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As has been the case for much of this season, the Orioles come into this weekend’s series vs. the Braves with a point to prove. Baltimore thought they proved they were ready to be playoff contenders by sweeping the Astros in Houston. That point was then undercut by losing two out of three in Fenway—though winning the series finale and ending the Red Sox’s 15-game winning streak was a nice consolation. 

Now, the O’s welcome another playoff team to Baltimore while looking to make up ground in the Wild Card race (and dissuade the front office from selling at the deadline). On paper, the Braves look like an intimidating foe, especially for an Orioles team that needs wins right now. 

Atlanta is four games in front of Philadelphia in a very competitive NL East, and has been on top of that division for basically the entire season. The Orioles, on the other hand, have struggled to stay out of the AL East basement most of the year, and were the last AL team to string together a four-game winning streak. 

However, the two teams have been heading in different directions of late. The once juggernaut-ish Braves have gone 20-22 across June and July, while seeing their offense struggle. Atlanta had one of the best lineups in baseball to begin the year, averaging 5.3 runs/game across the first two months of the season. During this recent skid, they’ve dropped to 4.6 runs/game across June and July. 

The offensive downturn has largely coincided with the injury to superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., who’s been on the IL since June 10th with a hamstring injury. The former NL MVP is currently on a rehab assignment in Triple-A, and there’s an outside chance he could rejoin the Braves in Baltimore this weekend. 

The Orioles will need to overcome their own injury woes if they want to keep their recent hot streak going. The O’s are 11-5 in July and 8-2 in their last 10. However, the lineup is now without the likes of Blaze Alexander (broken hand), Adley Rutschman (left wrist inflammation) and Samuel Basallo (right shoulder inflammation). Christian Encarnacion-Strand has so far filled in admirably for Alexander, but backup catchers Sam Huff and Chadwick Tromp have yet to record a hit since rejoining the roster. 

The O’s have won two straight series against the Braves, sweeping them in Atlanta last season and taking two of three in Baltimore back in 2024. The O’s will hope to they can replicate last season’s offensive performance against Atlanta, with the Baltimore bats launching six home runs in the three-game sweep of the Braves. 

Game 1, Friday, July 24th, 7:05pm ET

Probable pitchers: TBD vs. RHP Grant Holmes (6-4, 3.70 ERA, 78 Ks)

Where to watch: MASN/MASN+

After reshuffling the rotation to give Kyle Bradish some more rest after signing his extension, the O’s have to come up with a creative solution for Friday’s starter. Cade Povich could get called up from Norfolk to make his first start in the big leagues since May 7th. The lefty has faced off with the Braves once before, tossing six shutout innings in a 4-2 Baltimore win. The O’s could also bring back Trey Gibson from the minors, or use Albert Suárez as an opener in a bullpen game. 

Grant Holmes pitched against Trevor Rogers last year in Atlanta, taking the loss despite a quality start. Holmes posted a final line of 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB and 5 Ks in a 2-1 Orioles win, with his only real mistake coming on a two-run home run from Jackson Holliday. Holmes has been similarly sharp of late, pitching to a 1.89 ERA over his last four starts. He doesn’t usually give Atlanta much length, though, as he averages less than five innings per start this season. 

Game 2, Saturday, July 25th, 7:05pm ET

Probable pitchers: LHP Trevor Rogers (6-7, 4.28 ERA, 77 Ks) vs. RHP Bryce Elder (6-6, 4.06 ERA, 90 Ks)

Where to watch: MASN/MASN+

If you looked at Trevor Rogers’ stats for the season, you might think he’s having a down season across the board. If you’ve watched Trevor Rogers pitch recently, you’d know that he’s back to being the exact same pitcher that won MVO in 2025. 

Since the calendar turned to June, Rogers has a 1.69 ERA across eight starts while limiting opposing hitters to a .206 average. Each start also carries a little extra significance for Rogers, who is a pending free agent after the season. During the broadcast of Wednesday’s first game, Rogers gave an interview where he said extension talks have not started with the Orioles, but he really wants to stay in Baltimore. 

If the southpaw wants to convince the O’s to offer him an extension, he’ll need to reverse his career numbers against the Braves. In nine starts against Atlanta while with the Marlins, Rogers pitched to a 5.57 ERA while taking the loss in seven of the nine outings. He did dominate his former NL East rival last year with the Orioles, pitching 6.2 shutout innings with six Ks. 

Former All-Star Bryce Elder will oppose the Orioles’ Opening Day starter, looking to build some positive momentum. Elder, like the Braves, got off to a hot start this year but has since faded. Through his first 11 starts of the season, the 27-year-old right-hander had a 1.97 ERA and .190 average against. In eight starts since then, he’s allowed 12 home runs, put up a 7.65 ERA and given up a .321 average to opponents. Elder faced the Orioles once before, putting up a line of 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB and 4 Ks. 

Game 3, Sunday, July 26th, 1:35pm ET

Probable pitchers: RHP Brandon Young (8-2, 3.25 ERA, 74 Ks) vs. RHP Reynaldo López (4-3, 3.95 ERA, 60 Ks)

Where to watch: MASN/MASN+

Brandon Young avenged his worst start of the season last time out. After giving up 10 runs over four innings earlier this year vs. the Astros, Young pitched seven innings of one-run ball last Sunday in Houston. Young continues to be synonymous with winning for the O’s, with Baltimore going 13-3 in games started by the big Texan. 

Young has made significant strides this year when it comes to pitching at Camden Yards. Last season, in seven starts in front of the Birdland faithful, the right-hander had an 8.72 ERA and a .346 average against. This year in Baltimore, BY has a 3.08 ERA while holding opponents to a .258 average. The 27-year-old will also look to improve his numbers in Interleague play, as he comes into this matchup with a 5.02 ERA in nine starts against the National League. 

Looking to put a stop to Young’s hot streak is 2024 All-Star Reynaldo López. The 32-year-old Dominican missed most of last season with a shoulder injury and has split time between the rotation and bullpen this season. He just returned to the rotation full time a month ago, and in five starts since has a 4.84 ERA while averaging just over four innings per start. 

López has pitched in Baltimore five times before, limiting the O’s to a .203 average and putting up a 2.08 ERA. In his last visit to Camden Yards during his All-Star season, he tossed six shutout innings while limiting the Orioles to two hits and striking out eight. 

Let us know in the comments whether the Orioles will sweep the Braves, get swept or something in between.

The Gwinnett Stripers are more rehab than roster at this point, and we’re thankful for that as it gives us the chance to talk about our old friends again. AJ Smith-Shawver had a terrific outing for Gwinnett and looked strong through 86 pitches, holding his upper-90’s velocity deep into the game. Ronald Acuna Jr. also played the full game, though it is fair to mention it was only five innings as weather made an impact on a few games at the minor league level on Thursday. Down in Augusta Conor Essenburg and Alex Lodise went deep, with that being home run number 20 on the season for Lodise. Then Ethan Bagwell was incredible for Rome and gave them seven strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in his fourth High-A start.

(50-47) Gwinnett Stripers 4, (42-54) Iowa Cubs 2

Box Score

Statcast

• Ronald Acuna Jr., DH: 0-2, BB, .250/.350/.250
• Ha-Seong Kim: 0-2, 2 BB, .256/.370/.359
• Patrick Clohisy: 2-3, .567/.594/1.000
• AJ Smith-Shawver, SP: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1.69 ERA

The Stripers only got five innings in the books on Thursday night, but that’s enough for an official game and an official win behind a solid outing from AJ Smith-Shawver. Smith-Shawver had most of the hallmarks of a perfect rehab outing. His velocity was terrific, averaging 97.5 mph on his fastball over his four innings, he had success with four scoreless innings, and he was able to throw plenty of strikes. Still, it wasn’t perfect and his command of his secondary pitches held him back significantly. Smith-Shawver’s fastball was hitting its spots and he got ahead of most hitters, but it took 86 pitches to get through four innings because he just could not locate any of his secondary pitches. His slider was a non-factor throughout the outing as he was mostly missing too far out of the strike zone to get swings, and he left his splitter over the plate quite often. He got away with that location in this outing, but that is not a recipe for success once he gets back to the major leagues. Still this is the best he has looked during his rehab when you take all of the components together, and his command wasn’t that far behind what was Smith-Shawver’s baseline location issues. His velocity was consistent throughout the game, which is a huge milestone as fatigue has been a factor for him in prior outings, and he was largely consistent with his mechanics. He might need another start in Triple-A to iron things out, but with him holding his velocity deep into games and Atlanta’s need for arms it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Braves asked him to make those final adjustments under the watchful eye of Jeremy Hefner.

I wish we had an equally impressive day from Ronald Acuna Jr. to talk about, but he went hitless with his only contact being a routine ground out on a pitch he probably should have crushed, and rain cut short his day after just three plate appearances. He and Ha-Seong Kim drew back-to-back walks in the Stripers three-run second inning, but neither were involved in any of that run scoring as they were stranded on the bases. Kim drew a couple of walks and had a pop to the right side in his other plate appearance. The Stripers contributions at the plate mostly came from the bottom half of the order, and of course Patrick Clohisy had to have his name in that hat. Clohisy led off in the second inning with a sharp grounder that the shortstop go to but had no chance on against Clohisy’s speed. On the next pitch Andrew McCutchen snuck one through the right side that Clohisy easily advanced around to third on, and Jose Azocar tied up the game with the third straight hit to open the inning. Aaron Schunk had the biggest Stripers hit of the game when he gapped one to score both baserunners, and that early 3-1 lead was enough for them to hold onto behind Smith-Shawver. Clohisy has now hit in eight straight games to start his Gwinnett career with multiple hits in six of those, and on the bases he added a stolen base this game. He is 6-6 on stolen bases since being called up and has pulled within one of Tate Southisene for the system lead.

Swing and Misses

AJ Smith-Shawver – 8

Anthony Molina – 2

(42-45) Columbus Clingstones 3, (48-43) Pensacola Blue Wahoos 4

Box Score

• Luke Waddell, SS: 1-4, 2B, .208/.307/.319
• Jordan Groshans, 3B: 1-4, RBI, .260/.336/.528
• Ian Mejia, SP: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 9.17 ERA
• Luis Vargas, RP: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 4.43 ERA

(42-46) Columbus Clingstones 0, (49-43) Pensacola Blue Wahoos 1

Box Score

• Luke Waddell, SS: 0-4, .208/.3o7/.319
• Jordan Groshans, 3B: 1-3, BB, .260/.336/.528
• Anderson Pilar, SP: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 6.23 ERA

Two games are better than one, unless you can’t hit. It was a rough set of games for Columbus, despite a late comeback effort in the opener, and this team has been awful at the plate in the second half. They have by far the best run prevention in the league in the second half, allowing a full run per game less than the next-best team, but they also have the worst offense in that span and games like these are why they are just hovering around .500. Ian Mejia could not get it done in the first inning of the opener, allowing a leadoff home run then a series of singles that charged three runs to him before he escaped. Mejia looked solid for most of the game, throwing his typical amount of strikes and working efficiently through the lineup, but the first inning blues followed the team until the end. In the third inning Luke Waddell had a double and scored a run on a Jordan Groshans single, but on the double from Waddell, Keshawn Ogans made a critical out getting thrown out at home and that run ended up being one of many pivotal game one moments. Two walks with one out set up the Clingstones in position to make a charge in the top of the sixth inning, and Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. served a liner to right field for a base hit that would chase a run home and give them the tying run on first base. Matt Scannell delivered a huge hit, hitting a deep fly ball to right field that the defender jumped and snagged but saw pop out of his glove, and that scored a run and put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. Unfortunately Tyler Tolve followed with a huge strikeout and Ogans grounded out to end the only major threat of either game.

Game two was sort of a snooze-fest for the Columbus offense. Groshans had another solid game with a first inning double and a walk, but no one else reached base multiple times and the team always found a way to strike out when they got runners in scoring position. Adam Zebrowski led off in the seventh inning with a pinch hit single, and a Kilpatrick walk gave them hope, but the inning when south in a hurry. Dalton McIntyre tried to lay down a bunt, and to be fair he is one of the players on the team who can do so, but he popped it up to third base. Luke Waddell followed that up with a strikeout, and Groshans popped up to shallow right field to snuff the game out. The bullpen held together nicely, especially Isaac Gallegos who pitched three scoreless innings and struck out four batters. Gallegos continues to have an impressive minor breakout in the bullpen, and has maintained his strikeout and whiff rates even with the jump to Double-A. Gallegos’s stuff was always this good but he’s really leaned into his slider as a weapon and it’s a pitch that I think will get him to the major leagues at some point in a middle relief role, though he’s likely more of a shuttle arm between Triple-A and the major leagues than a guy who carves out a long career, though he has value as a mop up multi-inning arm.

Swing and Misses

Ian Mejia – 8

Anderson Pilar – 7

Isaac Gallegos – 5

Tyler LaPorte – 4

Luis Vargas – 1

(43-46) Rome Emperors 1, (56-33) Frederick Keys 1 SUSPENDED

Box Score

• Tate Southisene, SS: 1-3, .248/.378/.436
• John Gil, 2B: 0-2, .244/.339/.376
• Eric Hartman, CF: 1-2, .271, .358/.527
• Ethan Bagwell, SP: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 2.53 ERA

Ethan Bagwell fans rejoice as his breakout season got back on track with an incredible outing, one that has a strong argument to be his best all season. Bagwell was commanding his fastball from the first pitch of the game, and Frederick couldn’t get a solid hit on it even with six innings to work with. Bagwell had a bit of trouble locating his slider in the first couple of innings of this game, but once he found that pitch it was game over and he didn’t really have any trouble spots throughout the game. The progression of his slider to a pitch that can get whiffs has been massive for him and driven this breakout campaign, though underlying issues still need to be solved. Namely he just needs to get a better changeup that he can really lean on against left-handed hitters because he has been getting crushed by them this season. Right handed batters have an OPS of just .389 against Bagwell, and I want to repeat that number is OPS. Left-handed hitters, however, have a .780 OPS, and all of Bagwell’s home runs allowed have been to left handed batters. His strikeout splits are 33.8% vs 18.3% and his walk splits are 2.7% vs 10.6%, and while samples this small are not enough for these numbers to regulate (and the difference isn’t that massive in reality) the issue still tracks with watching him approach hitters on the field. Some of this could just be a developmental approach for the Braves as a lot of their fastball/slider guys don’t see a ton of changeup usage until Double-A, but so far he has been trying to use sliders to get lefties out late in counts and it isn’t really working for him. Bagwell is young and athletic and has shown flashes of a competent changeup so this isn’t a doomsday prophecy for him, but developing a third pitch is of utmost importance for him moving forward because even at the lower levels he is already running into problems with getting opposite-handed guys out.

The Rome offense was stagnant in this game, and it prevented them from having an opportunity to win a shortened contest. Eric Hartman stroked a single in the first inning that went to waste when he got picked off, and over the next five innings the Emperors only produced one more hit. That hit ended up being enough for them to at least salvage a suspended game. Tate Southisene led off in the fourth by slapping a single into right field, though he wouldn’t score the run. John Gil hit a sharp grounder over to third base, and for some reason the third baseman thought he had plenty of time to double clutch a throw to second base and that delay along with a low throw to second meant Gil easily beat out the potential double play. Gil then continued to use his speed. Even with the perfect pitch to throw Gil out on he easily beat a throw to second base for his 40th stolen base of the season. The next pitch bounced in and out of the catcher’s mitt, and Gil pressed a throw to third base that sailed left and into the outfield which allowed Gil to come home for the tying run.

Swing and Misses 

Ethan Bagwell – 11

Drew Christo – 3

(50-43) Augusta GreenJackets 7, (40-52) Salem RidgeYaks 8

Box Score

• Luis Guanipa, CF: 0-6, .298/.353/.450
• Conor Essenburg, RF: 2-3, HR, 2 BB, .257/.405/.471
• Alex Lodise, SS: 1-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI, .256/.340/.482
• Landon Beidelschies, SP: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 7.09 ERA

It took until the bottom of the page but now I have a little bit of offensive action to talk about. Conor Essenburg and Alex Lodise were locked in at the plate in this game, though their contributions weren’t quite enough to get the GreenJackets a win. Perhaps they would have been but it was and awful 0-6 day at the plate for Luis Guanipa, whose batting average dropped below .300 for the first time since early May. Essenburg led off in the fifth inning of a then 2-1 ballgame with a walk, and the floodgates for both sides opened. Lodise made it an even 20 home runs of the season with a no-doubt shot to left field, briefly giving the GreenJackets a 3-2 lead in the game. That didn’t last particularly long as the bullpen gave up the lead in the bottom of the inning and kept allowing Salem to extend it, making this the only point for the rest of the day Augusta would have the lead. For Essenburg that walk gave him 10 straight games with a walk, and despite his high strikeout rates he has more walks than strikeouts and a .438 OBP this month. Two innings later it was Essenburg getting all of a ball. The Salem pitcher left a slider right over the middle of the plate and up and Essenburg hit a and absolute moonshot. No one on either side besides Essenburg even bothered to move from the crack of the bat, and I can only hope they give baseballs passports because it’s probably not in US airspace anymore. We’ve seen guys like Essenburg fail in the past due to contact issues, but it’s increasingly hard to not go all-in on him. He’s advanced at the plate, he doesn’t really expand the zone the way a lot of high-strikeout guys do, and the ball comes off of his bat in the way reserved for some of the best power hitters in the game.

It has been tough sledding for Landon Beidelschies this entire season, but lately he has produced his two best outings of the season and he is starting to find footing to get outs. Beidelschies is making much better pitches with his fastball and mixing in his slider better and we’re seeing an increase in swing-and-miss and fewer deep counts and walks. Beidelschies really has to be perfect with his pitches because he doesn’t have the velocity to get guys out consistently with his fastball, and while he hasn’t been perfect he has been a lot better lately and it’s allowing him to get into his slider and changeup which are both able to flash average potential. Beidelschies still had a lot of traffic throughout this outing and the amount of hard contact he gives up on fastballs over the plate is concerning, however it’s the progress we’re looking at and Beidelschies is in his best stretch of the season. He is starting to show some signs of being a guy who can advance through the system rather than stalling at the lower levels, though the command is still far from where it needs to be for him to find success even in High-A. Professional hitters at all levels are capable of hitting low 90’s in the middle of the strike zone and Beidelschies isn’t going to survive if that continues to be a trend.

Swing and Misses

Landon Beidelschies – 14

Adiel Melendez – 4

The Guardians’ playoff aspirations could use some Helium so why not try some Heliot?

You can view our larger trade deadline piece here as we discuss a wider pool of options the Guardians may consider. To make my position clear, I expect the Guardians to make smaller moves, like trading Bo Naylor and getting a castoff/undervalued reliever. But, in the interest of exploring potential larger moves, we are doing a series looking at some of those bigger names. So far, we have discussed Spencer Steer , Luis Arraez, Shea Langeliers and Taylor Ward.

I will write up some pitchers in this series, I promise, but there is no denying that this team’s biggest need is a slugger. Ramos is one of the few players potentially available who might POTENTIALLY fit that bill. Ramos is a 26 year-old outfielder with a 107 wRC+, a career 25/7 K/BB%, career .258/.316/.425 slashline. He has a career 135 wRC+ against LHP (96 vs RHP). He has a career average.exit velo of 91.7 mph and a 12% barrel rate and a 47.7% hard-hit rate. Unlike most right-handed hitters, his career home run total would be projected to be +1 more at Progressive Field.

And that is the rub. Ramos plays in a terrible hitters park in San Francisco. The goal would be to get him out of there and let him really unleash his pop in Progressive Field. His 25% opposite-field hit rate could actually help him sneak a few out in left field, but, generally speaking, not having to play in a cavern on a constantly chilly bay should help.

Ramos is under control through 2029. Although he is only a slightly above average hitter overall and a poor defender who should be confined to a corner outfield spot, he will be valued pretty highly by the Giants who don’t have to trade him yet, as there are so few true lefty mashers available and Heliot is that, for certain. I suspect the Giants are going to demand a headliner for this deal. Maybe the Guardians could snag Ramos with quantity over quality but I think it probably takes an Angel Genao to shake Ramos free right now.

I don’t think the Guardians would be wise to make that trade. But, also… sometimes you gotta take a risk to find power. The team desperately needs power. I would not trade Genao for Ramos… unless I was convinced that he can become a 30 homer a seasoj player here… and I do think that is at least a slim possibility. But, man… it would be a gamble.

If the Guardians somehow pluck Ramos from old trading partner Buster Posey, their lineup could look like:

1. Kwan CF
2. Jose 3B
3. DeLauter RF/DH
4. Ramos DH/RF
5. Bazzana 2B
6. Angel Martinez LF
7. Brayan Rocchio SS
8. Patrick Bailey C
9. Kyle Manzardo/Rhys Hoskins 1B (I’m frustrated with them today, ok?).

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

If you’d told me on March 1st that Kerry Carpenter would be batting 6th on July 20th, I would have assumed the Tigers had the best offense in baseball, or at least that a lefty was on the mound. I would certainly have been wrong.

After years of menacing right-handed pitchers from the top of Detroit’s lineup – his 132 wRC+ from 2024-25 was tied for 23rd, among sluggers like Pete Alonso or Matt Olson – 2026 has been more of a struggle for Detroit’s resident cult favorite. Over 76 games so far, almost every stat has gone the wrong direction, leading to an underwhelming 93 wRC+ and -0.5 fWAR. This is not the Kerry Carpenter from the 2024 ALDS. If the Tigers want to see the 2026 ALDS, they’ll almost certainly need him back in form, so let’s start trying to figure this out.

The first thing to note: while injuries are part of the story, he doesn’t look injured in any observable way. Yes, he missed 3 weeks with a shoulder sprain after he ran into the wall on an insider the parker. Yes, the play was as ugly as you remember. No, I won’t show it to you; I’ll spare Kerry the embarrassment. However, that doesn’t seem to tell the whole story, as neither his sprint speed (27 ft/s) nor his bat speed (71.8 mph) have changed at all from his best seasons. It’s good that he isn’t playing through a nagging injury, but it also means a few days off won’t likely have him magically feeling better, either. If they want to fix Carpenter, they probably need to start with his gameplan at the plate.

Carpenter’s approach has typically been to swing often and hit the ball really hard. He didn’t want to walk, but by swinging early and often, he frequently ended the at-bat before he could strike out. Sure, he chased a lot, but he crushed baseballs and made a lot of contact with a fly ball heavy profile anyways, so who really cared? Unfortunately, either by choice or by chance, Carpenter has seemingly abandoned that approach in 2026 to disastrous results.

To summarize: compared to 2025, Carpenter is seeing fewer strikes, swinging at a smaller proportion of those strikes, striking out more, and making worse contact, all at the same time. On their own, none of those are good,, but combined, they’re pretty disastrous. This new approach has dropped him from 51st to 103rd in barrel rate, and his small improvements in walk rate just haven’t offset the power drop.

So the symptoms are obvious. Carpenter’s entirely out of sorts at the plate, I just don’t know why. Is it a conscious approach change after only a 3.9% walk rate last year? Is he entirely focused on ABS and challenges and letting that throw him off his gameplan? Unfortunately, I couldn’t say from here. All I know is Carpenter went from one of the most feared sluggers when you challenge him in the zone, to a near pushover. He just has rarely been on time, and his distinctive swing, heavily weighted on his back leg and looking to snap the bat off that platform, has looked out of whack most of the year.

Unfortunately, it gets even worse. For some reason, Carpenter has spent more than 60% of his games in the outfield. That is an unwise decision. Despite a strong arm and close to average speed, Carpenter is rating as one of the absolute worst fielders in the game. He’s only played in the outfield for 330 innings – the season’s had close to 900 – and yet is tied for the 15th-worst defender at any position with -7 OAA. If, for some reason, he played every inning of every game, he’d rate about as well as Andrew Vaughn did in right field that one year. I cannot stress how little of a compliment that is. Roughly average offense and bottom of the barrel defense is not a winning combination.

Now, Carpenter’s starting from such a high place that even his fall from grace has him near average at the dish. That includes 27 straight at-bats without a hit before his single on Wednesday; before his dreadful July, he had a 120 wRC+ and a concerning strikeout rate, so the tools have all been there at points of 2026. Only in June did he really break out into good Carpenter territory for a sustained stretch. Unfortunately, as the Tigers learned in May, one bad month can pretty much ruin the whole season. To force the issue in the weeklong sprint to the deadline, and through what will be a months long chase to the finish line even if things go well, they’ll need Carpenter to start slugging again. He might have to start turning it loose more aggressively to do so.

Diamondbacks News

(MLB.com) Super sub Locklear ‘always ready’ as first HR of 2026 powers surging D-backs

“Not easy to do what he did,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “He comes to the ballpark, he’s always preparing to play. I know that. But the lineup goes out the night before, and there’s a couple things he’s probably going to come here and work on. And all of the sudden transitions an hour before the ballgame starts and he’s going to be starting at first base. I think he’s got the right mindset. He’s always ready.”

(Arizona Sports) Tyler Locklear’s 1st home run of 2026 powers Diamondbacks to impressive win over Cardinals

The Diamondbacks have now won nine of their last 11 games and are averaging 7.3 runs during their last 10 games.

Locklear went 3-for-5 Thursday with a double in addition to his long ball. He’s now batting .385 (5-for-13) since his callup.

Del Castillo, Moreno and Vargas all joined Locklear with three hits apiece, and Nolan Arenado contributed two hits off the bench.

(SI.com) The Diamondbacks May Have Just Found Their First Base Solution

And when the Diamondbacks recalled first baseman Tyler Locklear on July 17, even his exceptional Triple-A hot streak offered little reason to assume he’d produce at a level he’s never shown success at before.

But that hasn’t been quite the case.

(Burn City Sports) Corbin Carroll’s 12th triple of the season puts him in rare company

Carroll reached 55 career triples in just 587 games. By comparison, Marte and Trout each needed more than 1,500 games to reach that same total. The feat further establishes the 25-year-old Diamondbacks outfielder as one of the game’s premier extra-base threats, combining elite contact, speed and power.

Carroll’s pace doesn’t just stand out among active players — it also puts him alongside one of baseball’s greatest legends.

According to Sarah Langs, Carroll is just the second player in MLB history to record at least 55 triples and 85 home runs through his first 587 career games, joining only Lou Gehrig.

MLB News

(Yahoo! Sports) Tarik Skubal says he regrets not getting offseason elbow MRI, admits he might be making his final home start at Comerica Park

The Detroit Tigers ace found himself clearing the air Thursday after a discourse outbreak around his decision to not undergo an MRI last offseason, which could have revealed an issue in his elbow at a more convenient time. Instead, he underwent a novel treatment for loose bodies in May and missed a month and a half.

In comments to The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen published Wednesday, Skubal recalled feeling like “something was wrong” in his pitching elbow in January. He said he chose to ignore the symptoms rather than undergo the MRI.

[Ed. Note] I recognize that the Diamondbacks were never going to be in on the Skubal sweepstakes this offseason, but this makes me glad they aren’t. To risk so much over a one off arbitration hearing? Just wildly irresponsible.

(ClutchPoints) Royals’ Salvador Perez asks police to remove fan from jail after home run ball incident

Anyone entering the fountains is subject to immediate arrest, transportation to the police station, and prosecution, according to the Royals’ ballpark rules.

Following the game, Perez asked authorities to show leniency.

“Please, police, just take care of the job please and send him home,” he said. “If I was him, I’d maybe jump too and try to get that ball, so please. And thank you for the hard work in trying to get that ball.”.

(Yahoo! Sports) Mark Cuban’s firm buys minority stake in Athletics ahead of move to Las Vegas

Mark Cuban is expanding his sports portfolio.

Harbinger Sports Partners, the private equity firm backed by the former Dallas Mavericks majority owner, has purchased a minority stake of undisclosed size in the Athletics ahead of their move to Las Vegas, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Mick Akers.

The other day the Rochester Red Wings faced the greatest pitcher in Nationals history. Max Scherzer was on a rehab assignment for the Blue Jays and faced the Nats AAA affiliate. I was worried this would be a little sad and the Nats Triple-A lineup would rock the 41 year old. However, I was wrong and Scherzer threw five no-hit innings, striking out seven.

In his six big league starts this year, Mad Max has certainly shown his age. His ERA is over 10, and the future Hall of Famer has looked washed up. However, with the Blue Jays out of the race, the Nats have a chance to take a flier on the greatest pitcher in franchise history. If he looks like he did in that rehab start, he would easily be an upgrade over the likes of Mikolas and Littell.

It is very unlikely to actually happen, but I actually think bringing in Scherzer makes a lot of sense for several reasons. The first one is that it is a cheap flier on a guy who still has some upside. It was only last year when Scherzer gave the Blue Jays extremely valuable innings in the playoffs. He proved that he still had the juice to start a playoff game. For crying out loud, he started game 7 of the World Series last year.

If the Nats do sneak into the playoffs, I would trust Max, even in this state, to be the Nats three starter. He has more upside than Littell, Mikolas and Alvarez. Last year, Scherzer looked over the hill and a complete liability. However, the old dog still had that ability to rise to the occasion. The fastball crept up a couple ticks, the slider was sharper and his command was more pinpoint. Mad Max can’t do it for a full season anymore, but he can tap into those reserves when he needs it.

It would also be a move that would cost you absolutely nothing. Scherzer turns 42 in a few days, and has not been effective this year. Honestly, you could probably acquire him for cash or a player to be named later. At most, you would have to give up an org player who is unlikely to ever reach the big leagues.

Even beyond his performances, I think Scherzer’s presence could help power the team. You cannot deny that he would put butts in seats and make the atmosphere at Nationals Park special. The Nats have not exactly had much of a home field advantage this year. In fact, they actually have the worst home record in all of baseball. I think the buzz that Scherzer would bring could actually be somewhat helpful in improving home performances. It would certainly bring better crowds.

Another reason to bring back Scherzer is for his impact on the clubhouse. Imagine all the things a young power pitcher like Cade Cavalli could learn from one of the greatest power arms of all time. Cavalli probably looked up to Scherzer growing up, and may have even had some conversations with him in 2021 Spring Training. It would be cool to see Scherzer pass his knowledge to the next generation of Nats arms.

He would also provide much needed playoff experience and wisdom to a team that does not have a lot of that. Also, it would likely ensure that Scherzer would go into the Hall of Fame as a National. Seeing the greatest player in franchise history finish his career in DC would be so special.

This is not going to be one of those trades that would make a lot of sense on Paul Toboni’s model. However, it is something he should keep in the back of his mind. The Nats need a third guy who could start a playoff game. Scherzer may be way past his best, but he has shown very recently that he still has the ability to be effective in a playoff setting.

It is time to finish the story. Let’s bring back the greatest pitcher I have ever seen in this uniform. I am probably just delusional and dreaming after one rehab start. However, I would truly love to see Mad Max take the mound at Nationals Park one last time rocking the Curly W.

Good morning, LSB.

The Rangers were off yesterday.

Evan Grant writes that this upcoming series against the Mariners will go a long way in determining who these 2026 Rangers really are.

Jeff Wilson has some fun draft tidbits such as one of the Rangers’ picks actually sizing up 6’10” Chris Young.

MLB Pipeline has a list of the biggest movers on each team’s refreshed top 30.

And Grant answered fan questions in a YouTube live stream yesterday, including about the prospect of a Jacob Latz trade.

That’s all for this morning. The Rangers take on the Mariners tonight at 7:05 with MacKenzie Gore on the mound for Texas.

Happy Friday and go Rangers!

Wins on the lower levels and losses on the higher levels marked the day of baseball in the Dodgers minor league affiliates.

Player of the day

Eduardo Guerrero and Hayden Gilliland both had four-RBI games with a home run, but the difference is that the Loons won their matchup, while Gilliland couldn’t carry the Drillers all the way to the finish line.

Not much of a power bat with a slugging percentage below .400, Guerrero now has five home runs, already an improvement on the three he accumulated in over 100 games across three different levels in 2025.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

The good news is that Kiké Hernández’s rehab is trending in the right direction, with the veteran utility man hitting a home run. The bad news is that the Comets didn’t have much scoring outside of that, losing to the River Cats by a score of 4 to 2.

These days it is not easy to see a team finish an entire game without recording a walk, but that was what OKC did against the River Cats pitching staff. On the other side, the Comets bullpen game allowed seven free passes and recorded just four strikeouts.

Double-A Tulsa

Needing your catcher and eighth-hole hitter to secure all of your RBI in a game is not the path one normally takes to win a game. Hayden Gilliland did his best with a season-high four RBI—it wasn’t enough, though, with the Travelers winning at home 5 to 4 thanks to an eighth-inning run hit by Hayden Fitz-Gerald.

The top three in the order all went hitless for the Drillers, including an 0-for-5 performance from leadoff hitter Taylor Young. The only one of three to get on base safely was Mike Sirota, earning a walk. Three of Gilliland’s four RBI came on an opposite-field home run in the fourth.

High-A Great Lakes

The team effort that was lacking in the Drillers lineup was present for the Loons, with everybody but the ninth-hole hitter recording at least one base hit in an 8-to-5 win. The Eduardo brothers (not actually brothers) ran the show, with both Quintero and Guerrero leaving the yard, the latter of whom was responsible for half of the team’s eight runs driven in.

With starter Tyler Gough off his game, allowing four runs in as many innings, the key pitcher for the Loons was Jacob Frost, tossing four scoreless innings and earning what became his eighth win, lowering his season ERA to 3.11.

Single-A Ontario

It was a push-and-pull game for the Tower Buzzers pitching staff, allowing just three hits and at the same time handing out 10 free passes and seeing their defense commit three errors behind them—all of this wasn’t enough to take the win away from Ontario, fixing many of these problems with the long ball on the offensive side.

Easton Shelton’s terrific form continued with the first baseman hitting a milestone 30th long ball before August rolls around. Kellon Lindsey and Ching-Hsien Ko also left the yard in this game.

Transactions

The Tulsa Drillers placed left-handed pitcher Wyatt Crowell on the injured list.

Thursday’s scores

• Sacramento 4, Oklahoma City 2
• Arkansas 5, Tulsa 4
• Lansing 5, Great Lakes 8
• San Jose 5, Ontario 7

Friday’s schedule

• 4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Zach Root) at Lansing (Jorge Marcheco)
• 5:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Adam Serwinowski) at Arkansas (Kade Anderson)
• 6:45 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Blake Snell) at Sacramento (Cesar Perdomo)
• 7:00 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at San Jose (TBD)

For the third time in the four-game series the San Diego Padres lost a one-run game to the Atlanta Braves. The Padres struck first against Braves pitcher Chris Sale with a three-run second inning, but after a four-run fourth inning the Braves held a 5-3 lead and that deficit proved too much to overcome as San Diego dropped the game and the series with a 6-5 loss.

Kyle Hart started the game as an opener for Griffin Canning and recorded three outs against three batters to start the contest. Hart, a left-hander, faced two left-handed hitters and a switch-hitter in Ozzie Albies who batted from the right side. Michael Harris II led off the bottom of the second for the Braves and rather than continuing with the left-on-left matchup, Padres manager Craig Stammen went to Canning, a right-hander, in the second inning. Harris immediately got the home team on the board with a long home run to right field to make the score, 3-1.

Canning got the next three batters out to end the second inning and faced the minimum three batters in the third. He opened the fourth inning allowing a solo home run to Albies to make the score, 3-2 before getting Matt Olson to pop out. Canning allowed a one-out single to Harris and Mauricio Dubon reached on a catcher’s interference, the second one this week on Freddy Fermin, and Canning responded with a strikeout of Austin Riley. Canning was almost out of the inning, but Dominic Smith hit a 1-1 changeup that was left up and out over the plate over the right-field wall and Atlanta took a 5-3 lead.

The Braves tacked on another run in the bottom of the seventh when Baldwin golfed a home run out to right field off Matt Waldron, but that proved to be the game-winner. The Padres scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning when Manny Machado singled and Ty France brought him in with a two-run home run to pull San Diego within a run.

The Padres mounted a two-out rally in the ninth inning against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias when Jake Cronenworth and Fernando Tatis Jr. reached on back-to-back singles. Luis Rengifo who has been arguably San Diego’s hottest hitter, stepped in looking for a base hit to tie the game, but struck out on a high fastball on an 0-2 count to end the game.

The Padres are 2-5 after the All-Star break and start a three-game series in Miami against the Marlins today at 4:10 p.m.

Padres News:

• The Padres traded reliever Ron Marinaccio, who was designated for assignment earlier this week, to the Pittsburgh Pirates for international bonus pool money.

• Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, who is a free agent after this season, could be on the move at the trade deadline.

• According to reports, the Milwaukee Brewers have contacted the Padres about a Mason Miller trade. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball has a solution for San Diego concerning what to do with the All-Star closer.

Baseball News:

• Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball breaks down the latest CBA proposal from the MLBPA.

• The Arizona Diamondbacks got a win over the St. Louis Cardinals thanks to a late addition to the roster.

• The Detroit Tigers rallied for a one-run win over the Kansas City Royals.

• Shane Bieber led the Toronto Blue Jays over the Tampa Bay Rays with a strong performance on the mound.

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The Detroit Tigers sit as a heavy -270 moneyline favorite behind Tarik Skubal tonight against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. 

My Royals vs. Tigers predictions are expecting Detroit to come out on top here against a vulnerable K.C. bullpen. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Friday, July 24. 

Who will win Royals vs Tigers today: Tigers -1.5 (-121)

Tarik Skubal may not be as dominant in 2026 as last year, but the Detroit Tigers star is still in solid form.

He's collected a 3.04 FIP over his last five appearances. During that span, Skubal has allowed a mere 17.5% hard-hit rate. 

As for the Kansas City Royals, they will go with opener Beck Way. He typically pitches just one inning, which means this will be a bullpen game.

K.C.'s relief corps is struggling immensely, posting a 5.27 xERA across the last week while surrendering 3.09 HR/9. 

I'll play this pick up to -130. 

COVERS INTEL: Skubal owns a 1.27 FIP in his last two outings, and he hasn't allowed a single homer in those starts. 

Royals vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-107)

This total sits at just 7.5, and the Over has a clear path despite Skubal’s presence.

The Tigers have been average overall with a 98 wRC+ over the last week, but their .185 ISO shows some extra-base pop.

Kansas City has also been productive lately, carrying a 107 wRC+ during that same span.

The bigger concern is the relief pitching. Detroit’s bullpen owns a 4.71 xERA over the last week, while K.C.’s bullpen game is the main path to runs. 

I'll play this pick up to -125. 

Royals vs Tigers weather

Conditions look excellent at Comerica Park tonight, with clear skies and temperatures sitting in the low-to-mid 70s throughout the game. Winds should stay light around 7-8 mph, and there is no rain risk.

Royals vs Tigers odds

• Moneyline: Royals +257 | Tigers -270
• Run line: Royals +1.5 (+113) | Tigers -1.5 (-117)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-104) | Under 7.5 (-100)

Royals vs Tigers trend

The Tigers have hit the moneyline in 14 of their last 19 games (+8.45 Units / 33% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Tigers.

How to watch Royals vs Tigers and game info

Royals vs Tigers latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

We officially have trade deadline rumors! Is anyone interested in a little Zach Neto action?

Yesterday, The Athletic reported that “after expressing interest in the Los Angeles Angels shortstop last offseason, [the Red Sox] continue to view him as a strong fit, according to people briefed on their discussions.”

As fun as it was to watch Anthony Seigler and Tsung-Che Cheng make surprising contributions during the 15-game win streak, there is no question that the middle infield continues to be a major weak spot on the Red Sox roster. Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story are making progress on their rehab journeys, and Franklin Arias is now knocking on the door at Worcester, but Zach Neto and his 2.8 bWAR would be a significant upgrade. And, as a right-handed home run hitter who would likely see a Green Monster-induced power boost, he’s a great fit for the lineup.

But Neto is by no means a perfect player. He strikes out a lot, doesn’t walk much, and has consistently graded out as a poor defensive shortstop. He’s unlikely to be the long-term answer at the most important defensive position on the diamond. But he’s just 25-years-old, is under team control through 2030, and his 19 homers would be second on this Red Sox team behind Willson Contreras. Frankly, he looks a lot like a younger, healthier Trevor Story.

Personally, I don’t love Neto’s profile. But he’s a young player who will almost certainly put up 3-5 WAR over the next 3-4 years, which is more than you could reasonably project from Marcelo Mayer at this point. And with Arias almost ready for the bigs, the Sox will have a painless avenue for moving Neto off of shortstop in the very near future. The prospect of a Contreras-Neto-Arias-Durbin infield is tasty.

From that perspective, a package headlined by Mayer makes sense, though the Sox would almost certainly have to sweeten the deal with additional prospects, and we’re talking about top-10 guys here, like Kyson Witherspoon, Anthony Eyanson, and Justin Gonzalez. The Angels might even insist on a big league-ready arm like Connelly Early.

So what would you be willing to ship to LA to land him?

Talk about trades and whatever else you want in this space and, as always, be good to one another.

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The slightly favored Pittsburgh Pirates (-113) host the Chicago Cubs in a National League Central Division battle tonight. 

The Pirates are rightfully favored with Jared Jones on the bump, but my Cubs vs. Pirates predictions and MLB picks think the -120 price tag is too short.

Who will win Cubs vs Pirates today: Pittsburgh Pirates (-120)

Jared Jones has been nothing short of exceptional over the past month. He is sporting an excellent 2.29 ERA and his indicators (2.15 xFIP, 1.86 xERA) are even better.

The Chicago Cubs have hit .236 with a strikeout rate above 25% during the same period. This is a matchup Jones should continue to find success.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Piratessit sixth in homers, fifth in OPS, and first in average against lefties at home.

Matthew Boyd struggles to limit power, and that will get him in trouble against this lineup.

Back the Pirates to -135.

COVERS INTEL:Boyd's ERA is 2.25 runs lower than his FIP over the last 30 days, signaling his recent success is smoke and mirrors.

Cubs vs Pirates Over/Under pick: Under 8.0 (-115)

Jones has averaged more than 12 punchouts per nine innings in three consecutive starts, over which time he allowed two runs.

He is providing the Pirates with ace-caliber pitching right now and that’s not something I want to challenge.

The Pirates continue to hit for power against lefties but their low 5.9% walk rate in July could lead to less traffic on the basepaths when that power arrives, making it more difficult to score in bulk.

The Under is my preferred route, and I would play it to -120.

Cubs vs Pirates weather

The forecast calls for temperatures in the high 70s with winds blowing inwards. Small boost to the arms.

Cubs vs Pirates odds

• Moneyline: Cubs +100 | Pirates -120
• Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+160) | Pirates +1.5 (-190)
• Over/Under: Over 8.0 (-105) | Under 8.0 (-115)

Cubs vs Pirates trend

Pittsburgh has hit the moneyline in 10 of the last 16 games (+4.80 units, 27% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Pirates.

How to watch Cubs vs Pirates and game info

Cubs vs Pirates latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Defending World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers will launch a summer of live Major League Baseball on the BBC when they meet the New York Mets on Sunday.

The Dodgers lead the National League again in 2026, with last season's Most Valuable Player, Shohei Ohtani, to the fore as they target a third consecutive World Series title.

The struggling Mets are in need of inspiration from star man Juan Soto as they look to turn around a difficult start to the season.

The game sets up a run of 10 consecutive live Sunday night MLB matches on the BBC, including the season finale on September 27 before four post-season games the following week.

• Why Dodgers are on brink of World Series dynasty

• The night the Tartan Army took over iconic Fenway Park

The Dodgers' record of 65 wins and 38 defeats means they are likely to win the National League West for the 13th time in 14th years.

Their recent dominance is built around Ohtani, whose achievements are now compared to the greatest players in the history of the game.

His ability to both hit and pitch at the top level consistently - he already has 22 home runs this year and has recorded eight wins as a pitcher - demonstrates a similar skill-set to the legendary two-way player Babe Ruth.

Ohtani has been named Most Valuable Player in his league four times, including last season, when the Dodgers became the first franchise in 25 years to win consecutive World Series titles.

Dominican left-fielder Soto became the highest-paid player in baseball history in 2024 when he left the New York Yankees and signed a $765m deal with their bitter cross-city rivals the Mets.

He hit his 250th career home run against the Yankees earlier this season, one of 21 home runs he has delivered in 2026.

Despite Soto's contribution, the Mets narrowly missed out on a post-season berth last year and now sit bottom of the National League East with 43 wins to 60 defeats.

This season, the MLB Bases Covered Live team will again be led by play-by-play announcer Melanie Newman, with former St Louis Cardinals first baseman Xavier Scruggs and Maccabees guitarist Felix White alongside to call the action for seasoned baseball fans and new viewers.

During the 2026 Fifa World Cup, baseball played an unexpectedly large role in the experiences of football fans and players from the UK as they enjoyed memorable outings to ballparks across the US.

After defeating Haiti in their opening game in nearby Foxborough, Scotland's Tartan Army took over Fenway Park in Boston to celebrate while watching the Red Sox take on the Texas Rangers.

England manager Thomas Tuchel threw out the first pitch at Kaufmann Stadium when several members of the England squad watched the Kansas City Royals play the St Louis Cardinals.

How to watch: MLB Bases Covered Live

(all times BST)

Sunday, 26 July - 1830 - 2100

Los Angeles Dodgers @ New York Mets

Watch on BBC iPlayer, follow on the BBC Sport website and app

Sunday, 2 August - 1900 - 2130

New York Yankees @ Chicago Cubs

BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

Sunday, 9 August - 1830 - 2100

Toronto Blue Jays @ Philadelphia Phillies

BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

Sunday, 16 August - 1830 - 2100

New York Yankees @ Toronto Blue Jays

Sunday, 23 August - 1830 - 2100

St Louis Cardinals @ Philadelphia Phillies

Remaining fixtures to be confirmed

Although lacking the drama of their historical post season battles, the three game series forthcoming on Chicago’s south side holds heightened significance should the Astros hope to remain relevant this baseball season.   

Len Kasper calls games for the White Sox and he joins us exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes to preview the weekend ahead.  

Q: How personally fulfilling has this season been for you after witnessing the rebuild?

A: Super, super fun for Darrin Jackson and me. I recall a few weeks ago when the Sox were like 31-28 and we had the note that 2 years ago they were 31-109 I had to do a double take. I called all of those games and lived it but it still doesn’t seem real. Having said that, this season has really put all those struggles in the rear view mirror. It doesn’t matter anymore. This team is good and the way they play is FUN and we are living in the moment. They play hard, they slug, they claw from behind, they enjoy each other. There is something really special about this group that is hard to quantify, but when you see it, you acknowledge that it matters. Also, our fans adore this team. They love the winning but they love how this team plays just as much.

Q: How huge has a guy like Sean Newcomb been?

A: I think it’s fair to say he’s been the most valuable pitcher on the roster. He has done a little bit of everything which is where the league is now headed — closers, set-up men, etc. are becoming a thing of the past. Pitchers are just out-getters and in Newcomb’s case, you feel comfortable using him in any situation. What a great under-the-radar addition he’s been. One underrated thing about the bullpen is most of the guys are multi-inning options: Newcomb, Taylor, Hudson, Murphy, Richards, et al.

Q: Not to put it on one guy, but if Sean Burke continues the strong outings, you must feel pretty upbeat about the remaining two months of the season, correct?

A: Burke has pitched like an ace over the last several weeks. The stuff has always been there but it has been about strike-throwing and he is now doing that. One walk in his last 3 starts and a ton of strikeouts. I kinda hate the “this guy is a 1, this guy is a 3” conversation, BUT if we are gonna do that, the Sox have been looking for a “1” and right now, it’s Sean Burke. It’s interesting, they opened for him a few times earlier this season and he always pitched really well in that bulk relief role. But I’m guessing he didn’t love it and the best way to not be in that position is to pitch like he has. I wouldn’t expect an opener to be in play for him again for awhile.

Q: Biggest need at the deadline? Will it be another arm or a combination of things best guess?

A: These are questions for Chris Getz, but I just think the “you can never have enough pitching” cliche applies. I trust he will do everything he can to supplement the current roster while not sacrificing the future.

Q: I’m guessing if things stay the course, there will be some awards handed out on the south side for this unexpected season?    

A: If the Sox make the playoffs, they will undoubtedly have the AL Manager of the Year and probably the Executive of the Year. Both would be well deserved. Will Venable has created a great culture here by allowing this group to kind of dictate the vibe. So many managers, even some of the all time greats, loom over all of it and sometimes that can dampen whatever the natural atmosphere might be. And while Will has some things he expects out of his guys and is very clear about those things, he has “stayed out of the way” to a degree in this area and that’s a huge thing here. As a former player, he understands how important it is for the nucleus to set the tone on a daily basis and it has made a very talented team even better. And Getz made a trade for Tristan Peters who came out of nowhere to become an All-Star, and another piece from the Crochet deal, Braden Montgomery, is now the everyday right fielder. Miguel Vargas has had a breakout season. The Murakami signing is looking like one of the best from last winter in the entire league. He has flipped this roster upside down and it’s now super young and on the position player side, one of the best in the entire league.