Here’s the White Sox lineup:
Here’s the Guardians’ lineup:
WHITE SOX AT GUARDIANS: Williams vs. Kay, discussion
New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins: Gerrit Cole vs. Mike Paredes
Here’s a good test of whether or not the sky is falling on the New York Yankees: Can they beat the Twins in a series? If yes, they’ll probably be fine.
That likely comes across as a bit mean-spirited, but you all know just how one-sided the head-to-head matchups have been. Since the turn of the century, the Yankees have gone 21-2-3 against the Twins in regular season series. Their most recent blip was a 3-4 overall record in 2023, a year in which the sky basically did fall in the Bronx. Aside from that, you have to go back to 2005-06, when they tied each other, to find the previous years in which the Yankees didn’t claim the season series. That’s not even getting into the six playoff series victories New York has enjoyed over that span. From 2002 onward, including postseason, the Yankees are a staggering 127-46 against the Twins — a .734 winning percentage that would top even the 1927 and 1998 Yankees.
So, if there was ever going to be a slumpbuster for this Yankees team, this home series against the Twins—following one of the more necessary offdays in recent memory—would be it. Minnesota is a pesky team this year, overperforming expectations with a 42-46 record roughly a calendar year after a nearly-unprecedented Trade Deadline teardown. They’ve played well entering this series, bouncing back from a sweep against the Dodgers with consecutive series wins over Colorado and Houston.
Gerrit Cole has been searching for consistency through seven starts this season. His last two efforts have seen opposing lineups jump on him for nine runs on sixteen hits. He’s throwing strikes, but not sufficiently high-quality strikes; the Tigers and Red Sox made him pay dearly. The Twins lack any household names in their lineup beyond the slugging threat Byron Buxton, but their 104 team wRC+ is 104, good for a top-10 placement in MLB. It’s another offense Cole can’t afford to give too many quality offerings. With the news that Carlos Rodón is returning to the injured list with elbow inflammation, getting quality starts from Cole just became more important.
While it hurts to see Rodón hit the shelf again, the Bombers’ offense, which has been dead-in-the-water of late, gets a few reinforcements. Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon return from their stays on the IL and are ready to go. Grisham was in a groove to start June, posting a .981 OPS in nine games before the ill-timed hamstring strain. McMahon was decidedly less productive in the leadup to his injury, but his defense should be a boon for New York—Amed Rosario has had his share of screwups at the position.
Minnesota’s offense is decidedly ahead of schedule, but their pitching staff is still searching for consistency from a bevy of young players. One of those young guys is Mike Paredes, a right-hander who the Twins called up to make his MLB debut when starter Bailey Ober hit the IL at the end of May. He’s pitched to a 4.26 ERA in six games, most recently taking the loss against Colorado on 5.1 innings of three-run ball. The San Diego State product’s 5.44 FIP suggests he’s been dancing through the raindrops a bit.
Grisham returns to the leadoff spot ahead of Ben Rice, while Jasson Domínguez will hit third ahead of Cody Bellinger. Paul Goldschmidt cleans up, then it’s Jazz Chisholm Jr. and McMahon hitting as back-to-back lefties. José Caballero will play short and Austin Wells will catch.
How to watch
Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
First pitch: 7:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES, TwinsTV
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM (MIN)
Streaming: Gotham Sports App, MLB.TV (out-of-market only)
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Highly anticipated assistant coach no longer joining Bucks
In late May, news broke that Taylor Jenkins had made decisions on his Milwaukee Bucks coaching staff, retaining stalwart Darvin Ham while adding Patrick St. Andrews and Joe Boylan. However, that no longer appears to be the case, with Marc Stein reporting that Boylan will instead join new Mavericks head coach Dusty May in Dallas.
“After stints with five other NBA teams, including Memphis, Boylan was initially expected to reunite with Taylor Jenkins on his new Milwaukee staff. But I’m told Boylan is now Dallas-bound along with Willie Green,” Stein wrote, later adding that Boylan will coach the Mavs’ Summer League team. This has since been announced on the Mavericks’ official NBA.com page.
This is a disappointing outcome for the Bucks, with Boylan viewed as a perfect fit for a rebuilding Milwaukee team with plenty of young talent. Highly touted for his constraints-led approach (CLA) to coaching, Boylan seemed particularly ideal as a developmental coach for Nate Ament, Milwaukee’s 13th overall pick via the Miami Heat, given his success working with the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels, who followed a similar path to the NBA. Undoubtedly, Boylan would’ve been beneficial for the Bucks’ other prospects too, including 10th overall pick Brayden Burries, new acquisition Kasparas Jakučionis, the returning Ousmane Dieng, and the recently signed Bogoljub Marković.
Jenkins and the Bucks must now find a replacement for Boylan on the coaching staff. As it stands, Patrick St. Andrews will coach the Bucks’ California Classic Summer League team. For more on that, including roster details and scheduling, check out our Summer League primer.
Friday night Orioles game thread: @ Reds, 7:10 pm
After a day off, the Orioles are back in action. This time they’re on the road in Cincinnati, against the last place Reds. They have a 40-46 record, the same number of wins as the Orioles. The Orioles are a game behind, though, with two extra losses.
If you missed the news, there were some transactions today. Ryan Helsley was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort. I’m not saying we won’t see Helsley again for the rest of the season, but I’m not NOT saying that. The team also finally got rid of their third catcher, DFA’ing Chadwick Tromp. In their place, Anthony Nunez is back in the bullpen and Jeremiah Jackson returns from a brief stay at triple-A.
The Orioles have Trevor Rogers scheduled to pitch tonight, which is a good thing. Rogers is coming off a 6.1-inning, one-run outing against the Nationals. He had an outstanding June, with a 2.05 ERA in five starts. In that span he struck out 2 and walked six. Here’s hoping he can keep going strong through July.
Now that Trey Gibson has been replaced with Dean Kremer, is this rotation….good? Kremer had a good first start back, Rogers is looking similar to his 2025 self, Brandon Young continues to roll, and Shane Baz is on a good run as well. Kyle Bradish has been up and down, but has shown flashes of the guy we fell in love with a few years ago. Young and Bradish will pitch games two and three of this series.
Tonight for the Reds, it’s RHP Brady Singer. Singer is coming off of a clunker against the Pirates, but otherwise had a pretty good month of June. Singer has pitched better lately than his 5.12 ERA reflects.
Orioles lineup
Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
Adley Rutschman (S) DH
Taylor Ward (R) LF
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Samuel Basallo (L) C
Dylan Beavers (L) RF
Colton Cowser (L) CF
Blaze Alexander (R) 3B
Jackson Holliday (L) 2B
Reds lineup
Elly De La Cruz (S) SS
Sal Stewart (R) 3B
Spencer Steer (R) 1B
Eugenio Suárez (R) DH
Noelvi Marte (R) RF
JJ Bleday (L) LF
Tyler Stephenson (R) C
Matt McLain (R) CF
Edwin Arroyo (S) 2B
Let’s go O’s!
Knicks, Andre Drummond agree to one-year deal
After losing Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics in free agency, the Knicks have found a new backup center.
New York is signing veteran Andre Drummond to a one-year, $3.9 million deal, SNY NBA insider Ian Begley confirmed.
Drummond, who turns 33 in August, averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game over 63 contests in the 2025-26 season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 6-foot-11, 279-pounder spent the past two seasons with the 76ers. Previously, he was with the Chicago Bulls for the 2022-24 campaigns.
Drummond split the 2021-22 season between the 76ers and Nets. In 24 games with Brooklyn, Drummond averaged 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in 22.3 minutes.
A two-time All-Star with the Detroit Pistons (2016, '18), who selected him from UConn with the 2012 NBA Draft's No. 9 overall pick, the Mount Vernon, N.Y., native's career includes stints with the Pistons (2012-20), Cleveland Cavaliers (2020-21) and Los Angeles Lakers (2021).
Two-start pitchers: Jacob Misiorowski fronts a group of truly elite options as we head into the break
Hello and welcome to the 15th installment of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2026 MLB season.
I will continue to be here every Friday to highlight some of the best two-start pitcher options in fantasy baseball leagues for the upcoming week providing my insights and recommendations on which options should be started or benched.
We’re heading into the 15th week of a 27 week season. That’s more than halfway through, and one of those weeks is a half-week for the All-Star break. As fantasy managers start to turn the page to football, there are opportunities to creep up in the standings where others aren’t giving their teams the full attention that they still deserve. Keep putting in the work and plugging away, striving to improve each week, and you’ll reap rewards at the end of this season.
This is a living document, so we'll update the options below as the weekend moves along.
Before we get into it, we'll start with a couple of notes on situations that may be unresolved or teams that may not have a two-start pitcher lined up for the upcoming week:
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Aside from Reynaldo López, it’s possible that someone else will make two starts for the Braves next week (at Pirates, at Cardinals), but that all depends on when exactly Bryce Elder makes his next start. If he goes on Tuesday, he would also be lined up to pitch on Sunday. That would assume that either Hurston Waldrep or Grant Holmes is shifted back to the bullpen though. It’s also possible the Braves just roll with a full six-man rotation for the week, in which case it’s just López that will toe the slab twice. We’ll keep it updated here throughout the weekend if we get any additional clarity on the situation.
It’s unclear as of Friday what the Orioles plan to do next week. They rolled with a six-man rotation this time following the return of Dean Kremer and could opt to do the same next week. If that happens, no one will get a two-start week. If someone gets bumped to the bullpen and they stick with five-man alignment, it would be Shane Baz taking the ball twice (vs. Cubs, vs. Royals), in which case he makes for a decent option.
Those pesky Dodgers. Just when it looked like Eric Lauer would get to make two starts this past week, they opted to go with a bullpen game on Wednesday which resulted in Charlie Barnes logging seven innings in a losing effort against the Athletics. They only play six games in the final week before the All-Star break, so with their six-man rotation, no one is going to make two starts unless someone gets skipped. If that does happen, once again it would be Lauer in line for two starts (vs. Rockies, vs. Diamondbacks), which would make him a very strong option once again. We’ll update here if anything happens to change.
Aside from Freddy Peralta, it’s possible that someone else on the Mets could make two starts next week (vs. Royals, vs. Red Sox), but we aren’t quite sure who yet. Tobias Myers maybe in a bulk role? It’s also possible that they finish the first half with a bullpen day and that no one aside from Peralta gets the two-step. As always, we’ll monitor the situation and update here if we get any additional clarity.
As of now, it’s Cade Cavalli lined up to make two starts for the Nationals next week, but that’s likely to get pushed as he serves his seven-game suspension for the club’s benches-clearing incident with Willson Contreras and the Red Sox. It’s likely the Nationals call someone up or go with a bullpen game, making it so no one draws a two-start week there.
Going Twice…
Note: Probable pitchers as of July 3 and are subject to change.
American League
▶ Strong Plays
Tarik Skubal, Tigers, LHP (vs. Athletics, vs. Phillies)
The superstar left-hander had been scheduled to make two starts this past week, but wound up getting pushed back a day to accommodate the return of Casey Mize to the Tigers’ rotation. He now gets to finish up his first half with a pair of home starts against offenses that shouldn’t give him much resistance. Skubal allowed just one earned run on one hit over six innings against the Yankees in New York his last time out, posting a 9/0 K/BB ratio in the process. Expect more of the same from Skubal this week. He’s easily one of, if not the top overall option on the board and should be started in 100% of leagues without question.
Cam Schlittler, Yankees, RHP (at Rays, at Nationals)
Cam Schlittler will try to rebound from his roughest start of the season, where he gave up three first-inning homers in a losing effort against the Tigers. Matchups don’t matter, as Schlittler should be locked into all fantasy lineups each and every week as long as he’s healthy enough to take the ball. There’s a chance that he winds up getting skipped for that last start though if the Yankees want to hold him back and give him the honor of starting against the National League in the All-Star Game.
Shane McClanahan, Rays, RHP (vs. Yankees, vs. Mariners)
McClanahan has been incredible in his return to the Rays’ rotation this season, posting a 3.05 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and a 77/28 K/BB ratio over 79 2/3 innings while remaining healthy and durable through his first 16 starts. The Yankees aren’t quite as intimidating of an offense without Aaron Judge, so there’s really no reason to avoid them, making this another very strong week for McClanahan. As long as he’s healthy, he should be in there and producing elite results every week.
Jacob deGrom, Rangers, RHP (vs. Angels, vs. Astros)
Even in the twilight of his career, deGrom has proven that he can be a steady and reliable upper-echelon option for fantasy purposes. Through his first 17 starts he holds a terrific 3.48 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and a 115/20 K/BB ratio over 95 2/3 innings. He’s as set it and forget it as they come for fantasy purposes, as he should never leave your lineup. This week is really a who’s who of two-start pitching options around the league. That doesn’t make deGrom any less of a strong option though.
Bryan Woo, Mariners, RHP (at Marlins, at Rays)
Woo joins the ranks of the elite two-start options available in the final week leading up to the All-Star break. The 26-year-old hurler has been a bit uneven over the past month, giving up five or more runs three times in his last five starts – with all of those outings coming on the road. He’ll be away from Seattle for both starts this week, which is at least mildly concerning, but Woo has been so good overall both this season and in his career that I think you still have to give him the benefit of the doubt. I’m still using him in all league sizes, though in shallower formats if you want to sit this one out, there’s at least some rationale for doing so.
Joey Cantillo, Guardians, LHP (at Twins, at Marlins)
While he has been inconsistent at times this season, Cantillo is locked into his best stretch of the year right now – allowing two earned runs or fewer in each of his last four starts while posting a 1.88 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and a 26/8 K/BB ratio across 24 innings. He now gets to battle a pair of exploitable offenses in two pitcher’s parks. It can be hard to trust him, but Cantillo actually looks like a terrific option in all leagues for this two-start week and is someone I’d actively look to target if he was available on waivers.
▶ Decent Plays
Will Warren, Yankees, RHP (at Rays, at Nationals)
Warren continues to be a solid weekly option in most formats, registering a 3.73 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 91 strikeouts over 89 1/3 innings on the season. The matchups are more neutral than good this week, but it’s nothing that should lead us to shy away from Warren with the added volume of a two-start week. Continue to trot him out there and enjoy the rewards that come with it.
Kevin Gausman, Blue Jays, RHP (at Giants, at Padres)
Gausman’s overall line on the season looks decent, but it has been weighed down by two disastrous outings against the Cubs and Rangers at the end of June. He appeared to right the ship his last time out, with a gem against the Mets, so I’m inclined to buy back in and trust him for what looks to be a strong two-start week in two great pitcher’s parks. Start Gausman with confidence in all league sizes.
Noah Schultz, White Sox, LHP (vs. Red Sox, vs. Athletics)
Schultz pitched decently in his return from the injured list this past week, piling up seven strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings of three-run ball against the Orioles. Even on nights when he struggles with his command, the strikeout upside is ever present, making him a worthwhile streaming target in all formats. Pitching at home should help his chances of avoiding a blow up and there’s a good chance that he picks up his third victory in one of these starts. I’d be confident rolling him out there in all league sizes.
Seth Lugo, Royals, RHP (at Mets, at Orioles)
Aside from a couple of unexpected blowup starts, Lugo has been the same safe streaming option that he has always been. His limited strikeout rate has always made him a better target in two-start weeks, and this week is no exception. The Royals’ offense has really been struggling to score runs, so his outlook to earn victories isn’t great, but as a backend rotation option in deeper leagues, he’s perfectly capable of contributing positive results this week. The ceiling is low, but so is the risk level. Feel free to fire away in all leagues.
Taj Bradley, Twins, RHP (vs. Guardians, vs. Angels)
Bradley has really come into his own and helped to solidify the middle of the Twins’ rotation this season. The 25-year-old hurler sits at 7-3 with a respectable 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and a 102/38 K/BB ratio over 88 2/3 innings through his first 16 starts. That will most definitely play in most leagues. He gets to finish up the first half of the season with a pair of strong matchups against the Guardians and Angels at home. He’s an easy start in all leagues where he’s already rostered and should be considered a priority target in leagues where he may be available.
José Soriano, Angels, RHP (at Rangers, at Twins)
After a brilliant start to the season, the Angels’ right-hander has come crashing back to Earth, registering a 5.34 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and a 62/33 K/BB ratio over 57 1/3 innings over 11 starts since the beginning of May. Most fantasy managers were probably blinded by the early success and the strength of his overall line and have been trotting him out weekly without much thought. If so, they have given back most, if not all of the early ratio gains that Soriano provided. He’s capable of dominating each time he takes the mound, and the matchups do fall in his favor this week, which is enough for me to give him the nod in 15-teamers. In 12’s though I’d probably try to find an alternative until Soriano gives me a reason to trust him again.
▶ At Your Own Risk
Mike Burrows, Astros, RHP (at Nationals, at Rangers)
Burrows has shown flashes of the talent that made him such an exciting prospect coming into the season, but he just hasn’t been able to consistently deliver quality results for fantasy managers. He sports a miserable 5.58 ERA and 1.51 WHIP over 90 1/3 frames on the season with just 72 strikeouts in 90 1/3 innings. The matchups are decent enough this week that I could understand taking the plunge as a risky volume play if you were desperate to make up ground in wins and strikeouts. Just understand the ratio risk that you’re taking on by doing so.
Noah Cameron, Royals, LHP (vs. Phillies, at Orioles)
Once considered a safe and reliable streaming option for two-start weeks, Cameron has been hit extremely hard over the past month, posting a brutal 9.00 ERA, 2.22 WHIP and a 12/8 K/BB ratio over 18 innings in his last four starts. Maybe it’s just the regular ups and downs of an MLB season and he can stop the slide and get back on track at any time. Personally, I’d like to see it happen before I risk any further ratio damage with the Royals’ southpaw. As much as it pains me, I’d try to sit this one out this week.
Jeffrey Springs, Athletics, LHP (at Tigers, at White Sox)
Springs has really fallen on hard times after a strong start to the season, posting a cringe-inducing 10.00 ERA, 1.85 WHIP and a 23/13 K/BB ratio over 27 innings in five starts during the month of June. The White Sox have been one of the strongest offenses in the league against southpaws this season, and the Tigers have been much better over the past couple of weeks, setting this up to be a potentially disastrous two-start week for Springs. The only thing that he has going in his favor is that these two starts will be on the road, away from Sutter Health Park. I just don’t see any real justification for taking on this ratio risk unless you’re already at the bottom of the league there and just need volume to stream wins and strikeouts.
National League
▶ Strong Plays
Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers, LHP (at Cardinals, at Pirates)
The flame-throwing right-hander is scheduled to finish out his stellar first half with a two-start week that looks exceptional on paper with matchups against the Cardinals and the Pirates. There’s always a chance though that the Brewers skip that final start, or at least limit him, so that he can start against the American League in the All-Star Game. Either way, Misiorowski should never leave fantasy lineups, even in single start weeks, so you’re rolling with him regardless of the number of starts that he makes. Enjoy the show and the pile of strikeouts that he’ll deliver once again.
Cristopher Sánchez, Phillies, LHP (at Royals, at Tigers)
Sánchez has shown some cracks in his armor over the past month – allowing four or more earned runs twice in his last four outings, yet he still owns a spectacular 2.00 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and a 136/23 K/BB ratio across 117 innings through his first 18 starts on the season. He gets to finish the first half of the year with two very strong matchups against teams that struggle against southpaws, though the Tigers have shown life against them recently. Expect strong ratios, double-digit strikeouts and a decent shot at a victory from the star southpaw this week.
Paul Skenes, Pirates, RHP (vs. Braves, vs. Brewers)
Skenes joins the parade of aces that are lined up to make two starts during the upcoming week. Like many of the others, it’s possible that his second start gets skipped or limited if the Pirates want him to be available for next week’s All-Star Game. That’s no reason to sit him though as he’s locked into all fantasy lineups each and every week. Skenes is enjoying another strong season with a 3.62 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and a 119/22 K/BB ratio over 97 innings through his first 18 starts.
Max Meyer, Marlins, RHP (vs. Mariners, vs. Guardians)
Meyer has been nothing short of exceptional for the Marlins this season, going 9-1 with a minuscule 2.53 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and a 112/36 K/BB ratio over 103 innings through his first 18 starts. He should be locked in as an every week start in all formats, so there’s no decision point here, just sit back and enjoy the added production from a two-start week for one of the breakout stars of the 2026 MLB season. Meyer is easily one of the top overall plays on the board this week.
Zack Wheeler, Phillies, RHP (at Reds, at Tigers)
Despite the long layoff after undergoing surgery on his pitching shoulder, Wheeler hasn’t missed a beat since joining the Phillies’ rotation at the end of April. He now sits at 8-1 on the year with a ridiculous 2.36 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and an 84/20 K/BB ratio over 80 innings in his first 13 starts. That’s absolutely elite-level production. Taking on the Reds in Cincinnati isn’t ideal, but Wheeler needs to be started in all leagues each and every week with no exception. He has wound up being one of the best overall values from fantasy drafts this season.
Reynaldo López, Braves, RHP (vs. Mets, at Cardinals)
The Braves’ right-hander has pitched well in whatever role he has been used in this season, but he has looked especially sharp in his recent transition back to the starting rotation. His last time out he punched out six batters over five innings of one-run baseball in a victory over the Cardinals, getting stretched out to 69 pitches in the process. The matchups both fall in his favor this week, so there’s a good chance that he can pick up his fifth victory on the season while approaching double-digit strikeouts and providing solid ratios. That makes him an easy start for me in all formats.
Michael McGreevy, Cardinals, RHP (vs. Brewers, vs. Braves)
Whenever we have seen McGreevy take the mound in his big league career, he has always produced great ratios and limited strikeouts. That’s the case once again this season, as he sports a 3.12 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and a 60/22 K/BB ratio over 95 1/3 innings in 17 starts. The matchups are both difficult this time around, but McGreevy has proven that he can hold his own against any opposing lineup. The limited strikeouts are offset by the extra volume from the second start, making McGreevy an excellent option in all leagues this week.
Andrew Abbott, Reds, LHP (vs Phillies, vs. Cubs)
Abbott got off to a rough start to the 2026 season, but he has settled in very nicely since the end of April, registering a 2.71 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and a 54/32 K/BB ratio over 66 1/3 innings in his last 12 starts. He’s never going to be an asset in the WHIP department, but that’s not enough to dissuade us from using him. His limited strikeout rate also gets boosted from the volume of having an extra start. The matchups aren’t great this week, having to battle a pair of strong offenses at Great American Ballpark, but Abbott is certainly worth being used in all leagues for this two-start week.
Shane Drohan, Brewers, LHP (at Cardinals, at Pirates)
Drohan has done a really nice job for the Brewers this season, compiling a 3.12 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and a 59/18 K/BB ratio over 57 2/3 innings in 17 appearances (seven starts). He gets to wrap up the first half with a pair of battles against familiar divisional foes where he represents a very strong streaming option. He should be started in all league sizes without hesitation.
▶ Decent Plays
Freddy Peralta, Mets, RHP (at Braves, vs. Red Sox)
Peralta hasn’t performed as the ace that the Mets were hoping for when they acquired him from the Brewers over the offseason. He holds a disappointing 4.81 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and a 92/38 K/BB ratio over 95 1/3 innings through his first 18 starts with the team and has been pounded for 15 runs over 12 1/3 frames over his last three starts. The chances of him turning things around aren’t great with matchups against the Braves and Red Sox looming. You drafted Peralta to be a staple of your rotation, and you’ve already absorbed the ratio damage that he has provided, so you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place here. You probably just have to continue rolling with him and hope that the overall line looks closer to what you were expecting by season’s end.
Walker Buehler, Padres, RHP (vs. Diamondbacks, vs. Blue Jays)
Before he was pummelled for nine runs at Wrigley Field his last time out, Buehler had been on a really nice run for the Padres, allowing just one earned run in each of his five outings during the month of June. We’ll chalk that one up to just one bad outing with the wind blowing out and trust Buehler for a strong two-start week with both starts coming at home. If any fantasy managers gave up on him after this past week’s debacle, he makes for a very nice streaming option.
Matthew Boyd, Cubs, LHP (at Orioles, at Reds)
Boyd hasn’t been able to replicate the tremendous success he had during the 2025 campaign. Through seven starts between stints on the injured list, Boyd holds an uninspiring 5.08 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and a 37/10 K/BB over 33 2/3 innings. He hasn’t quite looked right yet in two starts since returning from the IL, and asking him to pitch at the Orioles and at the Reds could lead to some ratio damage if he can’t keep the ball in the yard. He’s talented enough that I’d probably still roll with him in 15-teamers, but in 12’s or anything more shallow than that, I’d try to find alternative options.
Landen Roupp, Giants, RHP (vs. Blue Jays, vs. Rockies)
Roupp has pitched decently as a backend rotation option for the Giants this season, but hasn’t delivered very fantasy-friendly results with an uninspiring 4.55 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 89 innings, though he has racked up 99 strikeouts along the way. This week is interesting though, as he gets to take on a pair of attackable offenses with both starts coming at home in the spacious confines in San Francisco. If there’s any week to try to use Roupp, this would be the one. He looks like a solid option in all leagues.
Randy Vasquez, Padres, RHP (vs. Diamondbacks, vs. Blue Jays)
Vasquez pretty much is what he is at this stage of his career. Someone who will provide decent ratios, low strikeouts and a chance at a victory when he takes the mound. With two starts coming at home this week, that could be enough to roll with him in deeper leagues if that’s all you’re looking for, just understand that the overall ceiling here is very low.
▶ At Your Own Risk
Dustin May, Cardinals, RHP (vs. Brewers, vs. Braves)
May has had an absolutely roller-coaster season, with a horrendous start before putting together a couple of strong months to reclaim his season, only to give up 11 runs over 2 2/3 innings in his last two starts. Yikes. I don’t think you can start him while he’s on the downswing, especially in a pair of difficult matchups. He was also struck in the ankle by a line drive his last time out, so there’s no guarantee that he even makes both of these starts. I’d avoid this one completely.
Brandon Pfaadt, Diamondbacks, RHP (at Padres, at Dodgers)
Pfaadt looked sharp in his first start back in the Diamondbacks’ rotation last week, hurling 5 1/3 innings of one-run baseball against the Giants. He only threw 66 pitches in that one though and may still have workload limitations as he continues to get stretched back out. The matchups are a mixed bag this week, as the Padres have struggled badly against right-handers for the majority of the season while the Dodgers have pummeled them all season. If it was just the one start at the Padres, I’d like it more than taking on the Dodgers on Saturday. Maybe if I was looking for volume in deeper leagues, otherwise I’d probably stay away.
Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks, RHP (at Padres, at Dodgers)
It really has been a season to forget for Zac Gallen. The once fantasy stalwart is now someone that doesn’t even have a lick of mixed league value, even in a two-start week. He sits at 3-8 on the year with a horrendous 6.36 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and a 56/28 K/BB ratio over 92 innings in his 18 starts while surrendering a league-leading 65 earned runs and 17 homers. He has also surrendered 20 runs over his last three starts. Woof. Combine that with the fact that he has to tango with the Dodgers, and this is an easy pass in all leagues. Don’t let name recognition get the best of you here.
Michael Lorenzen, Rockies, RHP (at Dodgers, at Giants)
I briefly considered straying from the standard recommendation here, but I just can’t do it. Never Rockies. Never. Lorenzen, like all Rockies’ starters, has been abysmal this season, holding a 6.91 ERA and 1.81 WHIP with 67 punchouts over his 86 innings of work. Those numbers have been a bit better on the road (5.68 ERA, 1.58 WHIP), but it’s still not what we’re looking for. Especially when you factor in the matchup against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. It’s easy to avoid this ticking time bomb, just stay away.
Kyle Freeland, Rockies, LHP (at Dodgers, at Giants)
Never Rockies. Just don’t do it to yourself. It doesn’t even matter that both starts are on the road. He has to battle the Dodgers in that first start and that’s more than enough to dissuade fantasy managers from going here. That’s without even factoring in his horrifying 7.25 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 68/18 K/BB ratio over 77 innings on the season. But wait, isn’t most of that ratio damage due to Coors Field? You’d think so, but Freeland has actually been better at home this season than he has been on the road. Away from Coors Field he’s 0-5 with an 8.31 ERA and 1.62 WHIP over 34 2/3 innings in his eight appearances. Just don’t do it to yourself, stay away.
Mets at Braves: Lineups, broadcast info, and open thread, 7/3/26
Mets Lineup
- A.J. Ewing – CF
- Juan Soto – LF
- Bo Bichette – 3B
- Francisco Lindor – SS
- Carson Benge – RF
- Jared Young – 1B
- Francisco Alvarez – DH
- Brett Baty – 2B
- Luis Torrens – C
Christian Scott – RHP
Braves Lineup
- Drake Baldwin – C
- Ozzie Albies – 2B
- Matt Olson – 1B
- Mauricio Dubon – LF
- Michael Harris – CF
- Dominic Smith – DH
- Austin Riley – 3B
- Mike Yastrzemski – RF
- Jorge Mateo – SS
Grant Holmes – RHP
Broadcast Info
First pitch: 7:15 PM ET
TV: WPIX
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
Washington Nationals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Game Thread
The Nats start this steamy July 4th weekend by opening up a key 3 game set with the Pirates. These two teams are in similar spots in the standings, so this series could have real playoff implications. The Nats will turn to their ace Foster Griffin to set the tone.
Blake Butera decided to go with a lefty heavy lineup tonight. Dylan Crews is the only pure right handed bat in the lineup. Jose Tena will be in the DH spot. After not starting the last two games, the red hot Luis Garcia Jr. will be in the lineup. Jorbit Vivas will be at third over Curtis Mead. As mentioned, Foster Griffin will be on the bump.
The Nats faced the Pirates earlier this year, but there are two new bats that have added depth to their lineup. Esmerlyn Valdez and Endy Rodriguez are both red hot at the plate. Rookie phenom Konnor Griffin will be leading off and playing short. The dependable Mitch Keller will be on the mound.
Game Info:
Stadium: Nationals Park
Time: 6:45 PM EST
TV: Nationals.TV
Radio: 106.7 The Fan
This is a sneakily important series for the Nats. The Pirates are a potential wild card competitor, and getting a series win over them would be big. It is also a fun matchup between two young, up and coming teams. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
Padres pitching staff fumbles lead in pivotal game
The San Diego Padres are stuck in a funk. They’ve lost six games in a row and own a .500 record for the first time since April 8. It’s been a rough stretch that has only felt worse by the Friars’ inability to step up in big moment. The club went 3-for-9 with RISP last night and failed to keep the pressure on the Los Angeles Dodgers, leading to a 12-7 loss.
The offense got started quickly, tagging starter Roki Sasaki for six runs on three homers by the second inning. But then, it went dark. And that’s when L.A. went to work. They scored 12 unanswered runs over the next eight innings before the Padres finally put something on the board in the ninth. It was too little, too late.
It’s inexcusable for the pitching staff to surrender that many runs with a six-run lead. Randy Vásquez and Wandy Peralta allowed four each while Yuki Matsui and Germán Márquez gave up two apiece. The loss was an unfortunate reminder of how shaky the San Diego pitching group can be.
Taking the mound
Shohei Ohtani (LAD) v. Michael King (SD)
Ohtani has been well on his way to competing for the NL Cy Young Award. He boasts a 1.58 ERA and minuscule 0.90 WHIP through 79 2/3 innings pitched. That said, he’s gotten tagged in his last few starts. Over Ohtani’s last 18 2/3 innings, he’s surrendered nine runs.
The right-hander faced the Padres in their first series of the year, pitching five scoreless innings against the club. The lineup will need to put up much more of a fight than that to put an end to the losing streak the Friars are currently mired in.
King will be tasked with the role of stopper, as he’s been so many times for San Diego. He’s truly struggled lately, but has the most upside of any pitcher in the Padres’ rotation. King owns a 5.45 ERA in his last seven starts (3.55 on the season).
His last start came against Los Angeles, where he surrendered four runs in just 4 1/3 innings. King struggled to keep his pitches over the plate, giving up four walks to the Dodgers. He’ll need to shove tonight for the Friars to have any chance at winning.
Batter up!
The offense looked healthy in last night’s game. Any time a team puts up seven runs, the lineup is not the problem. Jake Cronenworth has surged since coming off the IL. He’s batting .400 with a home run and three RBI. It’s been exactly what the Padres have needed. (Ironically, Cronenworth has batted 1.000 against Ohtani in his career.)
- Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
- Jake Cronenworth, 2B
- Manny Machado, 3B
- Gavin Sheets, DH
- Ty France, 1B
- Jackson Merrill, CF
- Xander Bogaerts, SS
- Rodolfo Durán, C
- Samad Taylor, LF
Apart from Cronenworth, the rest of the lineup doesn’t have a lot of success against the Dodgers’ two-way superstar. That will need to change tonight, with the Friars hoping desperately to turn their season around.
Relief corps
Márquez covered three valuable innings for San Diego after returning from the IL ahead of last night’s game. That allowed the Padres to only turn to Wandy Peralta and Yuki Matsui out of the ‘pen. Unfortunately, Jason Adam was placed on the IL to make room for Márquez’s return. That leaves the Friars without a key piece of their relief corps.
Tonight, Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Bradgley Rodriguez will be available for the Padres. The latter three represent San Diego’s high-leverage options should the game be close when King exits from his start.
Game 89: Twins at Yankees
Time: 6:05 Central
Weather: Humid, chance of T-storms, 96°
Opponent’s SB site: Pinstripe Alley
TV: Twins TV. Radio: Playing songs bringing tears to my eyes
How cursed are the Twins against the Yankees? When the team faced Gerrit Cole at Target Field in 2022, the first three Twins hit home runs (Arráez, Buxton, Correa). And the Twins STILL lost 10-7.
They’ll be facing Cole again today, in Yankee Stadium, essentially a haunted mansion where the Twins always die. Cole is making his eighth start since having TJ surgery last year, and he’s been up-and-down so far this season. He throws a 96-ish fastball, slider, curve, change, sinker; when he’s healthy, the fastball/slider are his best combo.
Back in April, I read a “Rival Roundup” post at PinstripeAlley that mentioned the Twins. We’re the Yankees’ rivals, now? Isn’t that like if the Harlem Globetrotters called the Washington Generals their “rivals”?
Obligatory “when in Yankee Stadium” video:
In May, a new statue of Dave Winfield was unveiled at Toni Stone Field in St. Paul, in the Rondo neighborhood where Winfield grew up. Winfield spoke a few words, and you can see the whole ceremony here. He did an interview with Charles Hallman of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorderyou can read here. In the interview, Winfield points out that he was drafted by four pro teams! The Utah Stars of the ABA, the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, the Vikings, and the Padres. And Winfield talks fondly about his mother and grandmother who did the lion’s share of raising him.
The Padres switched Winfield from pitching to hitting, and he would make the All-Star team every year from 1977-1988, then win a World Series during his one year in Toronto in 1992. Most of his career was spent with the Padres and the Yankees. The Yankees signed Winfield in 1981 for $23 million, then the most-ever for a player. Owner George Steinbrenner, then as always a rich idiot, thought the contract was for $16 million — he hadn’t read the fine print about a singing bonus and cost-of living increases.
Furious, whiny baby Steinbrenner subsequently spent much of Winfield’s time in New York bashing him to the press, lamenting that he’d lost “Mr. October” in Reggie Jackson and gotten “Mr. May” in Winfield. When that didn’t turn fans into haters of Winfield and worshipers of Almighty George, he tried character defamation.
Jim McLennan at AZSnakePit has the story. Steinbrenner paid $40,000 to known gambler Howard Spira to dig up some dirt on Winfield’s charitable foundation (which did have some financial problems, which Winfield paid to fix himself, and the charity gave out scholarships for almost 30 years). Eventually Spira went to jail for two years, and Steinbrenner was banned for associating with a known gambler, although two years later, new commissioner Bud Selig lifted the ban. Just like Ronald Reagan pardoned Steinbrenner for his illegal campaign contributions to Dick Nixon! That “the Boss,” what a classy guy.
Oh, and Winfield was involved in another controversial story during his time as a Yankee. In 1983, doing in-between-inning warmup tosses, Winfield Randy Johnson’d a bird in Toronto. It was a seagull. He was actually taken to jail on charges of animal cruelty (the Blue Jays GM paid the $500 bail). Yankees manager Billy Martin said “when Toronto comes down to New York next week, we’re going to get their four starting pitchers arrested. We’re going to have somebody call the police and say they were molested in the hotel.” As BluebirdBanter’s Tom Dakers writes, “that pretty much tells you everything you need to know about Billy Martin.”
Finally, a few weeks ago, Matt noticed that AI garbage was stealing his stuff and getting it wrong. Around that time, Neil deMause (who writes about stadium shenanigans) mentioned that “the AI slop is getting weird, man.” To wit:
Hmm, that does sound familiar.
Oh brave new world that has such (un)people in’t! I should start inserting the word “poop” into every sentence just to confuse the machines, except it wouldn’t work. Nothing will! There’s good ideas about what we could do out there, but they have no chance and everything is doomed. Like the Twins this weekend.
CSR Weekend Warriors: 7/3-7/5
Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.
You know the drill.
This is now an open thread
Austin Reaves’ extension gets high grade from Lakers fans
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
With the strict NBA salary cap and apron restrictions, teams have to get their big contracts right. Signing a player to a max deal they can’t live up to can set a franchise back for years.
With Reaves up for a big payday this summer, the Lakers had to decide if he was a max player. They negotiated hard with him, but in the end he reportedly agreed to re-sign on a four-year, $185 million deal.
There are a couple of ways to look at this. One way is to think that the Lakers did well here by keeping top talent and paying Reaves what he deserves.
The Lakers will get what they paid for. Reaves is a max player, so they compensated him accordingly. Now he’s set to play in LA during the prime years of his career.
Another way to evaluate this contract is that the Lakers spent way too much money.
Reaves has never even been an All-Star. Add in some postseason struggles, and Reaves’ contract will only look worse over time, especially if he is done improving and his best performances have already been seen.
So, for our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans how the Lakers did on the Reaves contract. The results were relatively positive.
The top selection by fans was a B grade, and that seems very fair. If the deal was for less money and the last year was an option for the team instead of Reaves, then perhaps an A grade would be the right choice.
The way things turned out, Reaves is relieved to be a Laker, he got paid, and the team keeps a guard that can produce a ton of points and scoring opportunities.
That sounds like a situation where everyone wins, and a B grade reflects that.
Still, 21% of fans give this deal an A. So, the overall perception is that keeping Reaves was necessary, and the fact the Lakers did that is all that matters.
Only 15% of fans graded this extension a D or lower. These people likely don’t like the idea of Reaves at this price point.
However, with the Pistons reportedly interested in him, Reaves was likely going to get paid regardless. At least now, the Lakers will benefit from his continued growth.
With Lakers fans happy and even Luka Dončić reportedly excited about the franchise keeping Reaves, the Lakers did well on this deal.
Now their backcourt is secured, and they can focus on improving the team in other areas, knowing the starting guards are elite.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
Yankees injuries: Rodón on IL, Grisham and McMahon activated
Do you want the good news or the bad news first?
The Yankees didn’t exactly ask us that, but they might as well have after reinstating Trent Grisham from the injured list, only to add that Carlos Rodón was hitting the shelf with left-elbow inflammation, a move retroactive to June 30th. We’re only halfway through the moves, as Ryan McMahon has also returned to the fold following his illness and Oswaldo Cabrera is heading back to Triple-A.
With these four moves—six if you want to count David Bednar returning from the paternity list yesterday and Yovanny Cruz returning to Triple-A himself—the Yankees will, at least for the time being, carry only 12 pitchers and 14 position players, an unsustainable figure leading us to believe other moves are coming in the near future, perhaps as soon as Saturday.
Rodón was the scheduled pitcher for tomorrow’s matchup with the Twins. Unless the team calls someone up for a spot start tomorrow (Brendan Beck is in play since he was scheduled to go tonight for Scranton; Elmer Rodríguez pitched last night, so he’s out), the likely bulk options for a makeshift game are Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough, noting Yarbrough last pitched on Tuesday, while Blackburn tossed 19 pitches on Wednesday. After combining for 65 starts between 2024 and 2025, Rodón’s 2026 campaign has been dramatically affected by injuries, going on the IL with just nine starts to his season total, a shame because he hadn’t really skipped a beat upon his return.
If you’re looking for a silver lining, the lefty says that his UCL is intact.
Grisham needed just one game in Double-A before his activation after an early-June hamstring injury. He figures to slot back into the leadoff spot, a welcome addition to this lineup that has been depleted by injuries this season but unwavering in its production, number one in baseball in home runs. Trying to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke, Grisham was at his best right prior to the injury after a slow start—the hope is that this time off won’t negatively impact the left-handed hitter.
Due to a lack of options, if nothing else, Ryan McMahon will also likely return to a regular role, having last appeared in a major-league game a little under two weeks ago before being hit by an uncomfortable throat infection. Expectations may be low on his bat, but after watching too much of the shaky defense of Cabrera, Amed Rosario, and José Caballero at the hot corner, McMahon’s glove will at least offer a reprieve.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals: Mitch Keller vs. Foster Griffin
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals, July 3, 2026, 6:45 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are beginning their weekend series in the nation’s capital for America’s 250th birthday as they take on the Washington Nationals in D.C.
Keller picked up the win in his last start against the Cincinnati Reds on June 28. He pitched six innings, giving up five hits and three runs, in the Buccos’ 9-4 victory at PNC Park. Keller pitched against the Nationals on April 4-10 when the two teams met at PNC Park. He pitched only four innings, giving up six hits and five earned runs in their 5-4 loss at home.
On the other end of the pitching matchup is Nationals pitcher Foster Griffin, who is off to a stellar start this season. Griffin is 8-2 with a 2.93 ERA. Griffin spent his last three years in Japan before returning to Major League Baseball as a starter for the Nationals. He played in 2020 with the Kansas City Royals and in 2022 with the Royals and Toronto Blue Jays, but didn’t have much traction in the big leagues. Now that he’s with the Nationals, he has found a true home in the rotation.
In his last start against the Baltimore Orioles on June 27, Griffin pitched seven innings, giving up three hits and no earned runs. On April 16 against the Pirates, he pitched 5.1 innings, giving up eight hits and four earned runs. The Nats are 13-4 this season when Griffin takes the mound.
Location: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Mitch Keller (6-5, 4.87 ERA) vs. Foster Griffin (8-2, 2.93 ERA)
BD community, chime off in the comments section below.
Pete Alonso gets the nod as Most Valuable Oriole so far
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
There were a number of things missing from the Orioles last year. One of those things was someone hitting a bunch of dingers. The 2026 Orioles have their share of problems too, but at least they’ve got a guy hitting a bunch of dingers. They had to pay $31 million a year to get Pete Alonso, and so far he’s doing what they’re paying him for.
In this week’s survey, I asked Orioles fans to make their choice for Most Valuable Oriole so far this season. To my surprise, Alonso came out as the choice of a majority of voters. People love their homers. Here’s how the voting turned out:
Looking purely at bWAR accumulated so far, Alonso is tied with Adley Rutschman, so there you go, most valuable. As I outlined when I put up this survey, I think the real answer is Brandon Young, without whom this season looks no different than last year did and with not even slim hope of improving. Alonso is an excellent second choice. No Oriole hit more than 17 homers a year ago and Alonso already has 19. Hopefully he can keep adding to his total in the summer months.
The Orioles continue their season journey in Cincinnati on Friday night.
This week’s survey is sponsored by FanDuel.