Worldwide Sports News

Today and tomorrow, in advance of the trade deadline, I want to do a quick (relatively, it’s me writing) review of the state of the farm. It’s been an eventful year to date, with significant graduations, a trade addition already and more to come, and the draft, plus significant movement among the extisting members of the farm. Today, a look at pre-season top 40 prospects who are still eligible (though some have left the organization). Tomorrow, I’ll look at graduates, additions, and prospects not previously on the 40 or our honorable mentions who’ve made themselves known.

Stock Up:

• Nolan Perry (Matt’s Pref List) is the biggest riser in the system this season. Freshly back from Tommy John surgery, he’s absolutely carved through three levels so far this season, posting a total of 85 strikeouts (just under 40% of batters he’s faced) against only 19 walks and a 2.41 ERA in 56 innings. He’s a top 5 prospect in the system now, and if he finishes strong you could make a top 100 case.
• Daniel Guerra (Matt’s Pref List) looked great through early June, punching out 73 batters in 54.0 innings with the Vancouver Canadians and posting a 3.17 ERA. He missed a month with an elbow issue, but has K’d 9 against 4 base runners in two rehab appearances.
• Eric Snow (Tom’s Pref List) is a capable middle infield defender who makes loads of contact but fell to the sixth round because of a near-total lack of power. This year, he’s managed four home runs and 21 total extra base hits in 306 PA while earning two promotions, to Vancouver and then New Hampshire. He now shows just enough impact to profile as a utility infielder.
• Charles McAdoo (Just Missed) got his first crack at AAA this season, and then a cup of coffee in Toronto. He looked over-matched at the latter stop, but his Buffalo performance actually suggests improvement, with some contact gains and the plus raw that his his carrying tool.
• Franklin Rojas (#38) made the transition from the Dominican to the US complex for his age 19 season. He’s flashing doubles power, average contact, and a solid approach and still looks like he’ll stick at catcher.
• Carson Messina (#37) is back from the elbow inflammation that kept him out almost all of last season. He’s battled his command but is missing loads of bats and regularly touching 96, suggesting that the stuff that got him a $550k bonus is intact.
• Javen Coleman (#34) moved up to AA to start the season and continued to overpower with his mid-90s fastball, slider and splitter, posting a 35% strikeout rate while walking fewer than 6%. That just earned him a promotion to Buffalo, and he’s likely in the mix as soon as the Jays need a lefty reliever and have 40-man room.
• Sam Shaw (#31) was diagnosed with a blood clot in his shoulder at the end of last season that was apparently so serious his career was in doubt. He’s made a full recovery, though, and is building on last year’s A breakout with an even better campaign at A+. His power production won’t stay atthis level, but he’s clearly hitting it hard enough, making a decent amount of contact, and has an excellent eye.
• Sean Keys (#17) has had a rough welcome to the major leagues, but he’s only there because he obliterated AA and AAA to begin the year and forced his way up. And even in MLB his contact and power metrics are promising. I’m sold that he’s some kind of MLB bat, even if it takes a while for him to find his footing.
• Blaine Bullard (#15) has exceeded expectations for his power production in his pro debut, with 8 homers and 26 total extra base hits in 75 games, while swiping 31 of 35 bases and looking good manning centre field. He’s got a little work to do on his approach and contact, but a 19 year old posting above average results in A ball is always a pleasant surprise.
• Johnny King (#10) continues his ascent. His strikeouts have dropped form an absurd 40% last year to a merely excellent 31% as he’s moved up to Vancouver, but he’s also trimmed his (still too high) walk rate, and hitters aren’t having any luck barreling him up. He’s made his way on to Baseball America’s top 100.
• Jojo Parker (#3) took a little while to get his bearings in A ball, but since June 1 he’s slashing .258/.397/.508 with almost as many walks as strikeouts. [NOTE: these stats are a few days old and don’t even account for his 2-homer Tuesday night]. In the Futures Game, he turned on a 101mph fastball to pull a laser to the wall. All of which is to say the bat looks to be as advertised, with discipline, contact, and power that could all be plus.
• Arjun Nimmals (#2) conquered A+ in his second attempt early in the season, then held his own in his first month at AA. He went down with a hamstring issue, and has been getting loads of extra rest since coming back, but he’s also got four home runs and two doubles with just a 21% K rate and a 13% walk rate since his return. There’s work to do on his pitch recognition, especially against high minors quality sliders, but everything else looks excellent.

Stock Down:

• Jackson Hornung (Matt’s Pref List) has seen his power evaporate in his second go at AA.
• Carson Pierce (Matt’s Pref List) has had a rough go in his return from a season missed with injury. He’s walked more batters than he’s struck out over 23.1 innings and missed a couple of months from late May to last week.
• Cade Doughty (Matt’s Pref List) has continued to struggle offensively in his third crack at AA, striking out too much for a hitter whose college power hasn’t translated.
• Irv Carter (Tom’s Pref List) struggled mightily with his command early in his first attempt at AA, and has been down since May with an injury.
• Enmanuel Bonilla (Tom’s Pref List) continues to show neither the hit tool nor the power that were the supposed justification for his $3.5m signing bonus. He’s really shown nothing as a pro to support expectations.
• Brandon Barriera (#40) struggled badly in seven appearances before going down with yet another injury. He’s pitching again, but at this point he’s off the prospect radar.
• Gilberto Batista (#35) has hit a bit of a wall in A+, with his strikeout rate dropping and his walks ballooning.
• Grant Rogers (#33) got by through AA with a deep repertoire and command, making up for the lack of even average stuff. It’s caught up to him in Buffalo, though, as advanced hitters are hitting everything he throws and hitting it hard.
• Yondrei Rojas’s (#32) jump in strikeouts from last season in Vancouver hasn’t translated at all to New Hampshire. He’s also back to walking too many batters.
• Edward Duran (#29) has been trying out a new aggressive approach in A+ and it hasn’t worked, crashing his OBP without cutting strikeouts. He can still catch really well, but will need to find an offensive approach for it to matter.
• Cutter Coffey (#24) hasn’t been able to carry the pop that powered his 2024 and 2025 up to AA in 2026, and his strikeout rate has jumped to 33%.
• Austin Cates (#22) hasn’t carried over his excellent form from 2025, seeing his walk rate jump and his strikeout rate dip. That’s gotten worse after a jump up to AA.
• Adrian Pinto (#21) shouldn’t be in this section if yo look at his slash line. He got promoted to AA and has walked as much as he’s struck out while hitting for some power. But he’s been on the IL for six weeks now and is looking at his fifth straight year of failing to record 200 PAs. If I thought he’d ever play 100 games in a season he’d be in the top 10.
• Landen Maroudis (#19) still has a live arm, but he’s in his second consecutive season of posting ugly results, and it’s starting to look like his command might just not be good enough to make it all work.
• Fernando Perez (#8) had a disastrous first four games of the year, walking 16 in just a dozen innings. That’s concerning for anyone, but especially a pitcher whose profile rests on top notch command rescuing middling stuff. He was placed on the non-injury development list in early May and hasn’t been heard from since.

Long Term Injury, Wait and See:

• Jared Spencer (Just Missed) is still recovering from surgery before he was drafted last season, as expected.
• Chay Yeager (#39) got Tommy John before the season.
• Micah Bucknam (#28) was placed on the full-season IL April 2nd. Details are sketchy, but he won’t make his pro debut until 2027.
• T.J. Brock (#25) just made his first appearance since 2024 Tommy John surgery at the complex a couple of weeks ago.
• Jake Bloss (#6) got hit pretty hard in his return to AAA and has since been sent back to the 7-day IL. The good news is that he brought a couple of extra MPH with him from the rehab gym. His fastball now sits almost 96, with corresponding increases in the sharpness of his off speed stuff.
• Ricky Tiedemann (#5) was already having a slow time working back from Tommy John, and then neck soreness has wiped out his June. He’s made it as far back as A ball, still sitting 97 with nasty secondaries and 7 Ks against 15 batters faced, so the stuff that made him the best left handed pitching prospect in baseball four years ago is still there, but we’ll need to see sustained health before we believe.

Steady-ish:

• Elaineiker Coronado (Tom’s Pref List) is a fast, slick fielding shortstop who makes load of contact. Repeating the DSL, he’s now showing the barest hints of power. We’ll need to see him not get the bat knocked out of his hands in the States before we trust that he’s strong enough for his other tools to play.
• Jackson Wentworth (Tom’s Pref List) hasn’t managed great results in AA this year (18.4% K rate, 9.5% walk rate, 4.83 ERA), but that still basically looks like a future 7th starter.
• Michael Mesa (Tom’s Pref List) got a significant bonus in last year’s international free agent class. In his DSL debut, he’s been a mild disappointment, putting the ball on the ground too much to get to his power while posting just ok strikeout and walk numbers.
• Jace Bohrofen (Just Missed) looks like a stock-up candidate, with his .931 OPS but it’s still hard to see how a 62% AA contact rate won’t get him eaten alive against better competition.
• Alex Amalfi (Just Missed) has developed a home run problem after very effectively suppressing the long ball the past three years. He’s still missing plenty of bats, and has trimmed his walk rate a bit, but he’ll need to get that back under control to reach his ceiling as a swing man/depth starter.
• Juan Caricote (#26) is in his first pro season in the DSL. He’s been over-aggressive but he’s flashing the power that was his offensive carrying tool and throwing out his share of runners from behind the plate.
• Tim Piasentin (#23) struggled with swing and miss in his complex debut before going down a little over a month ago with an injury. He’s just 19, though, and was always considered a project, so no flashing lights yet.
• Jake Cook (#18) has just about held his own in A ball. That’s normally a significant knock for a 22 year old college draftee, but Cook is in just his second year after converting pack to a position player from the mound. He’s unusually raw and the athleticism that got him drafted is showing in the field and on the bases, so I’m inclined to give him a little longer to figure something out.
• Silvano Hechavarria (#16) has had an ugly season, ERA-wise, after his start was delayed by an injury. He’s looked to be finding his footing a bit recently, so I’m going to hope that he has a strong second half.
• Victor Arias (#14) has struggled a bit since his promotion to AA late last season. This year, he’s improved his contact somewhat and is hitting for power, but at the cost of walks, and his overall line is about average.
• Juan Sanchez (#12) has been a bit over-matched in A ball, with more strikeouts and fewer walks than you’d like. He’s shown power, though, and some signs of progress. For one of only a couple dozen 18 year olds in full season ball that’s enough to hold your shares.
• Gage Stanifer (#11) looks about like he did last season: He’s striking out 30% of the batters he’s facing but walking too many. He looks on track to be a likely leverage reliever with an outside chance that command refinement allows him to be a high-K five and dive starter.
• RJ Schreck (#9) looks just like he did last year. He walks a lot, doesn’t swing and miss much, and while his raw power is modest he gets to enough in games. He might not have the wheels for CF or the pop for left as an everyday guy, but he does enough well that I think he’s at least a luxury OBP-first fourth outfielder.
• Josh Kasevich (#4) is stuck at AAA, blocked by healthy seasons from Andres Gimenez, Ernie Clement and Kazuma Okamoto. He looks to be past his own injury troubles from last season, though, and he’s doing his usual thing: making loads of contact, surprisingly hard, but too low and too often oppo for it to produce power. MLB is the only test left for him to pass at this point.

You know the old baseball adage… when you think you have enough left-handed hitters, go get some more.

That’s about pitching? Huh. That’s weird. Well, anywho, the Guardians’ love left-handed hitters so what makes us think they’ll only target right-handed hitters at this deadline? Instead, as the St. Louis Cardinals enter today 2.5 games out of the third wildcard spot, they may try to pry another left-handed hitter off the Redbirds in the form of one Alec Burleson.

You can view our larger trade deadline piece here as we discuss a wider pool of options the Guardians may consider. To make my position clear, I expect the Guardians to make smaller moves, like trading Bo Naylor and getting a castoff/undervalued reliever. But, in the interest of exploring potential larger moves, we are doing a series looking at some of those bigger names. So far, we have discussed Spencer Steer, Luis Arraez, Shea Langeliers, Taylor Ward, Heliot Ramos, Jo Adell, Ty France, Tyler Soderstrom, Heriberto Hernandez and Kyle Stowers. Although the Guardians’ greatest need is hitting, the market is aflush with starting pitching so it also may make sense for the Guardians to see if they can find a good value there, as we wrote here and looked at specifically with Jose Soriano.

Back to Burleson: He is a 27 year-old first baseman/outfielder/DH under team control through 2028. He has a career 110 wRC+ but over the past two seasons, he is at 124 wRC+, with a 15/7.4 K/BB%, and a .287/.343/.460 slashline. It is only fair to note that this number includes a 145 wRC+ against RHP and only a 65 wRC+ against LHP. Burleson is primarily a strong-side platoon hitter… but he is a particularly excellent one. He is not a good defender at first base or left field but can stand in either spot and not embarrass himself; I’d prefer to see him made a full-time DH at which spot he has a 145 wRC+ over the past two seasons. The absence of the usual “DH penalty” there should be attractive to the Guardians, and he can happily fill in at first or left field on the occasional Jose or DeLauter DH days, as needed (or those DH days can be scheduled against LHP when possible while Burleson gets a day off). Burleson’s career home run total would look almost exactly the same at Progressive Field (actually +1) as it does at Busch Stadium, according to Baseball Savant, so that’s another point in his favor.

I would hope the Guardians would still target one of the Jo Adell/Taylor Ward/Heriberto Hernandez/Ty France Mount Rushmore of available Lefty Mashers if they acquired Burleson, but I would think the Cardinals could be made to see reason for the return here, given the uncertainty surrounding the existence of a 2027 season. I wouldn’t trade Ralphy Velazquez, Juneiker Caceres and PROBABLY not Angel Genao for Burleson, but everyone else can be part of the discussion. Additionlly, if the Cardinals think they can fix Kyle Manzardo, I’d be willing to entertain that conversation along with a very good prospect.

Against right-handed pitching, the following lineup (should Manzardo be retained) looks pretty formidable:

1. Kwan LF
2. Jose 3B
3. DeLauter RF
4. Burleson DH
5. Bazzana 2B
6. Manzardo 1B
7. Angel Martinez CF
8. Bailey C
9. Rocchio SS

Let me know your thoughts about getting another lefty-hitter in Alec Burleson in the comments below!

Worcester: W, 6-2 (BOX SCORE)

After dropping game one in Norfolk (Orioles AAA) following a six-game win-streak, the WooSox are back on top on Wednesday. They enjoyed not only another solid five-inning start from Blake Wehunt, who is impressing with a small sample size in Triple-A thus far, but also twin sixth inning home runs from their infielders, Bret Harris and Vinny Capra (the latter was the DH last night.) Those two long balls broke a 2-2 tie and put Worcester up for good, as the bullpen perfectly navigated the waters following Wehunt’s exit. Braiden Ward also was notably a speed demon on the basepaths, increasing his season total to a eyebrow-raising 46 stolen bases. The other two batters with multiple hits, you ask? Mikey Romero and Kristian Campbell.

Portland: L, 6-9 (BOX SCORE)

The Sea Dogs tried to subject Harrisburg (Nationals AA) to some small ball, as all but two of their eleven hits were singles, and they had 4 hits with runners in scoring position. They had 4 batters with 2 knocks. Still, Erik Rivera had a ninth inning melt down in a save situation and took the decision loss after a 6-4 lead turned into a 9-6 loss.

Greenville: W, 13-1 (BOX SCORE)

Offense was not at a premium on Wednesday night in Asheville. (Astros High-A) This game featured a lot of offense as Greenville got to the Tourists early and often. After four innings, the score was 12-1. A white-hot Justin Gonzales left the yard in the first inning with this 15th homer of the year. Maximus Martin, who made some waves with his contact tool in 2025, is back after a lengthy injury, and he hit a home run of his own in third. The Drive were able to coast to a win and Kyson Witherspoon had a lot of pressure taken off of him and was able to relax into one of his most effective starts as a pro, pitching into the sixth and allowing just the lone run.

Correction to yesterday’s article: the double header from Tuesday’s rain-out starts tonight at 5:05.

Salem, Game 1: W, 7-2 (BOX SCORE)

The RidgeYaks got two early home runs of their own in an abbreviated contest in Kannapolis (White Sox A) following Tuesday’s rainout. I guess in a seven-inning game homering in the third and calling it “early” is relative, but it came before Salem had still another effective inning in which they hung three more on the Cannonballers. As you might imagine, having a sizable lead like that gave the pitchers a bit longer of a leash than they might normally be offered, and Blake Foutch and Cole Tolbert were able to pitch a bit more lax (and longer into the game) than usual; they each allowed 2 hits en route to a decisive win in the afternoon game.

Salem, Game 2: L, 0-1 (BOX SCORE)

The nightcap featured about 25% of the total offense despite having an extra inning, and, by my math, only sported 11% of the runs. The only run of the game came via a sac fly in the bottom of the fourth, and it’s fitting that it wasn’t via a bonafide hit, as both teams combined for just five hits and three walks. Despite pitching well and super efficiently, Jason Gilman, who pitched all six innings for Salem, was handed the decision loss. There was suspense, but the game was still extremely brisk due to no one getting on base: these seven innings lasted just an hour and twenty minutes.

No series for the Cincinnati Reds now, or for the rest of the season, will be considered ‘vital.’ That’s what happens when you find yourself 7 games under .500 and heading towards next week’s trade deadline as a pretty clear seller. The Reds are a minimum of an 8 or 9 game win streak away from anything being considered even close to vital, in that regard, despite the Pittsburgh Pirates rolling into town this weekend in what’s sure to be a testy series regardless.

Pittsburgh is hungry right now. They are in ‘vital’ territory, a game over .500 at this juncture of a season for the first time in a long time and with a core that surely demands more additions for a playoff push. That’s what the Reds will get to deal with in Great American Ball Park beginning on Thursday evening, and they’ll do so with Rhett Lowder on the mound desperately hoping to turn around his season.

Lowder will have some new help, too. Or, rather, some old help making a return and shaking things up a bit.

Prior to Thursday’s series opener, the Reds activated Matt McLain from the injured list, optioning the struggling Edwin Arroyo back to AAA to make way. They also swapped pitchers as Chase Petty was optioned and Zach McCambley was recalled for the first time in a month.

The #Reds today announced the following transactions: pic.twitter.com/t8PK8MeVGS

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 30, 2026

Arroyo showed flashes during his first stint as a big leaguer, but the power never arrived and several notable defensive miscues this week got the spotlight despite the rest of the roster playing just about as poorly as he did at the very same time. Still, it’s a perfectly fine time for him to head to AAA and reset with the knowledge that he’ll almost certainly be back up at the big league level within a month or so (if not earlier).

It remains to be seen whether McLain is actually an upgrade, or not. He’s hitting just .190/.293/.328 on the season in 309 PA, and he went just 3 for his last 37 across 15 games before landing on the IL in the first place. Hell, at this point he may well be playing for a 2027 roster spot altogether seeing as he’s already earning $2.3 million as a super two arbitration guy and will get a raise on that this winter after turning 27 years old next week.

We’ll find out if any of it matters tonight in GABP, with Lowder chucking out the first pitch at 7:10 PM ET.

After struggling for two seasons to field enough outfield depth to survive injuries and defections, the Texas Longhorns have made the position a focus in recruiting from the NCAA transfer portal this offseason, efforts bolstered on Tuesday with the commitment of former Campbell Fighting Camels standout Carlos Lugo.

PORTAL News:@TexasBaseball has landed rising Soph OF Carlos Lugo from Campbell

Lugo, a first-team all-conference selection provides the Horns additional depth and provides Texas with more young talent for the future

Lugo is ranked 232 by @64Analytics#HookEm 🤘🐂⚾️

— Zachary Symm (@ZachAtTheDisch) July 28, 2026

The 5’9, 185-pounder is ranked as the No. 232 portal prospect by 64Analytics and has four seasons of eligibility remaining.

Out of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cavalry Christian Academy, Lugo played first base and pitched in addition to playing in the outfield. A true left-hander pitching and hitting, Lugo has a fastball that reached into the low 90s in high school. During an impressive senior season, Lugo slashed .494/.614/.882 with 12 doubles, seven home runs, and 17 stolen bases.

In one season at Campbell, Lugo earned first-team All-CAA recognition thanks to an impressive debut that saw him make 54 starts in the outfield among 56 games played, posting a 3.48 ERA in 10.1 innings over eight appearances, striking out 12 while holding opponents to a .194 batting average. As a hitter, Lugo was even better, slashing .370/.457/.534 with 13 doubles, six home runs, 34 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. With 26 walks and only 16 strikeouts, Lugo is a contact hitter who flashed some power and struck out in only 8.5 percent of his at bats, presenting a unique hitting profile for his size and contact ability.

In recording three outfield assists in 2026, Lugo also showed off the arm strength that makes his fastball a credible pitch at the college level.

Here’s the new OF Carlos Lugo showing off the cannon pic.twitter.com/LCDYr2xNF8

— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) July 28, 2026

Next season, Lugo projects as a depth piece for the Longhorns who provides a valuable left-handed bat and insurance in case of injuries as head coach Jim Schlossnagle tries to avoid future scenarios similar to light-hitting utility player Jayden Duplantier slashing .255/.372/.362 in 94 at bats in 2026.

The Cincinnati Reds have a handful of significant pieces who have been out injured in various forms and fashions, and on Thursday afternoon manager Terry Francona gave updates on a trio of players who’ve featured so far in 2026.

Some of the news was rather good. Nick Lodolo, who’s been plagued by blisters on his throwing hand – potentially due to the grip used on his slider – will face hitters in live batting practice on Friday. That was relayed to the beats prior to Thursday’s series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Similar good news was reported in the form of Brandon Williamson’s rehab start, which will begin on Saturday with AA Chattanooga. Williamson was shut down after just 6 games in late April after being sidelined all of 2025 following Tommy John surgery, his 2026 problems coming from his shoulder. Getting him back to help fill some innings at season’s end would be paramount given that Chase Burns is heading towards an innings limit and Brady Singer is likely to be traded by the August 3rd deadline, and now he seems on track to help do just that.

Nick Lodolo will throw live to batters Friday and will test out the new breaking ball grip

Brandon Williamson will start Saturday in AA

Blake Dunn will have elbow surgery on Monday

— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) July 30, 2026

The news wasn’t all good, however. Blake Dunn, who’s been out for a month after revealing pain in his throwing elbow, will go ahead and have surgery. As MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon relayed, they won’t know exactly how deep the surgery will have to go until they get in there, but that at least leaves on the table the potential for Tommy John surgery which, at this point of the year, would mean he’d be out for the bulk of 2027, too.

That all follows up the unfortunate news about Jose Franco from Tuesday’s doubleheader against Cleveland. Called up as the 27th man to provide length in the bullpen game, Franco exited with elbow discomfort. Given that he was the 27th man and not technically on the roster, any time spent on the injured list will be qualified at the AAA level instead of at the big league level, so he would be paid only as a AAA player while out instead of a big leaguer. If the injury were serious enough to require surgery and a lengthy rehab, that’s the difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a guy who a) hasn’t banked a ton as a big leaguer yet and b) didn’t get a huge signing bonus up front when he turned pro.

Fortunately, it looks as if that won’t be too long of a stint. As Charlie Goldsmith reported yesterday, it’s a flexor mass problem that will sideline him, but ‘his elbow structurally looked good.’

Terry Francona said Jose Franco has a flexor mass injury and will not throw for a minimum of two weeks. His elbow structurally looked good.

— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) July 29, 2026

The Rays were hoping to come away from their three-game series against the Rangers with a split-series win on Thursday afternoon after dropping one game to the Texas club on Tuesday night. To get the job done they had Shane McClanahan on the mound. The Rangers, meanwhile, were going the Opener route with a one-inning starter and then Marco Gonzalez lined up to take the bulk role.

Ezequiel Duran got a one-out walk in the first, but two outs followed to get the Rays out of the jam. In the home half, Yandy Diaz got a leadoff walk. Jonathan Aranda then grounded into a double play to eliminate the baserunner. It very briefly looked as if Junior Caminero hit a home run, but the call was challenged when it was called a flyout and the call on the field was upheld as an out.

The Rangers went 1-2-3 in the top of the second. Marco Gonzales came in to replace the Opener Cole Winn, and he got the Rays out in order.

McClanahan continues to cruise in the third, getting the Rangers three-up, three-down. In the home half with two outs, Hunter Feduccia doubled. Diaz then singled to bring Feduccia home and put the Rays on the board first.

Smooth swing ➡️ smoother slide pic.twitter.com/a4jI9AUUWX

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 30, 2026

Aranda singled and Caminero was intentionally walked, but no additional runs scored.

Duran was hit by a pitch to start the inning, then Brandon Nimmo walked. Shane McClanahan was then pulled from the game, though his injury if there was one was unclear. He appeared to have some neck discomfort and it seems like the team might have been aware because Casey Legumina was already warming and came in to replace him. With one out, a pinch-hitting Joc Pederson singled to score Duran and tie up the game. Pederson was then immediately swapped for a pinch-runner in Josh Smith, and with two outs, Legumina was swapped for Cam Booser. RIP if you’re keeping score the old-fashioned way. Booser got the final out of the inning. Victor Mesa Jr. got a one-out single in the home half, then Ben Williams singled. Taylor Walls walked to load the bases. Unfortunately Feduccia grounded into a double-play to end the inning.

With one out in the fifth, Alejandro Osuna singled. We got an update on McClanahan: mid-back tightness. So we’ll see how that pans out. Craig Kimbrel replaced Booser and then gave up an RBI double to Wyatt Lanford. With two outs, Nimmo walked and then stole second, but the Rays were able to get out of the inning with only the one extra run scoring. Peyton Gray replaced Gonzalez in the bottom of the inning and got the Rays out in order.

Steven Matz was the new Rays’ pitcher in the sixth and he mowed through the Rangers in order. In the bottom of the inning the Rays got their mojo back a little as Jonny DeLuca hit a solo home run with one out. Two outs followed but the Rays had come even.

DeLuca dinger ties it up! pic.twitter.com/vB1IEB3scF

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 30, 2026

With one out in the seventh, Osuna walked. He stole second after two outs, and the Rangers were not able to bring him home. Robby Ahlstrom was the new Rangers pitcher in the bottom of the inning and got the side out in order.

Garrett Cleavinger came in for the Rays in the eighth. After two outs, Josh Smith walked but Cleavinger got the final out to end the threat. With one out, Ben Peoples came in from the Rangers’ pen. After two outs, Cedric Mullins hit a solo homer to put the Rays in the lead.

CED GOODBYE pic.twitter.com/VXmf1E7cjd

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 30, 2026

DeLuca singled, then stole second, but the Rays were limited to just the one run for the inning. Thankfully it was a big one.

Bryan Baker came in for the top of the ninth and gave up a leadoff walk to Nicky Lopez. Langford got a two-out walk, but despite the nail-biter ending the Rays did pull off the third out to win the game and the series.

Final: Rays 3, Rangers 2

The Texas Rangers scored two runs but the Tampa Bay Rays scored three runs.

Saving Nathan Eovaldi for Houston, the Rangers opted for a total bullpen game today with Cole Winn getting the opening inning. Winn got through his inning unscathed and handed things over to what amounted to a bulk pitcher today in Marco Gonzales, who I both forgot was a Ranger and had ever been one before he appeared on the mound today.

Gonzales was in and out of trouble and lucky to make it through three innings allowing just one run. That run, in the bottom of the third, gave the Rays a 1-0 lead which the Rangers tied a half inning later when pinch hitter Joc Pederson hit a ball that appeared destined for a threat-ending double play but turned into a run-scoring fielder’s choice error.

Pederson hit in that inning because Rays’ left-handed starter Shane McClanahan exited with an injury after three innings, rendering it a battle of the bullpens for both squads. That designation seemed to favor the Rays but it was the Rangers who took a lead in the middle innings when Texas sequenced into a run via an Alejandro Osuna single followed by a Wyatt Langford RBI double.

That was Texas’ only two hits of the game.

The Rays eventually tied the game on a solo home run by Jonny DeLuca off of Peyton Gray in the bottom of the sixth and then went ahead via a two-out solo home run by Cedric Mullins off of Ben Peoples in the bottom of the eighth.

If you’re wondering why the Rangers were making a trade for a reliever last evening, look no further than them turning to Ben Peoples in a tied game late that they could have stolen. But it’s not like the Rangers outplayed Tampa Bay and lost.

Avoiding getting swept in this series was crucial and the Rangers accomplished that in the first game. They could have snuck another victory today but their overall lack of big league quality down the lineup and in the bullpen was evident in as getaway as you can get.

Player of the Game: Langford is Texas’ best player and sure enough, he was the only guy to hit an extra base and the only guy to drive in a run today unless you are counting Pederson which I am not.

Up Next: In a familiar scene to one from a few days ago, the Rangers enter a series up a half game against the American League West opponent directly behind them. The Rangers will open that series in Houston with Nathan Eovaldi on the mound opposite RHP Hunter Brown for the Astros.

The Friday evening first pitch from formerly Minute Maid Park by way of Enron Field now named Daikin Park is scheduled for 7:15 pm CDT and you can find it on Apple TV.

Over the last 24 to 48 hours, there has been a lot of smoke around a Foster Griffin extension. Buster Olney reported that the Nats have been exploring the idea of extending Griffin. With the deadline just a few days away, it feels like there will either be a deal soon or the Nats All-Star southpaw will be shipped off.

The Nationals are exploring a possible extension with NL All-Star Foster Griffin, who is eligible for free agency in the fall. The circumstance mirrors that of Seth Lugo last year, when the Royals extended Lugo instead of trading him before he hit free agency. Griffin, 31, is…

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 30, 2026

The comparison to Seth Lugo is an interesting one. Like Griffin, Lugo is a pitcher with a deep mix, who relies on command and variety to throw hitters off. He also did not have a large history of starting, spending most of his career in the bullpen. Lugo received a 2-year deal worth $46 million. 

That $23 million AAV is pricey, and could certainly throw the Nats off. However, there is another Royals pitcher whose contract could also be a comparison point. Michael Wacha got a 3-year $51 million deal, which has aged very well. If I were the Nats, that would be a number worth paying.

With Griffin pushing for that Lugo number and the Nats looking at the Wacha deal, they could meet somewhere in the middle on something like a 3-year $57 million deal. Whether Toboni or Lerner would be willing to give out that kind of deal is unclear, but that is what I think the market would be around.

This morning, Barry Svrluga put out a good piece arguing for a Griffin extension. His argument was simple but effective. The Nats are not in the same place they were in the past when selling rentals was a no-brainer. This is a team whose window is opening and still has a chance to make the playoffs.

For the past several years, the Nationals have tried to spin expiring contracts into assets at the deadline.

Foster Griffin is on an expiring contract. But this isn't the past several years.

A case for keeping — and extending — the Nats' lefty.https://t.co/l2CZPK9G5B

— Barry Svrluga (@barrysvrluga) July 30, 2026

Griffin has been a huge part of that success. Losing him would pretty much erase the Nats playoff hopes. The Nats have won 17 of Griffin’s 21 starts. With Griffin and Cavalli on the mound, the Nats are a real force. However, things get really shaky after that. If Griffin is locked up and Connelly Early comes back, the Nats rotation would be in good shape.

However, the playoffs do remain fairly unlikely. If an extension cannot be reached, trading Griffin would be the smart play. His value is likely at its peak right now and just about every contender needs starting pitching.

While I think Griffin will be good for years to come, there is some risk for a guy with such a small track record. A lot of pitchers who come back from Asia have their best season in the first one back.

If you look at the ERA indicators, Griffin is due for some regression, and this is probably a career year. However, with his command and deep bag of pitches, I think he can be a mid rotation starter for years to come. That Wacha like deal is right in line with mid-rotation money.

Personally, I hope Griffin sticks around. Watching him pitch is such a blessing. Seeing a guy dominate without velocity is so much fun in this modern era. He is truly pitching out there, and playing chess with hitters all game.

Foster Griffin, Nasty 83mph Changeup. 👌

9th K pic.twitter.com/JfzVhALkx1

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 28, 2026

When hitters face Griffin, they are in for mental and physical warfare. It always feels like Griffin is one step ahead of hitters. Hopefully, tomorrow is not the last time we get to see Griffin play chess on the field for the Nats.

It is time for the Lerner’s to put their money where their mouth is. For years, fans have been holding out hope that the Lerner’s were just waiting for the right moment to pounce and open their wallets. Well, based on how this season has gone, the time is now. A Foster Griffin extension would be a great first step in winning back the fanbase.

Astros GM Dana Brown has maintained that he intends to be a buyer at the deadline. Whether he is buying name brand or knockoff is a major question.

Houston is a conflicting situation. They have been ravaged by injuries for the third straight season. Owner Jim Crane has been watching the bottom line, leery of exceeding the luxury tax for a third straight season and incurring the penalties that come with it. The roster is top heavy, and not necessarily with as many top players as hoped at the beginning of the season. The outfield consists of a lot of guys who may benefit from playing at Sugar Land instead of Houston.

The Astros are also getting a generational MVP season from Yordan Alvarez that would be a baseball sin to waste. Jeremy Pena continues to play the role of ignitor at the top of the order. Isaac Paredes found hit bat on May 30th and hasn’t lost it since.

Jose Altuve is having a career-worst season. Christian Walker started hot, and has cooled off significantly.

The lineup legitimately needs two bats – outfield bats, ideally at least one of them being left-handed. At least one of them needs to be an impact bat of moderate value, the other at least a good avg/obp/speed type.

The starting pitching has been among the worst in baseball. Mike Burrows was the team’s big trade acquisition this offseason. He was brutally bad, and now he’s on the IL. Tatsuya Imai was their biggest free agent signing, and he’s been woefully inconsistent vacillating between looking like a top pitcher and looking like a disaster.

Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski have just returned from Tommy John surgery. Spencer Arrighetti has starred in his Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde role, sometimes looking fantastic and sometimes awful, and is now on IL. Cristian Javier just had his best outing of the season in relief, 5 shutout innings that lowered his ERA to *7.17*. You read that right.

Hunter Brown is the ace of the staff. A grade 2 shoulder strain cost him 2 months. He struggled with his command afterwards, though his most recent start indicated he may be past those struggled. Peter Lambert has become the most consistent starter on the team and he was DFA’d after Spring Training.

The team needs a starting pitcher, ideally 2. They need at least one number 2-3 type starter, someone they can depend on to start a playoff game. They could still use another back of the rotation inning eater type, because getting 5 innings from each starter a full turn through the rotation has been a Herculean task for this team this season.

The bullpen has dealt with injury to All-Star closer Josh Hader, and reliable setup man Bennett Sousa. Bryan Abreu underperformed badly to start the season, Bryan King is underperforming right now. Kai-Wei Teng has been shifted back and forth between the pen and rotation, and has worn down from such heavy usage. The team has preferred to keep AJ Blubaugh in a multi-inning reliever role rather than stretch him out so that he could start.

The Astros could really use a righthanded leverage reliever to balance their lefthanded tandem of Steven Okert and Sousa in front of Hader. This is especially important if the starting pitching is still inconsistent and the team is unwilling to pay the freight for starters.

Which brings us to the biggest issue facing Houston at the deadline. They say they are going to be buyers, but what are they really buying?

Will the Astros buy the brand name players they need to make their team strong enough to be a legitimate contender in a soft American League, or will they shop in the bargain bins hoping to make the playoffs and rely on the old mantra ‘anything can happen in the postseason’ for their chances of success?

This deadline will represent a strong seller’s market. Prices are sure to be sky high as there are limited sellers. Top prospects will be at a premium as the spectre of a long-term lockout looms over the deadline and the rest of the season.

Will the Astros have the stomach to pay the price for the kinds of players they really need to be real contenders? Last season, they refused to pay the freight for starting pitching, instead choosing to bank on players returning from injury and it backfired hard.

Prices will not be lower this year.

Will Crane require Brown to perform the wild gymnastics needed to keep the team under the luxury tax? In the past, Crane has shown a willingness to exceed the tax for a player he believed could help push the team over the top. He did so last season with the acquisition of Carlos Correa, who played markedly better in Houston after the deadline than he did in Minnesota before.

Houston has a track record of being innovative, creative and aggressive at the deadline in many of the deadlines during the Golden Age. Can they find a way to do so again?

The reality is if the Astros chose to sell, they could get absolute king’s ransoms for some players and reload in the offseason. Understandably, no one wants to sell when they are just a game out of the division lead, even if they did just get back to .500 for the first time yesterday since they were 6-6.

The team has to understand the kind of hauls they could get as sellers, and their buy has to match the impact. They have to buy the kind of impact players that will shift them from AL mediocrity to AL power.

They don’t need to be reckless with the cost, but they cannot fear the cost either. They can’t be afraid to move guys off the major league roster, and reallocate funds to greater positions of need. They can’t be afraid to utilize positional flexibility.

While there may be some good deals in the bargain bin at TJ Maxx, they can’t be afraid to go into Nordstrom either. They make the money, they can pay the bills.

Are they willing to push in hard enough to truly be contenders in the AL, or is just getting to the party good enough?

Getting to the party with no chance of winning isn’t what I want to see. It’s not what most fans want to see, based on the cross section of fans I see online and who connect with AREA 45 on Sportsradio 610 each night. They want to buy to win, or sell to reload. They don’t want to surrender assets for a ‘maybe we make it into the Wild Card’ type of deadline decisions.

Dana Brown is fighting for his job. He cannot be reckless, but he cannot be hesitant either.

It’s gut-check time. We are about to see what the Astros are willing to stomach in the name of winning and “the window” always being open.