The Knicks wrap up their 2026 NBA Summer League schedule on Friday when they face the Dallas Mavericks at The Pavilion in Las Vegas. The Mavs are 2-2 in summer play, while the Knicks are 1-3. This will be the last Knicks action you get until autumn, so soak it up, fans.
Tip-off is 8:30 pm EST on Amazon Prime. This is your game thread. This is Mavs MoneyBall. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be cool, everybody. And go Knicks!
Sunday Night Baseball on July 19 will feature a matchup of two storied MLB franchises facing off on NBC for the first time since Game 6 of the 1978 World Series.
Also being streamed on Peacock, the game will feature the New York Yankees playing host to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the teams' previous meeting on NBC, the Yankees won 7-2 on Oct. 17, 1978 to claim their second consecutive World Series championship and their 22nd overall title.
That game, which was called by Joe Garagiola, Tony Kubek, and Tom Seaver, featured seven Baseball Hall of Famers — Goose Gossage, Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Don Sutton, Yogi Berra (as a Yankees coach), Yankees manager Bob Lemon and Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda.
Sunday will bring a similar amount of starpower as four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani leads the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers against the Yankees and 2026 All-Star Game MVP Cody Bellinger.
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The Dodgers and Yankees have met in the World Series 12 times, the most in MLB history, with New York winning eight titles.
Play-by-play voice Jason Benetti will be joined by seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens and 1988 World Series MVP and NL Cy Young Award winner Orel Hershiser.
Bob Costas will be the host of the pregame show alongside CC Sabathia, who will also provide “Inside the Pitch” commentary during crucial at-bats in the game.
Sunday Night Baseball will be preceded by MLB Sunday Leadoff, which will feature the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays at 12 p.m. on Peacock and NBCSN.
See below for additional information on how to watch the Dodgers vs. Yankees and a breakdown of the game. Also check out the schedule for the MLB on NBC and Peacock. There will be 27 prime-time MLB games featured across NBC, Peacock and NBCSN in 2026. NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock.
In their quest for a third consecutive World Series title, the Dodgers are off to a better start than their past two championship seasons. Los Angeles was 61-36 (.629) at the All-Star break (last year, they were 58-39, and they were 56-41 in 2024).
Before the All-Star break, Ohtani led the Dodgers and ranked among the top five in the National League with 22 home runs, a .403 on-base percentage, and a .953 OPS. He is scheduled to be the designated hitter against New York after missing the All-Star Game for a knee procedure. The Dodgers, who rank top three in runs per game and batting average, still had three All-Star starters: Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Andy Pages.
The Dodgers, who have the best road record in the majors, are at the outset of a nine-game road trip with three games apiece against the Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. Los Angeles lost five of its last seven games before the All-Star break and were swept (by Arizona) for the first time this season.
The Yankees fell to second in the American League at 54-42 after going 18-19 across June and July before the All-Star break. But New York leads the AL in ERA (3.37), home runs (142) and stolen bases (96) and are managing without injured sluggers Aaron Judge (rib fracture) and Giancarlo Stanton (left calf strain).
First baseman Ben Rice, who is coming off his first All-Star Game appearance, leads the Yankees with 29 home runs and 68 RBI.
New York is entering a stetch of seven consecutive series (22 total games) against teams with a winning record through the All-Star break — the Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves.
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MLB Sunday Leadoff is a weekly Major League Baseball showcase featuring live Sunday daytime games. It highlights marquee matchups throughout the regular season and streams primarily on Peacock, with some games also airing across NBC Sports and NBC.
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If you recall, prior to the All-Star break the Orioles had just climbed a hurdle they’d failed to yet surpass: a four-game win streak. Now, they’re a bit battered and bruised, what with late-inning relievers Ryan Helsley and Keegan Akin on the shelf, and hottest-hitter-of-late Blaze Alexander sidelined, sadly, with a fractured hand, thanks to KC’s wayward Lucas Erceg.
Tonight, the Birds fly the coop for three games against the Houston Astros. Game 1 is tonight, with right hander Dean Kremer (1-2, 4.09 ERA) facing off against righty Peter Lambert (8-5, 3.14 ERA)
Lambert is only in the Houston rotation due to a surfeit of starter injuries, but the fifth-year journeyman, who’d owned a career 6.28 ERA to date, has been a nice surprise for the Astros. He’s done a good job of limiting contact, with an excellent .204 opposing average against. The righty has a really extensive eight-pitch mix that is primarily fastball and changeup-driven. Back in April, Lambert threw 4.1 innings and allowed two runs.
As for the Orioles’ Kremer, this will be just his start of the year, due, first to his not making the team out of spring training, and then an injured quad. It’s nice to have him back, under the circumstances. In four starts so far, he’s allowed 12 runs in 22 innings. He’s leaning heavily on a pitch that’s new for him, a splitter. So far, so good: hitters are batting just .176 against it. Against these Astros, Kremer has pitched well, although the fearsome Yordan Alvarez has reached base against him in six of 10 PAs, and Jose Altuve is 9-for-20.
Orioles lineup
Astros lineup
This game got smoked out.
Friday’s matchup between the Pirates and Guardians was postponed because of air quality concerns stemming from wildfire smoke coming from Canada, Cleveland announced.
“We have to do what’s best and what’s smart for both teams and for the fans,” Guardians skipper Stephen Vogt told reporters, according to The Athletic.
In place of Friday’s game, a split doubleheader is scheduled at Progressive Field on Saturday, with the start times being 1:10 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. Eastern.
According to the Guardians’ statement, fans attending the doubleheader must clear the stadium in between games.
“If fans are unable to attend the makeup game on July 18, they will be able to make an exchange based on how their tickets were purchased,” the Guardians stated. “Exchanges must be made no later than July 18 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Please note that exchanges cannot be made in the MLB Ballpark app.”
Gavin Williams, who was slated to start for the Guardians on Friday, will pitch Game 1 on Saturday, with Cleveland calling up Logan Allen from Triple-A Columbus to start Game 2.
As of Friday afternoon, Cleveland’s Air Quality Index (AQI) registered at 244, which is labeled as “very unhealthy” and health risks are “increased for everyone,” according to AirNow.
A healthy AQI typically ranges between 0 and 50.
Cleveland, along with the surrounding areas of northeast Ohio, has been experiencing smoky and hazy skies for the past two days, though conditions are expected to improve by Saturday afternoon, according to Fox 8.
MLB is also assessing the air quality of several other games Friday night, and the commissioner’s office has the authority to cancel or postpone games based on the AQI, The Athletic reported.
Friday’s game isn’t the first to be affected by the smoky conditions, with the Mets’ 4-1 win over the Phillies on Thursday getting pushed up one hour to try to avoid the weather as much as possible.
The earlier start time did not do much to thwart the conditions, however, as the smoke eventually engulfed Citizens Bank Park midway through the game.
“My eyes were burning and itching a little bit,’’ Mets infielder Brett Baty said following the game. “[Carson] Benge said it felt like you were sitting by a campfire.
“It was fun … but it didn’t feel great playing ball with it.”
Thank goodness Rockies baseball is back.
The Colorado Rockies (39-59) return to action tonight against the Cincinnati Reds (43-52) at Coors Field after four days away for the All-Star break.
The Rockies have not played since last Sunday, when their 3-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants brought a quiet end to the unofficial first half. Four days without seeing the boys felt considerably longer than they should have.
There was still baseball, of course. It just was not the baseball I wanted to watch.
The Home Run Derby had its moments, and the All-Star Game offered the usual appeal of seeing baseball’s best players up close. But neither did much to fill the Rockies-sized hole in the week. Hunter Goodman barely received a passing mention, which was disappointing but not especially surprising.
After everything this organization has done—and failed to do—the Rockies have not earned national respect. They also have not earned anyone’s confidence that this climb will eventually reach the summit.
But for all the frustration, the Rockies are moving uphill. They reached the break 17 games ahead of last year’s pace, and the product on the field has been considerably more watchable.
And, Rockies fans still get the joy of this team on its own terms.
Anyone who showed up for the climb expecting an easy bandwagon ride has clearly never hiked in the Rockies. There is no wagon to the top. The trip is earned step by step.
Rockies fans learn to enjoy the climb itself: the debuts, the breakouts, the wild Coors Field nights, the heartbreaks, and the evenings spent shouting at the television before tuning in again the next day to watch a young player continue to find his footing.
Meanwhile, the jumpers are still at the trailhead complaining about the breeze.
Tonight, the climb resumes with Gabriel Hughes on the mound.
The 24-year-old right-hander opened his season with three scoreless innings against the Giants, earning a save in his major-league debut. Five days later, he made his first major-league start at Dodger Stadium and struck out seven over six innings, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks.
Through those two appearances, Hughes has a 3.00 ERA with eight strikeouts and three walks over nine innings. He has leaned heavily on a four-seam fastball averaging just over 93 mph. The pitch has accounted for seven of his eight strikeouts while holding opposing hitters to a .130 average.
The sample is small, but the fastball has already shown that it can miss major-league bats.
Cincinnati will counter with right-hander Brady Singer. The 29-year-old enters tonight at 3-9 with a 4.72 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 89.2 innings. He was sharp in his final start before the break, holding the Philadelphia Phillies to one run over 7.1 innings.
The Rockies’ offense went quiet before the break, scoring three runs or fewer in four of its final five games. A few days away may have come at a good time.
Now, the break is over. Hughes is on the mound, the gang is back together, and it is simply good to have Rockies baseball back in front of us.
I, for one, am glad to be back on the trail.
First pitch: 6:40 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM and KNRV 1150
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Lineups
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Two starts ago, Seth Lugo faced off against his original big league team in a wild game that the Royals ultimately won despite him pitching quite poorly. He will look to do better today against his other former club, the one that first gave him a shot to resume starting after what had seemed a permanent shift to the bullpen.
We all know who Lugo is at this point; he throws everything but the kitchen sink. But sometimes he’ll add a faucet in there. When he can avoid the middle of the plate and keep guys guessing, he succeeds, when he gets backed into a corner, he can get pounded. The Padres don’t seem like a team that’s likely to pound him, necessarily, but
The Padres have been a bit up-and-down this season with an elite bullpen, an offense that has struggled to hit home runs, and a starting pitching staff that is extremely suspect after Michael King. Unfortunately for the Royals, King is the one who gets the start tonight.
King throws five pitches. What’s odd about his success from the outside is that, well, it looks like a bit of smoke and mirrors. None of his pitches get chase, none get whiffs, his xwOBACON is awful. His stuff is rated average. His 3.49 ERA is backed by a 4.49 SIERA and 4.01 FIP. His K-BB% of 11.1% is a career low. If the Royals had a good offense, I’d wonder if they could find a way to break him out of his lucky streak. But they’re not.
Not much has changed with the Royals’ lineup since last weekend. For some reason, Salvador Perez still has to be in there despite actively making the team worse. But otherwise, this is about as good as it gets with the current group of players. A group that likely won’t be together much longer.
The Dodgers and Yankees continue their weekend series in The Bronx on Saturday night.
Emmet Sheehan takes the ball for Los Angeles, while left-hander Ryan Weathers starts for the Yankees. The Dodgers are 18-10 in games started by opposing southpaws this season.
The middle game of the series will have Joe Davis on the call, as he was on Friday. Only this time instead of SportsNet LA, he’ll call the exclusive Fox broadcast.
It’s unclear whether the Padres will be buyers or sellers at the MLB trade deadline, but there is a general consensus president of baseball operations A.J. Preller will orchestrate a wild deal.
Entering Friday’s game against the Royals, the Padres were 3 ½ games out of an NL wild-card spot. Depending on how the next two weeks unfold for San Diego, the front office will decide which route to go.
If the Padres choose to sell at the Aug. 3 deadline, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the team is open to trading a number of its stars.
“Multiple sources said the Padres have not ruled out anything, including the possibility of trading closer Mason Miller, high-leverage lefty Adrian Morejón or [Michael] King,” Acee wrote.
Last summer, Preller pulled off the deal of the deadline by acquiring Miller from the Athletics. There’s reason to believe the Padres closer could leave the team by the end of the month if San Diego’s spiral continues.
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King was also dealt to San Diego in the trade that sent Juan Soto to the Yankees in 2023. The right-hander is sporting a 3.41 ERA with 92 strikeouts across 108.1 innings pitched. He has a 6-7 record this season.
King’s mark is similar to his 3.44 ERA in 2025, a season that was headlined by injuries for the pitcher.
Morejon is the only hurler of the trio who wasn’t acquired via trade. The Padres signed the reliever as an international free agent from Cuba. The lefty has posted a 3.42 ERA, which is far higher than his 2.08 ERA last season.
Miller is baseball’s best closer, and it would certainly be tough for San Diego to lose such a talented star. However, the Padres have endured a rough season, and things can’t continue as they are.
Preller has largely operated under the element of surprise, so the Padres shouldn’t be underestimated heading into the trade deadline.
Shohei Ohtani was at the top of the Dodgers’ lineup Friday against the New York Yankees, five days after receiving an injection in his left knee. And he’s penciled in to pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.
Ohtani received an orthovisc shot in his knee to lubricate the joint and relieve irritation, manager Dave Roberts said, and did not have it drained.
“It gives him some relief in his knee which we were hoping to get,” Roberts said. “Then the four days off with no activity which gives it a chance to settle in.”
Ohtani was expected to be in the lineup for all three games against the Yankees. He planned to play catch and throw off the mound in the coming days, and the team would monitor his response before finalizing pitching plans.
Taking the mound Wednesday would give Ohtani more recovery time heading into the team’s day off. When asked if Ohtani would shoulder two-way duties Wednesday, Roberts said, “We’ll see when we get there.”
When it isn’t possible to have Ohtani pitch before a day off, Roberts would like to rest him the following day.
“It’s all contingent on how his knee is feeling,” Roberts said of Ohtani’s second-half workload. “I think we are certainly more prepared to back off on the workload if it calls for it. But Shohei wants to be out there as much as he possibly can.”
Asked if Ohtani would need offseason surgery, Roberts said: “I would highly doubt that.”
Coming out of the break, the Dodgers shuffled their rotation to have Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan and Yoshinobu Yamamoto face the Yankees in that order.
That leaves left-handed starters Eric Lauer and Justin Wrobleski (not necessarily in that order), to face the Phillies before Ohtani would take the mound.
The Dodgers are shutting down catcher Will Smith from all baseball activities for a week as he continues to deal with a lingering neck injury. That pushes his return timeline back to at least August, if not later.
“It was flaring up, wasn’t recovering — however you want to word it,” Roberts said. “He didn’t feel like he was making any improvement.”
Smith has been sidelined since early June because of what he described as an inflamed disk. He initially treated it with rest and then an injection. But it still was bothering him during his latest buildup.
“I talked to the trainer, Thomas [Albert], today and he said that Will doesn’t feel any pain,” Roberts said. “Now with that, I think we’re in a much better spot.”
Dodgers utility player Kiké Hernández (strained left oblique) was set to begin a rehab assignment with triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday. And left-hander Blake Snell was scheduled to take the mound for two innings Saturday in his first minor-league rehab start since undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow.
The MLB schedule got off to a smoky start out of the All-Star break. With wildfires in Canada raising air-quality concerns in the Northeast and Midwest on Thursday, the New York Mets’ game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia was moved up an hour.
The smoke cleared over Yankee Stadium on Friday afternoon.
“I know that the players got a players’ union text that says it’s a full go,” Roberts said. “They feel good about it. The league feels good. I haven’t heard anything otherwise.”
With a lockout widely expected to start Dec. 1 and no guarantee of an agreement in time to preserve the 2027 season, take MLB’s schedule announcement Thursday with a grain of salt.
Should collective bargaining negotiations wrap up in time, however, the Dodgers are set to open the season at Dodger Stadium on March 25 against the Atlanta Braves.
They end the season on the road, facing a pair of division rivals in the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks from Sept. 21-26.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Here's the latest Yankees news and buzz ahead of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline...
July 31, 5:14 p.m.
The Yankees continue to look for impact right-handed bats ahead of the deadline and it seems Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward is on their radar.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports that the Yankees are one of a number of teams with varying interest in Ward. The other teams include the Phillies, Guardians and Rangers.
The injuries to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger may push GM Brian Cashman to make a move for a proven outfielder like Ward.
Ward, 32, is slashing .248/.383/.350 with an OPS of .733 to go along with seven home runs and 30 RBI.
Ward is an unrestricted free agent after this season.
July 30, 9:18 a.m.
The Yankees, Rays, and Red Sox are among the teams expressing interest in Rockies All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Per Rosenthal, the Rockies have been asking inquiring teams for their No. 1 prospect as part of the talks.
Goodman, 26, holds immense value due to his salary ($810,000 this season) and years of control (he's arbitration-eligible through 2029).
New York is in need of catching help, with Austin Wells having an alarmingly bad year with the bat -- hitting .159 with a .525 OPS in 214 at-bats.
Goodman, who has been an All-Star the last two seasons, is slashing .254/.326/.545 with 31 homers in 100 games this year.
July 29, 8:07 p.m.
The Yankees are casting a wide net for catching help at the deadline, and that includes the Orioles' Adley Rutschman.
According to the NY Post's Jon Heyman, the Yankees are among teams that have checked in on Rutschman.
Rutschman, 28, is a switch-hitter who is currently on the IL with left wrist inflammation but is in the midst of his third All-Star season. In 67 games, Rutschman is slashing .251/.331/.433 with an OPS of .764. He has eight home runs and driven in 47 RBI. The Orioles backstop has one more year of arbitration before he's a free agent in 2028.
New York has also been connected to Ryan Jeffers, despite the Twins announcing they want to be buyers, and the Reds' Tyler Stephenson.
July 25, 5:07 p.m.
The Nationals could be sellers at the trade deadline despite being competitive, which is why they are likely to hold onto All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams, despite the Yankees checking on his availability.
According to The Athletic's Spencer Nusbaum and Will Sammon, New York has "at least" checked in on Abrams to see if they can upgrade the shortstop position.
But as the report states, the Nationals are not shopping Abrams, but will listen to offers. In fact, the Brewers, who are also looking to upgrade at shortstop, are expected to explore the possibility of trading for Abrams again soon.
Abrams has already hit a career-high 24 home runs while batting .289 with an OPS of .907.
The Yankees, of course, are looking to upgrade at catcher and in the bullpen, but could use the firepower at shortstop. The combination of Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero has not provided the firepower the Yankees need without Aaron Judge in the lineup.
July 23, 5:10 p.m.
The Yankees are in the market for a catcher, but they will have competition.
Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report that the White Sox are looking for a backstop after losing Kyle Teel to injury. Chicago will join a thin catching market already inhabited by the Yankees, Rays and Dodgers.
However, while the Yankees have been linked to Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers and a tad to Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, another option could present itself.
Sammon and Rosenthal point to the Reds' Tyler Stephenson as a potential alternative for the Bombers.
"The Cincinnati Reds’ Tyler Stephenson, one available catcher, might become an alternative for the Yankees, and other teams are pursuing the Minnesota Twins’ Ryan Jeffers," the report states.
Stephenson is the same age as Jeffers, 29, and is also in the final year of his contract. While Jeffers is a better offensive option, Stephenson has been solid for Cincinnati. The catcher is slashing .244/.320/.393 with an OPS of .713 to go along with eight home runs and 27 RBI.
July 17, 7:12 p.m.
The Yankees are in need of a catcher at the trade deadline and while Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins seems like an obvious target, the Bombers have checked in with the Rockies about their backstop.
According to ESPN's Jorge Castillo, the Yankees have called about catcher Hunter Goodman, although it was not recently.
Goodman would provide that right-handed production from the catcher's spot that the Yankees have been missing all season. Goodman, 26, is batting .254 with 27 home runs and an .863 OPS in 90 games with the Rockies.
As Castillo points out, it will likely take a lot for the Yankees to acquire Goodman, who has club control for another three years.
The Mets "have no desire to pay down contracts" like they did in their 2023 MLB trade deadline deals that sent right-handed pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander for more than $85 million, according to a report Friday by SNY contributor Jim Duquette.
"The Mets have been telling teams that, unlike the '23 deadline where they took on over $85 million to move the Scherzer and Verlander contracts for better prospects, they have no desire to pay down contracts to that extreme at this year’s deadline," Duquette wrote Friday on X.
SNY MLB insider Chelsea Janes reported Thursday that the Mets "informed teams they're open for business" entering this year's trade deadline, which is Aug. 3 at 6 p.m.
"A rival executive said the Mets informed their team that the sale is on, and that everyone but young stars Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Christian Scott, Nolan McLean and the obvious, Juan Soto,isavailable," Janes wrote. "That doesn't mean everyone will go. But it means the Mets will listen on just about everyone, which is in keeping with what people familiar with their thinking have signaled for weeks."
SNY manager of editorial production Danny Abriano opined Thursday which Mets could be on the move, a list led by right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta.
"A pending free agent, Peralta could be the most established and highest-upside starting pitcher available at the deadline if the Tigers don't deal Tarik Skubal," Abriano wrote. "Peralta's poor season to this point shouldn't be a hindrance when it comes to the Mets getting something of serious value back."
San Diego Padres (48-48) at Kansas City Royals (38-59), July 17, 2026, 5:10 p.m. PST
Watch: Padres.TV
Location: Kauffman Stadium – Kansas City, MO.
Listen: 97.3 The Fan
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The Dodgers (61-36) open the second half of the season with a three-game series against the Yankees (54-42) in New York.
Roki Sasaki (3-5, 5.33 ERA, 1.66 WHIP) looks to find consistency in the second part of the season.
Gerrit Cole (3-4, 4.04 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) starts for the Yankees.
Officially, the second half of the 2026 season begins for the San Diego Padres with a 10-game road trip. The gauntlet includes playing two of the top National League East foes (Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins) after a weekend series against the Kansas City Royals.
This might sound like a daunting task, but the Padres have a chance to put themselves back into the postseason chase. Currently, they trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by a whopping 12-and-a-half games in the NL West standings. But the Friars are only three-and-a-half games behind the Marlins for the final Wild Card berth.
We cannot expect a total collapse from the two-time World Series champs, but chasing down the Fish seems like a reasonable goal.
Here is what to expect from the Padres in the second half:
One of the surprises before the All-Star break was the return of Jake Cronenworth to the starting lineup. Barring any physical setbacks, he will play second base and hit ninth in the batting order.
The Friars need his left-handed stick, as getting the stagnant offense going is of great importance right now. We have seen throughout the season that the team’s best hitters can go cold for long stretches.
Even Manny Machado is experiencing the worst hitting slump of his major league career. Adding Cronenworth to the mix should allow the lineup to get back on track and score runs.
But to achieve postseason aspirations, the Padres need Cro sharp at the plate.
Playing through injuries is expected from those who put on the tools of ignorance. But the number of catchers sustaining a concussion has grown at an alarming rate this season.
Everyone should be worried about the amount of time Freddy Fermin has spent in concussion protocol this season. We need to get him healthy before he begins playing in the second half of the season.
Concussions are lingering injuries that stay with a sufferer for an extended time. Even if Fermin has passed all the protocol testing, a few extra days out of the lineup will not hurt.
The position’s offensive production has been non-existent all season, but Fermin is an outstanding defensive catcher. The Friars will need his experience to call a game if they expect to move up the standings.
Let’s stop fooling ourselves; the Padres starting rotation is in shambles. No question, injuries have forced constant change, but the days of juggling starting pitchers in and out of the rotation are over. Team skipper Craig Stammen has to play the cards he was dealt.
Sorry, the Friar Faithful are tired of waiting for Joe Musgrove to make his season debut or the return of Nick Pivetta to the rotation. Their replacements failed to live up to expectations. They struggled with consistency and could not stop opponents from putting runs on the scoreboard.
The second half will begin with Michael King, Griffin Canning, and German Marquez in the opening series against the Royals. Each pitcher is rested and should be sharp for their first start after the All-Star break. Stammen needs to show confidence and allow each starter to work out of potential jams.
The Friars have a grueling road trip ahead, and the club needs quality starts from their starting rotation.
The chase is just starting, but do not plan any postseason viewing parties just yet. The Padres will have to put their foot on the accelerator because it is time to gain some ground in the standings.
All the Friar Faithful want is for the team to be in a position to contend.
Go Rays!
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