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Tonight, the Athletics kick off a three-game Independence Day weekend series against the Miami Marlins, who have been arguably the hottest team in baseball, as evidenced by their MLB-best 20-6 record in June. After dropping two of three games against the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this week, the A’s will look to bounce back against the Marlins in the second and final series of the team’s latest homestand.

Earlier today, the “Green and Gold” shook up their bullpen, activating Mark Leiter Jr. off the injured list and welcoming back Jose Suarez from the paternity list. The team made room in its bullpen by designating right-handed reliever Geoff Hartlieb and left-hander Matt Krook for assignment. The two journeymen relievers will likely either clear waivers and remain in the organization, most likely at Triple-A Las Vegas, or be claimed by another club.

While Leiter Jr. and Suarez could see action out of the bullpen, they will follow right-hander Jack Perkins, who gets the start for the A’s in the series opener. Perkins enters his 23rd game and sixth start of the season with a 2-3 record, a 6.00 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP and 62 strikeouts across 51 innings.

The 26-year-old delivered his best start of the season in his most recent outing, holding the Los Angeles Angels to two runs on four hits over five innings. Despite pitching well, he received a fourth straight no-decision. Perkins will aim to change that this evening as he chases his first win since April. He will need to keep the ball on the ground, avoid giving up the long ball and work efficiently on the mound.

Here’s the A’s lineup for tonight’s matchup:

This is one of the most interesting lineups the Athletics have used this season. Their two likely All-Stars sit atop the order, with first baseman Nick Kurtz leading off after catcher Shea Langeliers hit first in the A’s previous game.

The middle of the lineup features several players in unfamiliar spots. Slumping right fielder Lawrence Butler will hit third, rather than his usual position closer to the bottom of the order. An injury to starting left fielder Tyler Soderstrom has opened up everyday playing time for Colby Thomas, who gets a rare chance to face a right-handed starter. Designated hitter Carlos Cortes has seen limited action lately amid a prolonged slump at the plate.

For the hosts to emerge victorious, they will need offensive production from these three players, as well as rookies Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and Henry Bolte. Kuroda-Grauer, making his fourth straight start, looks to build on his strong 5-for-11 start to his MLB career.

The A’s offense will face Marlins right-hander Tyler Phillips, who enters his 23rd game and seventh start with a 1-3 record, a 3.02 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP and 50 strikeouts over 65 2/3 innings. The 28-year-old recorded his first MLB win against the A’s when he was on the Phillies in 2024. Last year, Phillips threw three scoreless innings when the “Green and Gold” faced the Marlins in Miami.

The right-hander comes into this outing full of momentum after a 7 1/3-inning, two-run performance in a losing effort against the St. Louis Cardinals. In his start before that, Phillips held the Texas Rangers to two runs over six innings. If Miami’s starter continues pitching this well, the A’s may have trouble scoring runs tonight. However, he could be prone to a letdown outing, especially in the hitter-friendly confines of the A’s home ballpark.

And the Marlins’ starting nine this evening:

The Marlins’ offense contrasts with how the Athletics and many other teams operate. Miami scores much of its runs through speed and small ball rather than home runs. Liam Hicks and Kyle Stowers provide the power, while the middle-infield duo of Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards supply on-base ability and speed.

As a result, Perkins must pitch carefully and avoid leaving pitches over the middle of the plate. His battery mate, Langeliers, will need to help him control the running game and throw out potential base stealers.

Time to start this series on the right foot with a Friday night win. Let’s go A’s!

Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA

Listen:
Talk 650 KSTE, KVMX 92.1/105.5, A’s Cast

A tough run of injuries for the 2026 Mariners continues. The latest blow: Julio Rodríguez is being placed on the 7-day concussion IL after being struck in the back of the head by an errant throw by Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel in Thursday’s game.

Julio initially stayed in the game for the rest of the inning plus a defensive half-inning, but by the time the adrenaline wore off, he was feeling light-headed. He contacted a trainer and was removed from the game in the third inning. Rodríguez came to the park to be evaluated this morning and was still feeling concussion-like symptoms, at which point the team opted to place him on the seven-day concussion IL

“Obviously, with head injuries, you have to be so careful,” said manager Dan Wilson. “Obviously it’s a tough break, but we’ve been through it before here, so we’ll keep grinding away.”

The concussion IL is a minimum stay of seven days, but shouldn’t require any additional rehab beyond that. Rodríguez will be able to return to baseball activities as soon as he feels up to it, although for today, and likely tomorrow, he’s at home and resting.

To take Julio’s place, utility player Miles Mastrobuoni has been selected to the big-league roster. Mastrobuoni was the subject of an unfortunate DFA on June 19 when the team needed another right-handed bat while Randy Arozarena was on the 10-day IL. He cleared waivers and remained with the Mariners, however, and now will rejoin a team that’s suffered more than its fair share of position-player injuries. Mastrobuoni – or “Mister Bunny” as we like to call him around here, thanks to my Otter transcription app, which cannot parse his name – doesn’t help the Mariners with their lefty-heavy problem, a big part of the reason he was DFA’d in the first place, but he does help solve the outfielder problem, at least partially, as he’s more of an outfielder than the righties Buddy Kennedy and Weston Wilson.

In order to make room for Mastrobuoni, RHP Cooper Criswell has been transferred to the 60-day IL with a right shoulder strain (originally this was called a pec strain, but the injury classification has been updated). He’s eligible to return August 8, so still on track for the post All-Star-Break timeline Justin Hollander gave in his last injury update.

Also injured in last night’s arcade shootout game with the Angels were outfielders Victor Robles and Randy Arozarena, who were both hit by pitches. Both are in the lineup today, although Arozarena was seen pregame with kinetic tape wrapped around the sore biceps where he was hit. Robles said pregame he’s feeling “better” – he’ll take over center field duties the majority of the time Julio is out, along with Luke Raley.

While this is a night-owl game at the start of a holiday weekend, there are reasons to tune in. Can Jake Bennett, who looked great against the Yankees, do it again? Can the Red Sox unleash some emotion on the Angels? This is a good time to get something going, in a season that’s running out of chances.

Most importantly, let’s enjoy Willson Contreras while we can. He’s on the field tonight while the appeals process plays out, but unless his suspension is dismissed or shortened, he’s about to go on the shelf for seven games. Longer term, will he still be on the team by this time next month?

All together for Willson, and for Venezuela. ¡Fuerza!

How to Watch and Listen

First pitch is at 9:38 PM ET on NESN and WEEI.

Lineups

Los Angeles Angels Lineup

1. Zach Neto (R) SS
2. Nolan Schanuel (L) 1B
3. Denzer Guzman (R) 3B
4. Jorge Soler (R) DH
5. Vaughn Grissom (R) 2B
6. Jo Adell (R) RF
7. Jose Siri (R) CF
8. Josh Lowe (L) LF
9. Logan O’Hoppe (R) C
10. Starting Pitcher Reid Detmers

The Yankees are in the midst of trying to stop a seven-game losing streak with the Twins in town to begin a three-game series. Minnesota took a quick lead off Gerrit Cole thanks to a solo shot by Kody Clemens, but Yankees leadoff hitter Trent Grisham welcomed himself back from the IL by belting a bomb of his own at the start of the game to tie it at 1-1.

Although Cole has since settled down a bit with two scoreless innings, we must now wait before we get baseball again. They’ve put the tarp on the field at Yankee Stadium with heavy rain expected shortly. The forecast looks like it will clear up in a little while, but for now, it’s a rain delay. I would say that I hope it cools people off on this hot, hot day, but it might just end up being steamy. Alas.

We’ll keep you all posted with any news.

Update

Well, that didn’t take too long! Assuming nothing crazy happens (outside of Cape Verde vs. Argentina anyway), we’ll have baseball again in just a little bit. This delay should hopefully end up being about 50 minutes or so.

So remember in Wednesday’s recap when I said maybe games like this make me reconsider my desire for MLB to have a mercy rule?

Can I take that back?

The Cubs put a +20 on their run differential with Wednesday’s win — and gave 16 of that back Friday afternoon in a 17-1 blowout by the Cardinals.

First, about that blowout loss after the blowout win, from BCB’s JohnW53:

The most runs that the Cubs ever had allowed before in a game immediately after one in which they had scored at least 20 was 10. They lost to the Reds, 10-5, at home on Aug. 14, 1937, one day after winning, 22-6.

So 89 years later, the Cubs pretty much shattered that “record,” for whatever that’s worth.

More from John:

The Cubs’ worst loss ever to the Cardinals was by 18 runs, 21-3, at Wrigley Field on April 27, 1977. They lost to them, 19-2, at the West Side Grounds in 1904, and by 15 three times, the last in 1925.
…..
The Cubs’ worst loss since 1901 was by 22-0 at home vs. the Pirates on Sept. 16, 1975, then by 20 runs, 22-2, at Cincinnati on June 1, 1957. This was their 17th loss by at least 16 runs and the 11th of them at home.

Okay, you probably do want to hear something from me. What I want to say about David Peterson’s first Wrigley Field start as a Cub is this: He just could not put away hitters, or innings. After a pretty easy first, which could have been better if Michael Busch hadn’t dropped a possible double-play relay after Dansby Swanson caught Ivan Herrera’s line drive, Peterson then retired the first two hitters in the second. After that: Double, single, home run. In the third, after the first two hitters reached, a sac fly and a ground out made it 4-0, but again, Peterson couldn’t put away Masyn Winn, who hit an RBI single, followed by an RBI double by Jose Fermin. In the fourth, after he got the first two hitters out on routine fly balls, Peterson walked the bases loaded, then gave up a two-run single. Bryse Wilson then relieved Peterson and served up a three-run homer to Winn, with two of the runs charged to Peterson.

Peterson threw 91 pitches to record 11 outs and was ahead of quite a few hitters, but simply could not put them away. Was it the Cardinals? As I mentioned in today’s game preview, the Cardinals pounded Peterson for seven hits and six runs in 3.2 innings just three weeks ago in New York.

So, Peterson vs. the Cardinals this year: 7.1 innings, 16 hits, 16 runs, 19.64 ERA. Maybe just don’t start him against the Cardinals?

Wilson wasn’t any better, serving up another homer in the sixth and being charged with seven runs in 3.1 innings. One can see why Wilson has been in five organizations in the last four years.

Here, let me break up this wall of text by showing you the Cubs’ only run of the game. In the seventh, Pedro Ramirez (who had taken Swanson’s place in the lineup) tripled, and one out later Alex Bregman doubled him in [VIDEO].

So, yay? Bregman had two of the Cubs’ seven hits. Maybe he’ll start hitting.

Drew Pomeranz, just returned to the Cubs, threw a 1-2-3 ninth in garbage time, on just 11 pitches, so he should be available tomorrow. That’s about all I’ve got on this one.

One more game note: It rained really hard in the area around Wrigley Field for about an hour starting just as the gates were opening at 1:30. Fortunately, it cleared the area, though a light rain fell during the first inning, and the game started just 10 minutes after the scheduled starting time of 3:05. Had this been a normal Friday 1:20 start, it probably would have started at… around 3:15.

Games like this, you do have to eventually laugh. They only count as one loss, fortunately, and one of the best things about baseball is that there’s almost always another game the next day. The Cubs and Cardinals will play Saturday evening at Wrigley Field. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs and Kyle Leahy goes for St. Louis. Game time is 7:08 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Fox-TV (regional — coverage map).

Go Rays!

Earlier this week, Dave Roberts was unsure if Shohei Ohtani would pitch in this year’s All-Star Game.

In the days since, the Dodgers’ reshuffled pitching plans have essentially made the decision for him.

With Ohtani having his originally scheduled outing on Wednesday against the Athletics pushed back a couple days to Friday night against the Padres, the two-way star is now unlikely to take the mound in the Midsummer Classic, even if he is selected to the National League pitching staff as expected.

After Friday’s start against the Padres, Ohtani’s final pitching appearance of the first half will come next Friday against the Diamondbacks, knocking him off schedule to be available to the All-Star Game in Philadelphia that following Tuesday.

“I haven’t formally said it, but if you just do the math, it would be hard to imagine,” said Roberts, who is also the NL manager this year thanks to the Dodgers’ pennant last year. “But I don’t have to make a decision quite yet.”

Already, it was going to be difficult for Ohtani –– who has clinched the NL’s starting designated hitter slot via fan voting –– to make what would have only been his second career pitching appearance in the All-Star Game.

To do so, Roberts confirmed earlier this week, Ohtani likely would have had to start the game, given the logistical challenges that would have gone into trying to warm up in the bullpen while also taking at-bats in the NL’s lineup.

The NL, of course, has more obvious candidates to handle the starting honors, from Cy Young frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski to local Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez. 

Based on their own pitching schedules, however, it still might have been possible for Ohtani (whose 1.58 ERA entering Friday trailed only Misiorowski among pitchers with 70 innings) to warrant the starting pitcher nod.

Now, he has been all but knocked out of consideration, with the Dodgers’ preference to give him a couple extra days of rest as a pitcher this week likely to limit his All-Star Game involvement to DH duties only.

The San Francisco Giants head to Coors Field tonight to begin a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.

As of the time this is being written, the Giants have not yet announced a starting pitcher. But check out the comments below for more up-to-date information.

Whoever it ends up being will be facing off against Rockies right-hander Ryan Feltner, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.42 ERA, 4.94 FIP, with 35 strikeouts to 20 walks in 53 innings pitched. His last start was in the Rockies’ 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, in which he allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in six innings.

Game #87

Who: San Francisco Giants (36-50) vs. Colorado Rockies (34-53)

Where: Coors Field, Denver, Colorado

When: 5:10 p.m. PT

Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area

National broadcast: n/a

Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (43-46) will welcome in the top team in the AL, the Tampa Bay Rays (51-33), for a three-game holiday weekend series at Daikin Park beginning tonight.

RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-4, 4.00 ERA) will get the Friday night start for the Astros opposite the veteran RHP Nick Martinez (7-2, 2.66 ERA) and the Rays.

SPENCER’S GIFTS: RHP Spencer Arrighetti is 7-4 in his 13 starts, leading the club in wins and ranking 10th in the AL in opponent batting average (min. 70IP). He has allowed just 56 hits in his 72.0 innings, averaging 7.00 hits per 9.0, which ranks eighth in the AL.

Arrighetti had a rough June (9.00 ERA), but was the AL Pitcher of the Month for May, posting a 4-1 record with a 0.93 ERA.

RECENT ‘STROS: The Astros have won six of nine, seven of 11, and are 10-5 in their last 15 games. The Astros 16-11 record in June tied as the best in the AL, along with their rival Rangers.

SERIES-LY SPEAKING: Prior to the Astros losing two of three to the Twins earlier this week, the club had won five consecutive series dating back to June 12. The last time the Astros won five straight series was from June 20-July 6 of last season.

WINNING THE CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are 9-5 in one-run games and 19-10 in two-run games. Each of the Astros last seven wins and 12 of their last 13 victories have come by two-or-fewer runs.

NEYENS ADDED TO FUTURES GAME: IF Xavier Neyens has been added to the 2026 All-Star Futures Game, which will be played on July 12 in Philadelphia. Neyens, the Astros first-round selection last year, joins the club’s top prospect OF Kevin Alvarez on the American League squad.

MY BOY BLU: RHP AJ Blubaugh worked another 2.2 scoreless innings on Wednesday vs. MIN, giving him 56.1 innings pitched on the season, which leads all Major League relievers. Blubaugh has been on a strong run since April 11, going 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA (11ER/48IP) in his last 29 appearances.

ASTROS ROSTER MOVES: The Astros have reinstated RHP Cristian Javier from the 60-day IL and have transferred LHP Bennett Sousa to the 60-day IL to make room for Javier on the 40-man roster. Postgame on Wednesday, the Astros optioned RHP Miguel Ullola to Triple A.

ALL-STAR UPDATE: Full All-Star rosters (starters and reserves) will be announced tomorrow night beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT on FOX. DH Yordan Alvarez was a finalists on the 2026 KONAMI eBaseball MLB All-Star Ballot and is a strong candidate to be the AL starter at the DH position. Alvarez has been an All-Star three times in his career.

MVP-CALIBER: DH Yordan Alvarez has had a torrid first half to his season, currently leading all of baseball in OPS (1.053), OBP (.433), SLG (.620) and total bases (194). Additionally, he ranks first in the AL in extra-base hits (42), tied for first in homers (26), tied for first in hits (100), second in batting average (.319), second in RBI (60), tied for second in runs (59) and fourth in walks (59).

TAP FOR SUCCESS: Astros hitters have won an MLB-best 63 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (60%). 3B Isaac Paredes (9-for-9) has the most successful challenges in the Majors without losing one. 2B Jose Altuve has been successful on 15-of-21 challenges (71%), ranking second in the Majors in challenges won.

OUT ON ASSIGNMENT: The Astros have several players on minor league rehab assignments:

• RHP Ronel Blanco (rt. elbow surgery) started on Wednesday for Double A Corpus Christi at NW Arkansas, tossing 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with four strikeouts. He tossed 60 pitches (45 strikes) in what was his third minor league rehab start.

• RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (rt. shoulder inflammation) started on Wednesday for Triple A Sugar Land at OKC, tossing 4.0 innings of one-run ball, fanning three. He tossed 60 pitches (41 strikes) in what was his second minor league rehab start.

• RHP Hayden Wesneski (rt. elbow surgery) began a minor league rehab assignment on Tuesday for the FCL Astros, tossing 3.0 innings (0ER) on 25 pitches.

• IF Braden Shewmake (rt. adductor strain) had his rehab assignment transferred to Triple A on Wednesday and has started two games for the Space Cowboys, one at shortstop and one at second base.

• OF LaMonte Wade Jr. (rt. hamstring strain) began a rehab assignment at Triple A on Tuesday and has started two games so far for the Space Cowboys, one at first base and one in left field.

TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2020 – In a year unlike any other, the Astros begin Summer Camp workouts at Daikin Park and the University of Houston. It was the first workout day for all clubs as MLB returned following nearly a three month shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the club’s first day back on the field since Spring Training was halted on March 13.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Friday, July 3, 7:15 p.m. CT

Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX

TV: Apple TV

Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)