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PHILADELPHIA — The Yankees are frequently looking for relief help, always competitive and have the wherewithal to add at the very top of the market.

So Mason Miller has heard the rumors and reports — though more last year than this year, he said — that the Yankees would be interested in landing him in a blockbuster.

“The rumors are what they are,” Miller said at Monday’s All-Star media day at Citizens Bank Park. “The Yankees are a good team, and they’re obviously a team that is going to add most years. I think it’s just a compliment in a way that good teams are interested in good players.”

There is every reason to believe that the Yankees are interested in Miller, though there is doubt whether he reaches the trade block (and if so, the price tag would be astronomical).

In an era of flamethrowers, Miller burns brightest with a fastball that has averaged 101.3 mph this season.

That he throws his slider more often — a pitch that has yielded an .079 batting average — seems unfair.

He would fit nicely in a shaky Yankees bullpen and push David Bednar to setup duties.

Miller has saved 25 games and pitched to a 0.91 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 39 ²/₃ innings for the Padres, who have been carried by the back of their bullpen but sit at 48-48 and 3 ¹/₂ games back of the final NL wild card.

Trading the 27-year-old, who cannot be a free agent until after the 2029 season, would fetch an immense haul for the Padres, who know this well: In 2025, they sent a four-prospect package that was led by shortstop Leo De Vries (who at the time was the No. 3 prospect in the entire minor leagues) to the A’s for the closer.

Would San Diego president of baseball operations A.J. Preller, among the most aggressive in the business, seek to replenish his prospect reserves and sell Miller if the team does not tick up?

“It’s kind of fruitless to worry about something three weeks away, four weeks away, whatever it ends up being,” Miller said. “Ultimately, it’s out of your hands.”

It is in the hands of the Padres, who started well but are 29-37 since May.

They did enter the break having taken a series from the Blue Jays.

“We’re going to have to wait until we come out of the break and see how those weeks go. See if that tells us anything,” Miller said. “We could very well be in the same position as we are now. Then [buying or selling] might be a little more of a toss-up.

“I think optimistically looking ahead, we’re excited we ended the first half on a winning series and look to carry that momentum forward.”

Cam Schlittler declined to pour fuel on the AL starting pitcher controversy.

The Yankees starter reiterated that he decided he was not going to pitch in Tuesday’s All-Star Game before learning that Blue Jays manager John Schneider had decided to give the ball to his own pitcher, Dylan Cease, to start the game.

“There’s no hard feelings,” Schlittler told reporters. “That’s not something I can control. I’m more worried about the second half, and Dylan deserves that.”

In explaining his decision, Schneider cited Cease’s “overall body of work this year” and his “body of work over the last three years” along with Cease leading the league in strikeouts.

In most other categories, Schlittler holds the edge.

An All-Star Game already missing Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani because of injury also will not include Schlittler (who said he wants to focus on getting ready for the second half), Jacob Misiorowski (fatigue), Paul Skenes (who pitched Sunday), Chase Burns (groin), Max Meyer (rest), Ranger Suárez (groin) and Zack Wheeler (who declined an invite after originally being snubbed), to name a few.

“The way the game is now, where there’s rest, recovery, injuries, which are certainly validated, I still try to encourage players to participate because it is for the fans,” NL and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “To be able to showcase your talents in front of everyone, it’s a special moment.”

It’s easy to claim nepotism when a team drafts the son of one of its franchise icons; just ask Bronny James.

In the case of the Yankees’ eighth-round pick Luke Pettitte, though, Damon Oppenheimer promised it had nothing to do with his dad, five-time World Series winner Andy Pettitte.

In fact, the Yankees vice president and director of amateur scouting said the team didn’t talk to Andy at all before the selection.

“I wanted this to be about Luke and his ability, and not about Andy,” Oppenheimer said. “He’s been great, but I thought that this was better off for Luke’s career to take it and put it in his hands.”

Oppenheimer said he thinks the Pettittes were actually surprised the Yankees took Luke, saying he was good enough to go anywhere.

They were, though, “ecstatic” that he ended up with the Yankees, now teamed up with his dad, still a special adviser to the team.

Oppenheimer said the Yankees were impressed by both Luke’s pitching and hitting ability.

A two-way player for Dallas Baptist before undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer, Luke served solely as a DH this season.

He hit 16 home runs in 42 games and was named first-team All-Conference USA and second-team All-Central Region for his efforts.

“We liked him as a pitcher; he got hurt. We followed him as a hitter, he’s had power,” Oppenheimer said. “The guy’s got a good swing, so his name could have been [anything] and we were taking him based off the ability we saw here.”

As for Luke’s development plan, Oppenheimer said Luke will be allowed to hit and pitch in the low minors, with his performance deciding if he continues to do both as he moves up the ranks.

Luke, along with 20 other players, makes up a draft class the Yankees are excited about.

Their first-round choice, Hunter Dietz, already signed with the team, Oppenheimer said, and will begin his development in Tampa.

Despite taking Pettitte, Dietz and six other pitchers, Oppenheimer said they were not chasing the position, but rather the best players on the board.

He also said recent success stories, like Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler, make him eager to see what this class will do.

Schlittler, taken in the seventh round in 2022, and Rice in the 12th a year earlier, were true wins for “pure old scouting,” Oppenheimer said.

PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Schwarber was scripted to be the homecoming king of this Home Run Derby. Instead, he was powerless to stop a little magenta baseball from sailing out of Citizens Bank Park, again and again and again.

And Jordan Walker joined Bryce Harper in the very exclusive club of pulling the rug out from Schwarber in a Home Run Derby.

Walker, the St. Louis Cardinals slugger enjoying a breakthrough season, put on one of the greatest clutch displays ever in this Derby, needing to cash in on his last swing – and then two more after that – to match Schwarber’s 11 home runs in the final.

Instead, Walker hit four in a row to win it, becoming the first Cardinal to win a Home Run Derby after future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols failed in three tries to do so.

Ever hear the sound of 43,000 ticked-off people?

Jordan Walker had a better Monday night than most people have all year. Literally.

The Cardinals outfielder won the 2026 Home Run Derby in Philadelphia, and the winner's check was $1 million. His salary for the whole 2026 season is $799,400.

In just one night, he earned 125% of his salary.

He came from behind to grab the cash too.

Walker trailed in the final and answered with six home runs on his last six swings, closing gap and finishing off Kyle Schwarber 12-11. It came right down to the last outs of the round.

The 2026 MLB Draft has come and gone, and 11 players from the Mountain West got the call throughout the weekend. Nevada had the first player taken off the board, with pitcher Aidan Brainard being the first and only athlete to go in the single-digit rounds. UNLV led the way with three players drafted, GCU with two and four separate programs with one. And surprisingly, six of the nine players were pitchers, representing both starters and closers in a conference that did not have a great year on the mound.

Here is a breakdown of each player drafted, listed by school and what round/pick they were drafted.

GCU: 2

• Chase Frey (P, Boston Red Sox, Round 15 Pick 454)

Grand Canyon’s ace on the bump this year, Frey had a pretty good year in Mountain West terms. Boasting a 4.79 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, the Las Vegas native was one of the best starting pitchers in the conference, earning a second team all-MW honor after the 2026 season. However, Frey was not able to earn many wins over the last year, ending his college career with a 2-7 record, which was not necessarily his fault. Boston’s current situation in the starting rotation is one of the worst in the MLB this year, which is why the team has a 46-48 record. If the trend continues and Frey can develop quickly, Frey could see some time sooner rather than later.

• Garrett Ahern (P, New York Yankees, Round 16 Pick 488)

The second and final pitcher from the first Arizona-based school in the Mountain West, Ahem will now be rivals with Frey as he takes his talents to the Yankees. Although he did not see as many starts as his all-Mountain West teammate, Ahem still had a great year in the Mountain West, posting a 5.05 ERA through 46.1 innings and 189 batters faced. The junior was also a victim of a bad win-loss record, going 2-3 with six no decisions. The New York Yankees do have a pretty decent pitching staff overall, with all-star Cam Schlittler being the ace this year and household names like Max Fried and Garrit Cole still on the roster. However, if time does catch up to the veterans and spots open up, Ahem could slot right into the starting rotation once he develops his game further.

Hawaii: 1

• Ben Zeigler (1B, Atlanta Braves, Round 10 Pick 292)

Zeigler was the first position player taken from the Mountain West this year, and for good reason. The graduate student from Lahaina, Maui put up great numbers, hitting .294 with 194 at-bats, 57 hits (10 doubles, five home runs, one triple) and 37 RBis. His performance was one of the most consistent on the team throughout the year, earning an all-Big West honorable mention for his efforts. Atlanta is in a very good spot as of now, as they are the leaders of the NL East at 55-40 and are about to get healthy for a mid-season push to keep their winning ways afloat. Players like first baseman Matt Olson are still holding it down, but with the right development throughout the minor leagues, Zeigler can move up to make his own name at the corner.

Nevada: 1

• Aidan Brainard (P, Texas Rangers, Round 6 Pick 178)

The first player taken from the board from the new Mountain West after a decent year with some great high points. The all-Mountain West first team senior ended his college career with a 6.53 ERA and a 5-4 record. Across 62 innings pitched, Brainard struck out 68 batters in 253 faced with a .320 opponent batting average. Despite the less than stellar stats, Brainard did have great outings against schools like Ole Miss, Air Force, New Mexico and UNLV, showcasing what he can do when prompted. He will need to work on his consistency, but if Brainard can do so while continuing to grow his strengths, like his strikeout capabilities, he could get a good spot on the Rangers’ rotation down the road.

New Mexico: 1

• Cooper Corkrean (P, Kansas City Royals, Round 18 Pick 539)

New Mexico’s sole draft pick comes in the form of their all-Mountain West second team pitcher Cooper Corkrean. In his one year with the Lobos, Corkrean posted a steady 5.49 ERA as one of the Lobos’ best relief pitchers. In 21 appearances, the junior notched 59 strikeouts and 61 hits through 59 innings, with a WHIP of 1.44 in the season. Corkrean had several instances of closing out games that New Mexico were down in, resulting in a 6-2 record on top of four saves. There were moments where Corkrean got shelled, specifically against Northern Colorado and Tarleton State that do need to be ironed out in the big leagues, but once those blips become less and less frequent, Corkrean should be a stud in the bullpen for the Royals.

UNLV: 5

• Carson Lane (P, Cleveland Guardians, Round 14 Pick 423)

The first starter to go off the board from UNLV, Lane was definitely a mixed bag this year. Finishing his college career with an 8.23 ERA and 1.99 WHIP, Lane was not the most impressive on the bump this year, especially compared to his all-MW first team season in 2025. He still posted 70 strikeouts on the year, but allowing 57 earned runs and an opponent batting average of .330 muds up the success. And that wasn’t just some inflated stats due to a couple of bad games, as it was nearly an expectation that Lane would give up at least two runs a game in a league where hitting was king. However, the junior did have some great outings, including a five inning stint where he blanked San Diego State. If Lane can get the 4+ earned run appearances down (he had eight this year alone) and put out more small run games, he can be a very useful addition to an up-trending Guardians squad.

• Jase Evangelista (P, Boston Red Sox, Round 14 Pick 424)

The literal next pick in the draft was Evangelista, the junior relief pitcher who saw a lot of time as one of the main relief pitchers for UNLV. In 19 appearances and 46.2 innings pitched (third most on the team), Evangelista posted a 6.17 ERA with a 1.48 WHIP. Of the five pitchers that had at least 45 innings on their belt, the junior had the least amount of hits given up (51), second least earned runs (32) and the lowest opponent batting average (.282). Joining up with Frey, Evangelista will have a harder outlook due to the Red Sox bullpen being a bit better than the starting rotation. However, in a similar fashion to Frey, room could open up sooner rather than later if Evangelista plays his cards right.

• Ryan Marton (P, Chicago Cubs, Round 17 Pick 517)

Following his teammates three rounds later, Marton was yet another relief pitcher that had a pretty good season all things considered. Although he did not have as much time on the bump, Marton had a very similar season to Evangelista, posting a 6.16 ERA through 19 innings pitched. He was actually better statistically, with a .219 opponent batting average, 16 hits, 13 earned runs and a 1.32 WHIP, though that could be equated to a variety of different factors in a debate. The Toronto, Ontario native didn’t see a lot of innings throughout his appearances, which will be the big question mark as he develops. Regardless of whether he goes the closer or short inning relief route, Marton should have a great time in the minors and majors with the right progression.

• Parker Dillhoff (P, Cleveland Guardians, Round 18 Pick 543)

Another addition to the Cleveland Guardians potential starters in the future, Dillhoff was the ace of the Hustlin’ Rebels’ pitching staff and represented it decently well. In a similar, chaotic fashion to his partner in crime, Dillhoff posted a 7.53 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP through 69.1 innings. He gave up 58 earned runs (one more than Lane) while striking out 94 batters with double-digit figures in three games. Dillhoff also pitched the only complete game of the season for UNLV against Mountain West baseball newcomer Utah Tech on March 21, only giving up one run. The senior has the potential to make some noise in the minor leagues if he develops correctly, with a similar — if not, better — chance of establishing himself on the Guardians’ pitching staff to Lane.

• Jack Salmon (OF, Los Angeles Angels, Round 19 Pick 559)

The final member of UNLV taken in the draft and only positional player, 2026 was a good year for Salmon. In 49 games, the senior hit on a .344 average with a .966 OPS (.481 SLG, .485 OB), notching 53 hits. While there wasn’t a lot of fireworks in his game, only hitting three home runs, Salmon was a scoring beast, getting across home plate 42 times, the most of anyone who played less than 50 games. Salmon’s abilities at the plate and on the base path should prove wonders for the Angles, who are still in desperate times as the last team in the AL West and could use a player like Salmon in the close future.

Utah Tech: 1

• Petey Soto Jr. (SS, Houston Astros, Round 18 Pick 541)

A new affiliate member to the Mountain West for the 2027 season, Utah Tech comes in with a bit of brand exposure thanks to Petey Soto Jr. being drafted late into the second day. Competing in the Big Sky while facing off with multiple Mountain West schools last year, Soto Jr. had some great numbers, finishing his college career with a .347 batting average and a .910 OPS in 59 games. In that time, the hometown junior got 77 hits (15 doubles and six home runs) and 48 RBIs, both of which were the best on the team. The Astros do have shortstop Jeremy Pena as their shot caller at the moment, making things a tad bit difficult for Soto Jr. to make an MLB appearance anytime soon. However, given the fact that the Astros are in the midst of a down year without a serious revival, Soto Jr. might have a chance sooner down the line if he continues his growth.

Halfway across the world in Japan, and in half of Chicagoland homes, all eyes were on White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami and his performance in the 2026 Home Run Derby

Mune, fresh off of the injured list and with only five total games under his belt before setting up in the Derby batters’ box, made a valiant run in the first round. Clubbing nine home runs with White Sox coach Luis Sierra throwing to him (Sierra had prepped for the assignment on Saturday by pitching to the White Sox legends in the Sox Park Home Run Derby won by Leury García), Murakami settled into third place, with enough longballs to make the cut. Ben Rice didn’t come close to Mune, but he was still alive, in fourth, even after Junior Caminero crushed 12 into the seats. With two batters remaining, Schwarber then stepped up and deflated the hopes of fans in Japan and Chicago by lofting 10 balls over the wall.

Mune’s longest missile traveled an awe-inspiring 466 feet, with seven shots landing in right field and two in right-center.

Here’s every one of Mune’s moon shots, at least one of which soared over the Citizen’s Bank Ballpark stands:

Walker bests Schwarber in thrilling HR Derby finish
While there were criticisms of the broadcast/platform and fewer homers clubbed than in past seasons, Jordan Walker’s “walk-off” home run to upset Kyle Schwarber to win the 2026 Home Run Derby redeemed the evening and then some.

Hometown favorite Schwarber led off the title round with 11 homers, his best effort of the evening (10 in the opening round to edge out Chicago’s Munetaka Murakami, nine in the semis to sneak past Boston’s Willson Contreras). With essentially the whole of the ballpark rooting against him and trailing, 11-8, while down to his last swing, Walker dug deep and clubbed four straight to win it.

For Philadelphia fans who lustily booed all six non-Phillie participants in the Derby, consider it a sign of maturity that they were merely stunned into silence by the blast:

Even though he was eliminated in the first round, Yankees slugger Ben Rice had an unforgettable time in his first experience of the Home Run Derby on Monday night.

With his dad as his pitcher, like they used to do in their backyard when Rice was younger, the lefty swinger totaled seven home runs in his first go-around which wasn’t enough to send him to the semi-finals. 

Still, the experience alone was enough for Rice, who was smiling from ear to ear when talking to reporters after the event, to have a great time.

“That was sick,” he said. “Just getting to be out there with my dad, hearing all the boos and everything I was just trying to take it all in, it was so fun.”

With the derby being held at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, the heavily-skewed Phillies crowd let Rice hear it, not only when he was taking his hacks, but during the introductions too -- likely because of his connection to New York and the fact that the Yankees beat the Phillies in the 2009 World Series.

People don’t forget.

“The boos were crazy, especially in the opening ceremony,” Rice said. “It was so cool. I always like the saying ‘they don’t boo nobodies’ so it was really cool to just hear them rain down on me and even in the round too. It was fun.”

Obviously Rice didn’t let the hostile atmosphere take away from the magical experience he got to celebrate with his dad and said his adrenaline was “on another level” during the event. In fact, before taking the field, the 27-year-old thought he felt great and it wasn’t until his first swing that he realized just how fast he was going.

“I’ll tell you what, I didn’t realize how out front my first swings were gonna be,” he said. “I was in the cage and I was like ‘I’m gonna hit 20 home runs, I’m on fire right now’ and then I took my first swing and I was like ‘oh my god I am going so fast right now’ so I just had to figure out a way to slow down, but like I said it was a blast.”

On top of that, Rice is sure his swing must’ve looked different than his usual swing as he was trying to get the ball in the air as opposed to hitting line drives all over the field like in the regular season.

Nevertheless, the first baseman/designated hitter “embraced every bit” of the competition and “had a blast” while leaving things up in the air on whether or not he would do it again in the future.

“We’ll see, we’ll see. We’ll think about it,” Rice said. “If I ever got the chance I’d definitely consider it, but we’ll see.”

But if that was the one and only time for Rice, it’s something he’ll never forget.

“Even just when I stepped foot out there, just looked at my dad and we just smiled at each other and we were like ‘let’s go, let’s take some swings’ so it was super cool,” he said.