SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 08: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 and Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres celebrate after scoring runs during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on July 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals put a frustrating first half behind them and open the second half by hosting the Padres. This is just the fourth time ever the Padres have come to town, with the Royals dropping the series the last time they played at the K in 2024.
The Padres have a $200+ million payroll, but after a hot 19-9 start, they have struggled. They had an eight-game losing streak in late June/early July, but won five of eight heading into the break.
San Diego Padres (48-48) vs. Kansas City Royals (38-59) at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
The Padres’ lineup has been mysteriously bad this year. Fernando Tatis Jr. went 55 games to begin the year without a home run. Manny Machado got off to a dreadful start, but is hitting .279/.372/.586 with eight home runs in his last 30 games to get his batting average over the Mendoza Line. Gavin Sheets is hitting just .176/.263/.235 against lefties, but is hitting .279/.377/.543on the road. Xander Bogaerts has a 58.5 percent groundball rate, second-highest among qualified hitters.
Ty France is a Royals-killer, hitting .368/.445/.604 with eight home runs in 39 games in his career against them. Former Royals catcher Freddy Fermin is hitting just .152/.252/.268 in 58 games and has been out with a concussion.
Only the Nationals have stolen more bases than the Padres. The Padres generally rate well defensively, particularly Bogaerts at shortstop.
Michael King is 12th in the National League in ERA, but he has the ninth-highest walk rate among qualified starters. King has a reverse split this year, with lefties hitting just .201/.288/.299 against him. He throws a sinker, change up, sweeper, and a 94 mph four-seamer.
Griffin Canning had a nice season with the Mets last year, but he has been a mess with the Padres this year. He has the third-worst ERA (6.47) of any pitcher with at least ten starts. He has pitched more than five innings just once this year, and has been used as a “bulk reliever” in some recent appearances. Opponents are hitting .333 against his change up this year. The Royals have not yet announced a starter for Saturday, although Stephen Kolek could be activated off the family emergency list.
Germán Márquez had a 6.70 ERA last year with the Rockies, the second-worst of any pitcher with at least 100 innings. He moved on to the Padres and got off to a decent start before missing two months with a forearm injury. He has pitched just 12 innings in his three starts since returning. Lefties are hitting .273/.377/.557 against the right-hander this year.
The Padres’ bullpen has a 3.68 ERA, sixth-lowest in baseball after leading all of baseball last year. Mason Miller has been the best reliever in baseball, according to fWAR, striking out a ridiculous 48.5 percent of all batters he has faced. Yuki Matsui has a 14.9 percent walk rate, ninth-highest among relievers, and a 58.8 percent flyball rate that is third-highest. Adrian Morejon has a 64.4 percent groundball rate, third-highest in baseball. Kyle Hart has given up ten runs in his last 11.2 innings.
The Padres have the kind of roster that should be competing, but they have failed to turn that talent into results. Their negative run differential and 43-53 Pythagorean record suggest this team has been fortunate to remain in the mix. Their offensive struggles may be just what the Royals’ pitching staff needs to face, but if the Royals find themselves down late, they’ll have to face a shutdown bullpen.
For as much heat as Daryl Morey — and to some extent ownership — took for trading Jared McCain at last season’s deadline, let’s not forget that Nick Nurse played at least somewhat of a role in the departure of the team’s 2024 first-round pick. Nurse was quoted as saying McCain had gone through a “tough couple years” back in February when McCain was shipped out to Oklahoma City.
Obviously, Nurse was hinting at the meniscus injury that cut McCain’s rookie year short and the UCL tear in his thumb ahead of training camp. However, McCain was never really fully integrated into Philadelphia’s rotation upon his return from the injury in 2025-26 and was traded before the season even ended. So it stands to reason that Nurse was lukewarm at best on the idea of McCain playing anywhere from 25-35 minutes a night and the writing was on the wall for McCain’s exit out of town.
The primary draft pick Philadelphia received in the trade with Oklahoma City has now been turned into Labaron Philon Jr., a guard who’s only one inch taller than McCain. When Josh Harris and Bob Myers held a press conference announcing Morey’s dismissal, the McCain trade was at the center of a frequent line of questioning from the local media. Nurse was retained at the end of the season and so clearly the Sixers’ brain trust had to be on the same page with incoming president Mike Gansey on how to deploy their guards moving forward.
While Philon isn’t any taller than VJ Edgecombe, and is only slightly taller than Tyrese Maxey, there has to be a plan on how to avoid a McCain 2.0 situation. But just because Philon is similar in height to McCain and the other guards that will play prominently in the Sixers’ rotation in 2026-27, doesn’t mean this is going to play out the same way McCain’s tenure as a Sixer did.
Philon has done what most teams want their first-round picks to do in Summer League. He’s gotten a lot of minutes, put up a lot of shots and flashed the skills that made him worthy of a selection in the first round. Understandably so, the Sixers have been playing through Philon when he’s been on the court. What’s been recognizable is the versatility in how Philon has been scoring.
Unlike McCain, Philon seems comfortable being able to score at all three levels, with the obvious caveat that he’s doing so in Summer League games. Nevertheless, he’s getting to the basket and finishing around the rim. He’s scoring off the dribble in the midrange area and he looks comfortable from the three-point line when he lets it fly from deep. Additionally, Philon is a much better passer entering the NBA than McCain was at this time two years ago and McCain’s passing skills haven’t improved much since he got drafted.
The bottom line here is that Philon seems like a player that’s good at a lot of different things while McCain was someone who was elite at shooting and had work to do in other areas if he was going to become a more well-rounded guard. That doesn’t mean that Philon is destined to have the better NBA career, but it does suggest that Philon would seem to be a better fit with Maxey and Edgecombe than McCain was.
If you already have two smaller guards in Maxey and Edgecombe anchoring your backcourt, how much sense does it make to play a third small guard that doesn’t handle the ball or pass well with those two? If McCain was three or four inches taller and a knockdown shooter as a small forward, he might have fit more naturally with Maxey and Edgecombe.
Philon’s ability to run the offense if needed should give Nurse more options. You would think just about everyone in the organization would sign up for Maxey’s minutes to be reduced a bit in the regular season. Well, Philon could allow Maxey to rest a little more during certain games, but he could also more naturally be the team’s primary ball handler leaving Maxey to play off the ball and perhaps not tire out as quickly.
Additionally, if the Sixers just want to play faster this year, Philon’s a niftier guard that would have more success in transition than McCain would. In an era of positionless basketball, having three good athletes in Philon, Maxey and Edgecombe all on the floor at the same time should allow the Sixers to get out and run off missed field goals from the opponent pretty routinely.
None of this is meant to validate trading away McCain or imply that Philon is certain to be the better NBA player. There’s certainly a world in which this works out for everyone and the Sixers’ vision of a backcourt with all three of their current guards makes more sense and McCain settles into a long career with a winning franchise like the Thunder.
We should note that McCain only started two games for the Thunder in the postseason which might indicate that on a contending team, McCain might never be more than a shooter that comes off the bench. In other words, McCain’s one elite skill might be enough for him to have a long NBA career by itself. But Philon’s wider array of skills might give him a higher ceiling and certainly fits better with the current version of the Philadelphia 76ers.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 10: Luis Castillo #58 of the Seattle Mariners walks back to the dugout following the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 10, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The second part of this terrible season kicks off against a Mariners team that’s straining to match their success from a year ago. Those 2025 Mariners? AL West champs. Cal Raleigh hit 60 dingers and they were 4th in the AL in runs scored to boost a decent pitching staff. These 2026 Mariners? 1.5 games back of the division and never more than 4 games over .500. Cal Raleigh? Just 9 homers and one of the worst regulars in the entire sport. They’re 12th in the AL in runs scored, 26th in MLB. Meanwhile, the Giants are playing for 2028 and beyond, when their highly regarded farm system should start producing results.
So, rather than delve into the hows and whys of these two disappointing teams, let’s do some trade talk about a trade that will almost definitely not happen. In looking at potential trade partners who could take on some of the Giants’ bigger contracts, I’ve conceded that at the end of the day the Giants would have to do contract swaps; and, given that Zack & Buster will need to once again rebuild the rotation for next season (or post-lockout) following Robbie Ray’s departure, a contract they should probably take on is one of a veteran pitcher just to guarantee themselves some innings. And that led me to two names: Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola and Seattle’s Luis Castillo.
But the thing is, Aaron Nola’s contract runs through 2030 and his age-37 season while Castillo’s runs through 2027 unless he pitches 180 innings in which case it vests for 2028. Now, there’s a decent chance of a lockout so that vesting option would seem to be unimportant, but the Mariners seem like they’re doing an annual dance with their payroll and probably want to ditch a pitcher they have already shuffled away from the rotation.
Could the Giants use their former prospect to stanch the bleeding they’re likely to face here over these final 66 games and however many games are played in 2027? I don’t see why not. Although Castillo has been on a steady decline since his age-28 season of 2021 with the Reds — 3.9 fWAR then followed by 3.7, 3.3, 2.3, 2.6, and a projected 1.5 this season — he still has a lot of qualities that could help the Giants’ rotation. They are:
Two fastballs — a four-seamer and a sinker — which both average 95 mph (65th percentile)
A 7.2 BB% (70th percentile)
A 20.8 K% (37th percentile)** — hold on, this low value is still a positive and I’ll explain in a moment.
Innings eater (2023-2025: 197, 175.1, 180.2)
Yes, he’s in clear decline. He averaged 97 mph with his fastball from 2020-2022, then 96 2023-2024, and he’s down to 95 the past two seasons, his strike rate through age 30: 9.86. Ages 31-33: 8.48.
He’s not the pitcher he once was and he’s due to make $24.15 million next season (and 2028, if the option vests). That’s less than what Robbie Ray is scheduled to make here in his final season with the Giants (his age-34 season, which is what Castillo’s age would be in 2027) and it carries a lower Competitive Balance Tax number because of the annual average of his 5-year, $108 million deal he signed after the Mariners traded for him: $21.6 million.
We don’t know what the CBT will look like in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, of course, but if the Giants aren’t going to move Logan Webb (which they should) then they’ll need to add to the rotation until the next competitive window opens. But rather than pay today’s free agent market prices for pitching, taking on contracts valued from a previous generation makes a lot more sense.
Now, a trade like this would probably require a third team, because it’s hard to imagine the Mariners trading for Robbie Ray after trading him away, but being a pass-through for another team who needs a pitcher like Ray?
According to this MLB.com article, the Mariners need a right-handed bat and a proven reliever. The Giants, of course, don’t have a proven reliever, except for maybe Caleb Kilian, who has been great in any inning that’s not the 9th inning (seriously, look at these splits); but, better yet, they have a really solid right-handed bat option in Heliot Ramos.
So, on the one hand, you could see the Giants being willing to send Robbie Ray to the Mariners for Luis Castillo and a prospect or two (16 of Seattle’s top 30 are pitchers, btw) and you could see the financialization model Jerry Dipoto seems to swear by motivating the Mariners’ side (they get out from the 2027 commitment to Castillo), but in order for it to really give Seattle what they need (financial flexibility), you could see them needing a bit more.
Would Matt Chapman want to live in Seattle for half the season? That could be another possibility if the Mariners want to actually use their financial flexibility to make a bigger splash. I don’t think T-Mobile Park is a good fit for Chapman, of course, but Seattle’s contributions from third base this season have been dire: a 75 wRC+ and -5.4 Defensive Runs Above Average. Hard to see Seattle trading into a long-term deal for a player in his (at least, when tracking age to history) decline phase, but I admit I’m having a hard time figuring out who that third team would be in this trade pitch of:
Giants receive
SP Luis Castillo 2 Mariners prospect (Teddy McGraw & Jared Sundstrom?) 1 Team #3 prospect
Mariners receive
OF Heliot Ramos RP Caleb Kilian 1 Team #3 prospect (which goes to the Giants)
Who: San Francisco Giants (41-55) at Seattle Mariners (48-49) Where: T-Mobile Park | Seattle, Washington When: Friday at 7:10pm PT, Saturday at 5:08pm PT, Sunday at 1:10pm PT National broadcasts: Fox TV (Saturday)
Projected starters Friday: Landen Roupp (RHP 6-8, 4.27 ERA) vs. Bryce Miller (RHP 4-3, 2.18 ERA) Saturday: Logan Webb (RHP 5-7, 3.86 ERA) vs. Bryan Woo (RHP 7-6, 4.23 ERA) Sunday: Robbie Ray (LHP 8-6, 3.38 ERA) vs. Logan Gilbert (RHP 7-6, 3.32 ERA)
Players to watch
Mariners
Julio Rodriguez: He’s expected to come off the concussion IL during this series after missing basically all of July. He wound up there after taking a throw off the back of his helmet during a double play. Ouch. The 25-year old hit .267/.324/.474 with 32 homers and 30 steals last year, but this year, he’s down a bit to .259/.323/.427 and just 14 homers and 12 steals. Now, it’s entirely possible that he kicks off the second part of the season with a bang and goes on a tear that brings his 2026 season line closer to his final results in 2025. The Giants seem like the perfect team to get him going.
Logan Gilbert: Since giving up 7 runs to the Padres back on May 16th, he’s got a 2.20 ERA (2.35 FIP) over his last 9 starts with a 5:1 strikeouts to walks ratio in 57.1 IP. The Mariners are 7-2 over this stretch, the only two losses coming on the road, when the Guardians & Rays both scored 4 off of him.
Randy Arozarena: Since June 1st, he’s hitting .279/.395/.471 with 5 homers, 5 doubles, and 19 RBI. His season line of .286/.380/.458 has him on pace for the best season of his career. Remarkably, he’s just 9-for-51 (.176) in his career against the Giants.
Giants
Rafael Devers: I can’t remember where I saw it so plainly stated, but it was, essentially, that despite the Giants and Mariners being very similar organizations, right down to the pitcher’s park quality of their home stadiums, there was one key difference in that regard: righties hit better in Oracle Park and lefties hit better in T-Mobile Park. So, it was with that in mind that I went straight to Devers’ split and lo! In 21 career games (95 PA), he’s slashing .298/.379/.560 with 6 homers and 4 doubles. He also has 3 stolen bases. You know, since the 1-year anniversary of the blockbuster trade, after every pundit put on his critical hat to say how much of a flop it had been, he’s hitting .298/.400/.702 with 10 homers and 15 walks against just 18 strikeouts in his last 100 plate appearances. L. O. L.
Bryce Eldridge: He was 6-for-24 on the homestand, but it felt a little quiet. He was 6-for-24 on the last road trip, too, and that felt a little quiet. 12-for-48 with a pair of homers, a pair of homers, and just 6 walks isn’t what we had in mind, I’m sure, so let’s see what he does against the three best starters in Seattle’s rotation.
Logan Webb: His July is canceling out his stellar June and rekindling the thought that his best days are behind him. He’s 0-1 with a 5.29 career ERA in 3 starts against the Mariners, but the only time he’s started a game in T-Mobile Park was 2021. Personally, I’m sticking to GPT’s simple assessment:
The Giants’ pitching system has created a series of Logan Webbs. Can the real Logan Webb distinguish himself again?
Clay Holmes will take a big step towards his return this weekend.
Holmes is set to make his first rehab start Saturday night with High-A Brooklyn.
The right-hander has been sidelined since mid-May with a fractured fibula.
Holmes has been progressing well in his recovery over the past few weeks, and Andy Green said pregame Thursday that he looked like himself as he completed another bullpen session on Tuesday.
Green indicated Holmes was inching closer to a rehab assignment, and now he's been deemed ready.
According to Will Sammon of the Athletic, multiple teams are expected to be scouting that first minor league outing with Holmes being a potential trade candidate ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline.
The Mets, of course, could elect hold onto him as well as they look to draw up a potential extension.
Holmes was one of New York's most consistent arms before being injured on a comebacker, pitching to a stellar 2.39 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across his first nine outings of the season.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Foster Griffin #22 of the Washington Nationals throws a pitch during the fifth inning of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The All-Star break has come to a close, and that means it’s time for real baseball to once again commence. A 3-game sweep courtesy of the New York Yankees left a sour taste in the mouths of Nats’ fans going into the break, despite an otherwise productive month of July to date, and now it’s time for the club to kick it into second gear and push for a playoff berth. They start their second-half journey to October on the West Coast, with 3 games against the Athletics on tap for this weekend.
While Washington is looking to bounce back from their series against New York, the A’s are attempting to fully turn the page and leave their prior July performance behind them. They took down the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-1 to begin the month, but have since lost 9 consecutive games dating back to July 3rd. Coming off 3 straight sweeps is never an ideal spot, and the Nats will be tasked with continuing to bury them in the standings.
Game One – Friday 9:40 PM EST
ATH: LHP Gage Jump (3-4, 3.51 ERA)
WSH: RHP Cade Cavalli (5-4, 3.83 ERA)
It’s been a splendid rookie campaign thus far for Jump, elevating him quickly to the status of one of their rotation’s most reliable arms. His egregious 2-game skid to end June and kick off July raised his ERA by over 1.5 points, but he settled down and held the White Sox to just 1 run across 5.2 innings his last time through the rotation.
Questions about Cavalli’s workload may arise in the near future, but for now, it’s full steam ahead for the 27-year-old. He will be leaned on heavily to stabilize the rotation, and the Nats’ coaching staff likely pushes him to take another step forward in his development. The righty has yet to toss a scoreless outing this year, albeit being an objectively solid starter, and it would be a great sign for him to go out there and set the tone for the second half.
Game Two – Saturday 10:05 PM EST
ATH: RHP JT Ginn (7-6, 3.67 ERA)
WSH: RHP Zack Littell (7-6, 4.90 ERA)
Speaking of taking a step forward, that’s exactly what Ginn has managed to do through 21 appearances in 2026. His season numbers are heavily swayed by the 8 runs he surrendered to Chicago in his last start, and the Nats’ lineup will look to force a repeat of that blowup outing.
Littell’s ERA has been lowered in each of his last 4 starts, a trend that will need to continue if Washington is to make a legitimate run at the postseason. He’s missed more bats as of late, and his ability to limit walks has also been a noticeable improvement from his early-season struggles.
Game Three – Sunday 4:05 PM EST
ATH: LHP Jacob Lopez (4-3, 6.83 ERA)
WSH: LHP Foster Griffin (10-2, 2.77 ERA)
Lopez’s numbers are certainly indicative of the pitcher he’s been (or hasn’t been able to be), with neither his stamina nor his effectiveness emerging as particularly impressive traits. He tossed 1.2 scoreless innings as an opener in Chicago, and that role may be more fitting for the southpaw who has yet to throw 6.0 innings in a start.
The Nationals’ “alpha dog” of their pitching staff takes the hill in the series finale, fresh off his first career All-Star Game selection. He put up an undeniably All-Star-level first half, and he’s the best bet to lead the Washington rotation down the stretch, assuming he isn’t moved before the August 3rd trade deadline.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Cubs begin the “second half” (actually, the second “a bit more than 40 percent”) of the 2026 season tonight against the Minnesota Twins at Wrigley Field.
They stand five games behind the Brewers for first place in the NL Central, and one game ahead of the Phillies for the top wild card spot (incidentally, thanks Mets for defeating the Phillies Thursday!).
That’s a good position for a postseason spot. Obviously a division title and possible first-round bye would be better, but the Cubs hosted a Wild Card series against the Padres last year and won it before being eliminated in the division series round by the Brewers.
So earlier this week in the SB Nation Reacts survey I asked you where you thought the Cubs would finish. Here are the results:
Here’s where I’m going to disagree with the majority. I think the Cubs are going to continue the run they’re on (20-8 over the last four and a half weeks before the All-Star break) and beat out the Brewers and be NL Central champions. And if they are, I also think they’ll have a better record than the Braves, and so will join the Dodgers as the division champions with first-round byes.
The Cubs seem well positioned to make the postseason regardless, as the majority of voters in the survey said. Six percent disagree with that and said the Cubs won’t make it.
As always, we await developments.
Here are the results for the two national questions asked in this week’s survey.
I’m surprised that this number is only 59 percent. It seems clear that MLB made a mistake moving the Draft from June to the All-Star break. The purported reason for that was to get the Draft more attention, and instead it’s getting less, buried among several other All-Star week events. This is how bad it got:
The MLB Draft is such a joke.
– Manfred mispronounces the 1st overall pick – Then, he coughs while announcing the 5th pick – Change channels after 10 picks – TV only airs 40 picks out of ~600 – Construction crew LOUDLY tears down stage while the 3rd round is being streamed
The last item would be funny if it weren’t so sad. Beyond all this, putting the Draft in July means front offices have to pay attention to that rather than the Trade Deadline, which is now just 17 days away. It would be a good idea to separate those, in my view.
Move the Futures Game to Sunday and make it the featured Sunday Night Baseball game. And make it a nine-inning affair again. That’s a simple and elegant solution.
Enjoy the rest of the MLB season. It begins again in just a few hours!
The St. Louis Cardinals head into the desert to visit the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight at Chase Field.
The game projects to be close to a pick'em, with the Cardinals at -106 on the moneyline. Below, I explain why I like the visitors on the moneyline in my Cardinals vs. Diamondbacks predictions.
We've got a high-scoring game in tap in our MLB picks for Friday, July 17.
Who will win Cardinals vs Diamondbacks today: Cardinals (-106)
The veteran Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander can still generate some chase, but that's about the only nice thing you can say about his 2026 season. His ERA is an ugly 5.38, and his expected ERA is even worse at 7.44.
Lest this turn into a rundown of every statistical deficiency as seen on his Baseball Savant page, the crux of the matter is he doesn't miss bats, and he's getting barreled when opponents make contact. Which they do. All of the time.
The St. Louis Cardinals offense has been up and down, but I like this matchup. Jordan Walker, fresh off his exhilarating Home Run Derby win, is a nightmare matchup for Kelly. He has 100th-percentile bat speed and ranks among baseball's elite in hard contact, barrel rate, and average exit velocity.
Kelly's inability to generate whiffs will help neutralize Walker's propensity to strike out, though he's made strides in that department as well, going from 31.8% in 2025 to 24.8% this year. He's getting to the ball and doing damage when he does.
The Cardinals will stack the lineup with lefty hitters, too, with Alec Burleson, Lars Nootbaar, and JJ Wetherholt, all of whom boast a wRC+ north of 115 vs. right-handers on the season.
COVERS INTEL: Walker's blast contact rate of 23.2% ranks fifth in MLB. The explosiveness of his bat will not be held in check, as Kelly has the worst BlastCon% among D-Backs hurlers at 18.9%.
Cardinals vs Diamondbacks Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (+105)
Having outlined why the Cardinals will run up the score against Kelly, we're well on our way toward the game total Over. And while I prefer St. Louis starter Michael McGreevy, he's not without his own issues.
Like Kelly, McGreevy is not a power pitcher. Where they differ, however, is that McGreevy does an elite job of limiting free passes (5.7% walk rate). He lives in the zone, forcing opponents to swing.
And while the results have been good (a 3.01 ERA!), a lot of that has been lucky. His 5.34 expected ERA is more than two full runs higher, and all of his contact metrics are alarming.
He keeps the ball on the ground, which is helpful when you have Wetherholt and Masyn Winn up the middle, but he's playing with fire.
Still, as we're expecting a bad night from Kelly, McGreevy surrendering two or three runs before handing things off to a middling Cardinals bullpen (4.22 ERA) should be enough.
Run line: Cardinals -1.5 (+156) | Diamondbacks +1.5 (-163)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+117) | Under 9.5 (-122)
Cardinals vs Diamondbacks trend
The St. Louis Cardinals have hit the Team Total Over in 16 of their last 23 away games (+8.30 Units / 31% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Diamondbacks.
How to watch Cardinals vs Diamondbacks and game info
Location
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Date
Friday, July 17, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
Cardinals.TV, Diamondbacks.TV
Cardinals starting pitcher
Michael McGreevy (4-7, 3.01 ERA)
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Merril Kelly (7-8, 5.38 ERA)
Cardinals vs Diamondbacks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Seattle Mariners and Yandy Díaz #2, Nick Martinez #28 and Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays look on before the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In recent days, the Warriors had been seen as the dark horse in the free agent frenzy, with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers the remaining suitors.
LeBron James made an appearance at Fanatics Fest in New York July 16.
Nevertheless, the latest comments from Rich Paul may have put the Warriors back at the forefront. On The Game Over podcast, Paul and Max Kellerman discussed what the league would have to do if James joined the Warriors.
“The NBA would have to give them 60 nationally televised games,” Paul said of Golden State. “I’m being sarcastic, but…at least half, if not, more.”
Rich Paul says the NBA would have to give the Warriors 40+ nationally televised games if LeBron joins Steph Curry
Rich Paul is responsible for handling all communication between LeBron James and interested teams. AP
Warriors personnel have been vocal about James signing with the team.
Earlier this week, head coach Steve Kerr told a fan: “We got him.” The video posted to social media quickly became a viral moment as speculation swirled with Golden State’s involvement in the race for James.
Draymond Green took to social media, where he gave his personal opinion on Kerr’s comment.
“If I know Steve as well as I think I do, he was joking,” Green wrote in a post on Instagram Threads.
Steph Curry and LeBron James teamed up for the first time in their careers at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“The Bay: We know how to win, beautiful weather, great golf. I know he’s into that,” Curry said. “We just know how to play basketball, and I think that he would enjoy just the idea of what it means to finish your career the right way.”
Ron Hunt, the Mets' first-ever All-Star Game starter, has died at the age of 85.
Hunt, an infielder for New York from his rookie season in 1963 (when he finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting) through 1966, started the All-Star Game in 1964 during a season when he hit .303 with a .357 on-base percentage.
Hunt was also an All-Star for the Mets in 1966.
During his time with the Mets, Hunt hit .282 with a .344 OBP in 459 games.
After leaving the Mets, Hunt spent time with the Dodgers, Giants, Expos, and Cardinals before retiring following the 1974 season.
In 1971 for the Expos, Hunt was hit by a pitch 50 times, setting a modern day record that still stands.
Hunt was a career .273/.368/.347 hitter in 1,483 games across 12 seasons.
Jun 15, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; Louisville Cardinals left fielder Zion Rose (32) celebrates after scoring on a RBI single against the Arizona Wildcats during the eighth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Kansas City Royals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Earlier this week, we asked how you felt about the Royals’ 2026 amateur draft
The plurality, 41%, of you felt indifferent about the draft. I wonder how much of that is because it’s just really difficult to tell how good an MLB draft is less than a week later and how much is because of some other reasons, of which there are many. I’m encouraged that 29% of respondents felt the Royals did pretty well, but amused that 27% felt the Royals did poorly. That close difference seems to highlight the “win” of the Indifferent voters. Only 3% of you felt the Royals had an excellent draft, and I think that’s fair because I’m not convinced that there was such a thing to be had as an excellent draft in 2026.
When the Royals took Bobby Witt Jr. second overall in the 2019 draft, it was a franchise-altering move. It was also only available to them because they had a top-two pick in a draft that was distinguished by its two best prospects. It would have been an excellent draft for the team even if no other picks worked out. Now, obviously, the Royals got a bunch of other players in that draft who reached the bigs, including Vinnie Pasquantino, Tyler Tolbert, and Michael Massey. Honestly, that’s almost a stratospherically good draft. But we couldn’t have known so many of those guys would work out as well as they have at the time.
Zion Rose is a guy who could be very good; I know I mentioned Keith Law being high on him when I posted the original question, but he expanded since then and insisted that Rose was a top-10 pick offensive talent held back by poor defense. But he’s not a generational talent in the sense that Witt was. So it’s hard to immediately feel amazing about this draft. Hopefully, by this time next year, we will see not just Rose making huge strides, but also, hopefully, at least a handful of the other guys moving through the system. Maybe if we held the poll again, then, that 3% could rise a bit.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 10: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants gets high fives in the dugout after hitting a home run at Oracle Park on July 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With a few days to rest and reevaluate after a disappointing end to the first half of the season, the Mariners are hoping to start fresh after the All-Star break. Julio Rodriguez and Brendan Donovan should be returning from their injuries sooner rather than later, and the team will kick off the stretch run with a six-game homestand against a pair of weaker National League teams. That’s a pretty soft landing to begin the second half of the season, hopefully providing the team a spark ahead of a huge matchup against Texas next weekend.
It’s been a rough season for the Giants, both on and off the field. This team was supposed to be good enough to challenge for a NL Wild Card spot, but they’re looking like they’ll need to reset their roster for next year at the trade deadline. The uninspired play on the field is one thing, but the off-field issues are overshadowing everything. There was the Pride Night controversy, the mismanagement from new manager Tony Vitello, tone deaf comments from players and president of baseball operations Buster Posey. It’s been a circus, and it’s hard not to believe that all those distractions are taking a toll on the team’s play on the field.
Player
Position
Bats
PA
K%
BB%
ISO
wRC+
Heliot Ramos
LF
R
235
26.0%
5.1%
0.194
113
Luis Arraez
2B
L
402
4.0%
6.0%
0.130
127
Casey Schmitt
3B
R
370
19.2%
2.4%
0.217
120
Rafael Devers
1B
L
407
27.3%
9.3%
0.230
118
Jung Hoo Lee
RF
L
351
9.7%
4.0%
0.127
112
Bryce Eldridge
DH
L
217
24.4%
12.9%
0.197
132
Willy Adames
SS
R
384
27.9%
6.5%
0.190
93
Drew Gilbert
CF
L
216
17.1%
8.8%
0.137
93
Drew Cavanaugh
C
L
38
23.7%
13.2%
0.000
65
There are a few bright spots to point to in the lineup. Luis Arraez earned a spot on the NL All-Star team thanks to a career-best season. His power output is the highest it’s ever been thanks to the expansive gaps in Oracle Park, helping him earn 21 doubles and seven triples. What’s more impressive is that he’s turned himself into an excellent defender at second base thanks to the tutelage of infield guru Ron Washington. Rafael Devers got off to a slow start but he’s posted a 147 wRC+ and 12 home runs since the beginning of June. The other two stars in the lineup, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman, haven’t found much consistency this year; both are in the midst of career-worst seasons. With those two stars unable to produce in the middle of the lineup, San Francisco has had to turn to breakout utility infielder Casey Schmitt and rookie Bryce Eldridge to carry a lot of the load.
Landen Roupp has taken a big step forward on the mound this year. His strikeout rate is nearly four points higher than it was last year, leading to a 3.29 FIP that ranks 12th in the majors. Unfortunately, he was also one of the pitchers at the center of the Giants’ Pride Night controversy a month ago, which has overshadowed the progress he’s made on the field. As our own Ryan Blake pointed out on FanGraphs back in April, Roupp’s improvement this year seems to stem from his position on the mound. That’s helped him disguise his two best pitches, his sinker and curveball, a bit better. His spotty command is still holding him back from joining the game’s elite, and he’s been a bit unlucky to run such a high ERA despite his solid peripherals.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Logan Webb
100.1
19.4%
6.3%
9.4%
50.5%
3.86
3.44
Bryan Woo
104.1
24.1%
4.7%
7.6%
37.2%
4.23
3.05
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
11.2%
14.4%
92.4
94
96
74
0.265
Sinker
46.3%
22.4%
92.1
109
72
94
0.365
Cutter
10.8%
13.3%
89.8
84
99
108
0.300
Changeup
15.1%
29.6%
86.1
100
91
95
0.276
Sweeper
16.6%
20.3%
84.2
96
67
84
0.269
Few pitchers have been as consistent and durable as Logan Webb has been over the past five years. He’s accumulated at least 4.1 fWAR in every season since 2021, though that streak might be broken this year. After enjoying a huge jump in strikeouts last year, his K% has fallen to the lowest it’s been since 2020. Both his walk rate and groundball rate are approaching career worsts as well. He spent three weeks on the IL in May with a knee injury — the first time he’s dealt with any kind of injury since 2022 — which could be affecting his performance on the field. He’s also throwing his four-seamer and cutter a lot more often this year at the expense of his sweeper; that pitch mix change could explain some, but not all, of the issues he’s facing.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Robbie Ray
106.2
20.3%
11.7%
10.6%
32.8%
3.38
4.70
Logan Gilbert
114
26.5%
5.3%
10.4%
35.1%
3.32
3.37
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
38.0%
29.9%
93.3
105
88
76
0.372
Sinker
11.4%
9.7%
92.5
85
51
77
0.385
Changeup
22.2%
0.2%
86.0
83
78
116
0.248
Curveball
9.9%
10.0%
79.5
90
129
99
0.252
Slider
18.5%
50.2%
86.0
96
105
89
0.336
After recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2024, Robbie Ray put together a full, healthy season last year. He’s not the same pitcher that won the AL Cy Young in 2021, nor the pitcher we saw for a single season in Seattle. His 7.4% walk rate during those two years looks like an aberration; he’s back up above 10% in his three seasons in San Francisco. More importantly, his strikeout rate has fallen in consecutive seasons, and it now sits at just 20.3%, the lowest it’s been since his rookie cup of coffee back in 2014. He’s also diversified his pitch mix, adding a changeup and a sinker to give him a deeper five-pitch repertoire to keep batters off his signature four-seamer and slider.
The Big Picture:
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Rangers
49-47
0.510
—
-15
L-W-W-L-W
Mariners
48-49
0.495
1.5
+16
L-L-L-L-W
Astros
47-51
0.480
3.0
-47
W-L-L-W-L
Athletics
41-55
0.427
8.0
-106
L-L-L-L-L
Angels
38-59
0.392
11.5
-55
W-L-W-L-L
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Yankees
54-42
0.563
+6.5
+91
L-W-W-W-W
Guardians
51-46
0.526
+3.0
-2
L-W-W-W-W
Mariners
48-49
0.495
—
+16
L-L-L-L-W
Twins
48-49
0.495
—
-14
W-L-L-W-W
Red Sox
46-48
0.489
0.5
+27
W-W-W-W-W
Astros
47-51
0.480
1.5
-47
W-L-L-W-L
The Rangers eeked out a series win over the Astros last weekend to maintain a 1.5 game lead in the division. Texas travels to Atlanta this weekend while Houston hosts Baltimore. In the Wild Card race, the Mariners are tied with the surprising Twins and the surging Red Sox, riding a nine-game win streak, are just a half game back. Minnesota travels to Chicago to face the Cubs while the Red Sox host the Rays.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats during the 2026 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals arguably have the most momentum of any team that did not have a game in the past week as the second half of the season begins today. With Jordan Walker stealing national headlines after putting on a show at the Home Run Derby, more eyes could be on the Cardinals than expected for a rebuilding team.
The start of the final 77 games will be at Chase Field in Arizona as the Diamondbacks will host the Cardinals for a three-game series that, to Paul Sewald’s pleasure, will have little to no chance of being delayed at the covered desert stadium. With two weeks until the trade deadline, the Cardinals have the opportunity to make conversations around the roster more interesting, but we could be nearing the end of a few St. Louis tenures.
The Diamondbacks host the Cardinals as the MLB second half begins
Even with Jordan Walker winning the Home Run Derby in dramatic fashion, there will be plenty watching his second half waiting for his demise so they can pass the blame to the exhibition event. However, preseason expectations for the team sat around .500 or below, so the Cardinals are playing with house money sitting at five games over and a solid chance to move past their win total from each of the previous two seasons. The season has already been a major win overall, but there is plenty of baseball left to make headlines one way or another.
One of the teams looking to jump the Cardinals is the Diamondbacks, who enter the series 1.5 games behind St. Louis and 2.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot. The pitching plans for the Cardinals line up for Michael McGreevy to kick things off, followed by Dustin May and Andre Pallante.
Game one (8:40pm): Michael McGreevy vs. Merrill Kelly
Game two (3:10pm): Dustin May vs. Brandon Pfaadt
Game three (3:10pm): Andre Pallante vs. Eduardo Rodriguez
The two teams begin the second half outside of where they set their preseason expectations, but for the Cardinals, that is a good thing. On the Arizona side of things, they have struggled in a difficult division and are 12 games under (19-31) against teams with a .500 or better record. The pitching matchups may cause some frustrations for hitters, especially on Sunday as each team brings their de facto ace to the bump.
Michael McGreevy will look to get his win-loss record back on track to go along with his 3.01 ERA and will face off against Merrill Kelly, who has been inconsistent all year. In game two, Dustin May looks to continue bolstering his trade value and help the Cardinals out with a win before potentially getting shipped out in a couple weeks. Brandon Pfaadt will take the mound for the D’Backs as he tries to stay hot since returning to the Arizona rotation. In the final game, 10-game winner Andre Pallante will take on southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez, who has had a great bounceback season after back-to-back down years.
It is great to have baseball back and the second half promises to be newsworthy, no matter where the Cardinals finish in the standings. In case you missed it, I put together a little second half primer with Daniel Shoptaw and Ethan Hannaford to keep the good vibes going!
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JUNE 27: A general view of an ABS challenge review in the fourth inning during the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Saturday, June 27, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The thing about technology is that when one entity sees something work well, then everyone wants it.
For a few years Major League Baseball has been experimenting with Automated Balls and Strikes — some call them Robo-umps — to try and figure out a way to create consistency throughout a sport where subjectivity can creep in and an Umpire has the ability to make a point depending on how they feel on a particular day. This experiment started at the Minor League level, where ballparks were equipped to be able to track where exactly the baseball crossed home plate and if it was within the strike zone.
How to implement the system was always a big question. Do you have the system essentially call every ball and strike, or do you still have the human error approach with the occasional challenge by someone? They tried both in the minors and eventually settled on a challenge system. It went well, and this past year it was implemented in the major leagues to nearly universal praise.
Now with fans seeing it successful in both the minor and major leagues, there was a quick call to bring it to the college level. Some schools already have some form of the equipment set up as part of their way to help train their hitters on how to spot a strike. Some reporters have access to this equipment and will be able to tell you in real time if a call was right or wrong according to it. It appears that was enough for the NCAA.
NEWS: The NCAA Rules Subcommittee has approved the usage of ABS, sources tell @BaseballAmerica. It can be used in any game where the tech is available (includes Trackman). This still requires Baseball Oversight Committee approval but is expected to be implemented in 2027.
This, of course, opens up a whole can of worms, as baseball was the one sport in which the little guy still had a bit of a fighting chance for a while. See this year’s NCAA Tournament that saw multiple big programs fall by the wayside while schools people didn’t even know existed went into these stadiums and won. Now, it’s likely there’ll be another thing they’ll feel like they have to add to their stadiums in order to compete.
This move is really important for the College World Series. The home of the CWS has Trackman, which ESPN tapped into during the event to provide analytics, meaning that during the sport’s championship there’ll be a way for pitchers and catchers to appeal calls. It won’t completely end situations where coaches and umpires get into it about a call behind the plate because if there’s a limit to the challenges like in the pros, there will be situations where that limit will be hit. Still, in situations where an umpire is wrong, teams will have a chance to fix the error.
This has the chance of deflating the ego of umpires just a little bit when they are proven wrong in real time, as well reinforce good behaviors. It may also decrease the art of “yanking” by catchers where they grab a ball out of the zone and try to pull it in. It’ll become less necessary if a batter feels the call was inaccurate.
We’ll see what the rules will be over its use when the Oversight Committee reviews the proposal, but it looks like there will be another element to watch at Boshamer and other stadiums across the country. Quite frankly, it’s also another opportunity for schools to seek sponsorship for an aspect of the game.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: RJ Davis #29 of the San Antonio Spurs looks to pass the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on July 15, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Las Vegas Summer League has finished its “regular” season, and all that is left is the four-team playoff and a bunch of consolation games for the other 26 squads. As mentioned after the weekend, the North Carolina has quite a few players represented, so lets take a look at Tar Heels (and former Tar Heels) in the second half of their Las Vegas Summer Excursion.
Henri Veesaar, Atlanta Hawks
Veesaar started both games this week for the Hawks. In his first contest against the Celtics, Veesaar showed off, scoring 20 points while grabbing four rebounds in 23 minutes. He additionally had three assists, a steal, and a block while hitting four of his six three-point attempts.
Veesaar and the Hawks did themselves no favors in their final game against the Grizzlies. Needing a win to guarantee themselves a spot in the playoffs, Atlanta promptly got outscored by Memphis 32-2 in the first quarter (that is not a typo). Veesaar was completely overshadowed by Cam Boozer, finishing with a measly five points and three rebounds in 20 minutes of the blowout loss. The Hawks will have to hope they win the tie breaker with a log jam of teams at 3-1 — including the Grizzlies that just beat them.
Drake Powell, Brooklyn Nets
Powell finally came alive in his third game, not only hitting his first shot of the Las Vegas Summer League, but his first three pointer of any game this summer (Powell also played in the California Summer League). Powell finished his game against the Kings shooting six for ten (and four for seven from three) and scoring 18 points. Powell also had two steals, a block, and a rebound.
Unfortunately, the good times did not continue for Powell, who fell back to earth against the Rockets, finishing with just six points on one of six shooting. He did have three steals, but overall Powell did not have a good showing in Vegas. His team will not be one of the four in playoffs, though they will play again this weekend.
Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls
Wilson continued to show out in Las Vegas, playing in all three of the Bull’s games this week. Even though the matchups were scheduled, Sin City missed out on the chance to see Wilson vs Peterson (who sat out for rest) and Dybantsa (who was shut down before the matchup). Wilson, however, didn’t seem to care, as he posted an average of 19.7 points, eight rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 2.3 assists, and a steal across the three games. Wilson also continued to shoot well, though he did have 15 turnovers in those three games. While nothing can top that opening game against Memphis, Wilson showed everyone why he is a force to be reckoned with. The only thing left for the Bulls is a consolation game against Cleveland on Friday.
Jalen Washington, Chicago Bulls
After not playing in the team’s first three games, Washington finally saw minutes in the team’s final game against the Lakers. The former Tar Heel big man finished with two points and one rebound in four minutes of action. Washington may get another chance to impress on Friday depending on who the team decides to play in their final game against the Cavaliers.
Pete Nance, Milwaukee Bucks
Nance started both games for the Bucks this week. He scored seven points and grabbed three rebounds in 24 minutes in Milwaukee’s loss to the Suns. He did better in the Buck’s win over the Hornets, though, scoring 11 points and grabbing two boards. Nance also had six assists across the two games. The win against Charlotte was Milwaukee’s only win in Las Vegas, so they will not be playing in the playoff although they will play one more game this weekend.
Tyler Nickel, New York Knicks
Nickel continued to play valuable minutes for the Knicks this week, starting his second and third games of the Summer League. In his start against the Pistons, Nickel scored only nine points, but did grab six rebounds in the Knicks first win of Summer League play. In his start against the Warriors, Nickel had his worst game in Summer League play with another nine points to go with just four rebounds in yet another blowout loss for New York. The reigning NBA champs had three blowout losses and will play a consolation game against the Mavericks on Friday.
RJ Davis, San Antonio Spurs
Davis continued his strong play in the Spur’s fourth game, posting a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes. Davis started his second straight game for the Spurs, and looks to have a chance to maybe even get an invite to Spurs training camp or a two-way deal. Even if it isn’t with the Spurs, Davis has shown that he can be a valuable contributor to an NBA squad this season. The Spurs are one of several teams at 3-1 who have a chance to make the four team playoff.
Seth Trimble, Washington Wizards
Trimble started both games this week for the Wizards, who as previously mentioned shut down number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa before Tuesday’s matchup. In his first start, Trimble scored 13 points while grabbing three rebounds, getting two steals, and dishing out two assists in 28 minutes.
Trimble really shone in his second start, scoring 24 points in 27 minutes while also getting three rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. Trimble did have five turnovers over those two games, but assuming he doesn’t lay an egg in the team’s fifth contest (the Wizards also will not be in the four-team playoff), Trimble has a great chance of making the Wizards G-League squad this fall.
Additionally, Cormac Ryan did not play in either of the Bucks two games this week for rest purposes (he did suffer an injury while in California) and it is unknown if he will play in the team’s final game.
COVERS INTEL: Walker's blast contact rate of 23.2% ranks fifth in MLB. The explosiveness of his bat will not be held in check, as Kelly has the worst 
