After the All-Star Break, the Giants have 34 home games to 30 road games, with 67% of their matchups taking place in California. It’s hard to predict exactly which games will be tough one year out, but it feels safe to say that the Dodgers and Brewers will continue to be difficult opponents, and the Giants play both in separate six-game stretches in early May and early August.
What’s going to be the easiest ticket to buy? The Wednesday, September 1 home game against the Cleveland Guardians, likely to be an afternoon contest. If you really want to catch a foul ball, circle this game on your calendar.
Is it a tough schedule? At a glance, the Giants seem to have easier American League opponents at home and a tougher inter-league road schedule, while the season may vacillate wildly from brutal stretches to easier ones. Generally, this a tougher schedule in the hot parts of summer but starts and ends fairly gently. This team could rack up a lot of wins early, assuming they have a bullpen and not a bunch of weird zealots who don’t believe in evolution or throwing strikes to the leadoff man. And they’re generally less sucky.
But if they don’t get off to a good start, it might be a long, long summer. Specifically from June 14-July 11, hoo boy.
In his unrehearsed speech, he discussed the importance of sports and how they got him to where he is today. He also took a personal moment in which he spoke on his gratitude for the University of Southern California medical staff that saved his son.
James' eldest son, Bronny, attended USC during the 2023-24 season. James' son suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a summer basketball workout at USC on July 24, 2023.
Bronny was diagnosed with a functionally significant congenital heart defect.
"Shout out my oldest son Bronny. ... We just had the story obviously with Damar (Hamlin), you know, those guys come up here, talk about cardiac arrest and how important that is. Our son went through something like that a few years ago at USC," the 41-year-old James said. "And obviously, if it wasn't for the coaching staff and the medical team and everybody at USC being there in a timely fashion, we'd possibly be sitting here without our son, our oldest son. So thank you to everybody and all the efforts when it comes to cardiac arrest."
LeBron James closes out the Time 100 gala after being named the magazine’s athlete of the century with off-the-cuff remarks, including personal remarks about how the USC basketball staff’s instincts may have saved his son Bronny’s life pic.twitter.com/lRd3XVsRBi
Bronny made a full recovery and played his freshman year with the Trojans, albeit in limited minutes. He went on to become the 55th overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, with Bronny and LeBron James then becoming the first father-son duo to share an NBA court.
"Guys, take that serious. If you got kids in elementary, you got kids in middle school, kids in high school, colleges. Make sure they have these devices available where you can get them, practice them. It's very important, super, super important. Obviously, we know how important it is to our family, so we're a big advocate of that," LeBron James said.
Although the elder James will no longer play for the Lakers, his firstborn will remain in LA after his contract with the Lakers became fully guaranteed for $2.3 million on June 30. The 21-year-old has a contract that will pay him this year, with a team option to keep him until his deal expires in 2028.
In the 2025-26 campaign, his second NBA season, Bronny James averaged 2.9 points, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals in 8.9 minutes per game. He shot 40.9% from the field, 38.6% on 3-point field goals and 85.7% from the free throw line.
Former professional cyclist Rohan Dennis faces a jail sentence after admitting he drove while disqualified over the events leading up to the death of his Olympian wife, Melissa Hoskins.
A judge had previously warned the former Olympian he would be jailed if he drove while banned.
On Thursday, they nearly got their wish as the smoke from the Canadian wildfires forced MLB to move up the start of the game and it may have paid off.
“I didn’t think it was bad til the last couple innings,” Brett Baty said after the Mets beat the Phillies 4-1 at Citizens Bank Park.
“My eyes were burning and itching a little bit,’’ Baty said. “[Carson] Benge said it felt like you were sitting by a campfire. It was fun … but it didn’t feel great playing ball with it.”
Despite the adverse conditions, the game didn’t appear to be directly impacted.
Phillies manager Don Mattingly said, “It got almost, like, foggier. Guys didn’t seem to be having trouble.”
The Phillies played the Mets on July 16. AP Photo
Home plate umpire and crew chief Dan Iassogna checked with players and the grounds crew throughout the game and play was never stopped.
Francisco Alvarez, who homered twice, said through an interpreter that “by the end of the game, it was a little more difficult to catch and see.”
Brett Baty celebrates after hitting a solo homer in the seventh inning of the Mets’ 4-1 win over the Phillies on July 16, 2026 in Philadelphia. Getty Images
That didn’t make it pleasant, as Christian Scott said it “got a little thick” on the field.
The smoke undoubtedly increased throughout the course of the game, but no one lost any fly balls.
A fan wears a mask due to the smoke during the Mets’ July 16 game against the Phillies. AP Photo/Chris Szagola
As interim Mets manager Andy Green said when asked how the conditions may have affected the game, “I don’t think they really did. It felt like they could have at any moment, especially as visibility got tougher.”
Apr 4, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Connor McMichael (24) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Connor McMichael has signed a six-year, $40.5 million contract with the St. Louis Blues.
General manager Alex Steen, who took over the job from Doug Armstrong on July 1, announced the deal Thursday. McMichael will count $6.75 million against the salary cap through the 2031-32 NHL season.
McMichael joined the team as part of the return from the Washington Capitals in the Jordan Kyrou trade last month. St. Louis also got a first-round pick and prospect Milton Gastrin.
This long-term contract more than triples McMichael’s salary after he made $2.1 million each of the past two seasons.
The 25-year-old forward is coming off setting a career high with 32 assists and also scoring 14 goals in 78 games with the Capitals. He has 162 points in 333 regular season and playoff games since making his debut in the league in 2021 after getting taken with the 25th pick in the 2019 draft.
PHILADELPHIA — Marcus Semien returned from his rehab assignment and was reinstated from the 10-day injured list in time for Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Phillies to open the second half of the season, but he wasn’t in the lineup.
It’s an indication of just how poor the veteran second baseman has been in his first season with the Mets, as interim manager Andy Green went with the lefty-swinging Brett Baty against Philadelphia right-hander Aaron Nola.
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And Baty delivered with a pair of hits, including a homer.
“When my name is called, I’ll be ready,’’ Semien said before the game. “I’m ready to play every single day. That’s what I told Andy.”
Asked if Semien and Baty, who was hitting better before the All-Star break- were in something of a lefty-righty platoon, Green said the team wanted to get Semien a full workout day before he started a game, since he was unable to play in any minor league rehab games during the break.
Green added that Semien was expected to be in the lineup Saturday when the Phillies are scheduled to start lefty Jesús Luzardo.
“He’ll figure prominently in our mix going forward,’’ Green said of Semien.
Marcus Semien, who returned from the IL on Thursday, bobbles the ball in an attempt to complete a double play during a game earlier this season. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Semien, a significant part of the offseason overhaul undertaken by president of baseball operations David Stearns, had been sidelined since June 24 with a left hip flexor strain.
Even before the injury, though, the 35-year-old was having the worst season of his 14-year career.
Not only has his offense dropped off for a third straight year, Semien has been a below-average defender at second base.
Brett Baty celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo homer in the seventh inning of the Mets’ 4-1 win over the Phillies on July 16, 2026 in Philadelphia. Getty Images
Baty can play second and third and Green said he might use him at first, where Jared Young — another lefty hitter — has gotten the bulk of the playing time.
“This is who he is as a hitter and what he can do,” Green said of Baty’s recent hot streak. “He presents a lot of defensive versatility … [and] he’s showing the pop in his bat we believe he has.”
Baty acknowledged he’s had a disappointing year up to this point, saying, “I don’t think it’s been good at all. I hold myself to a way higher standard than the way I’ve been playing. I think the last two or so weeks have been the kind of player I am: hitting the ball hard and playing good defense. That’s all I can really control.”
To open a roster spot for Semien, Zack Short was designated for assignment after starting the last three games before the break at second base.
Short had been starting, in part, because Bo Bichette was dealing with right ankle soreness.
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Bichette was back in the lineup at third base Thursday — with Baty at second — and Green noted, “We definitely could have used his bat in the last series,” when the Mets were swept at home by Boston.
