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Today’s Reflections

Yawn, just another PCA milestone. Seems like they’re coming every week now.

The only “problem” with PCA’s 20/20 accomplishment is that it somewhat overshadowed Seiya Suzuki’s two games. Wednesday, his three-run home run proved to be the deciding runs in the Cubs’ win. Suzuki couldn’t do it all Thursday, but he tried with a solo homer to tie the game and an RBI-double to take a 2-1 lead before the bullpen blew the game.

Pitchers Colin Rea and David Peterson did their job — kept the Cubs in the game by allowing four runs in 10 1/3 innings (3.60 ERA). Meanwhile, the bullpen tried to lose Wednesday’s game, and succeeded on Thursday.

Looking forward to what new mark that PCA will set or match next. (yawn)

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Thursday’s Game Stories:

• Meghan Monteburro (Chicago Tribune {$}): 3 takeaways from Chicago Cubs’ series win, including Seiya Suzuki snapping his slump and starters delivering. “Two runs by the offense often won’t cut it.”

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Suzuki clutch at plate in bounce-back start for Peterson against O’s. “On Thursday afternoon, the relief corps was unable to hold the line in a tight game at Camden Yards.”

• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Craig Counsell calls out MLB ineptitude over late-inning blown call in Cubs-Orioles finale. “The bullpen was to blame for Thursday’s loss, but this didn’t help matters.”

Wednesday’s Game Stories:

• Megan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Pete Crow-Armstrong becomes MLB’s 1st 20-20 player this season, hitting pair of HRs in Chicago Cubs’ 9-7 win. “Pete Crow-Armstrong isn’t showing any signs of cooling off at the plate.”

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Behind back-to-back 20-20 guy Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs flex power with early Home Run Derby. “The All-Star center fielder reached the 20-20 milestone for the second straight season with a two-homer night, part of a Cubs long-ball barrage Wednesday against the Orioles.”

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): PCA’s tear continues with 2 more homers as he again reaches 20-20. “There are only so many adjectives available to describe the kind of run that Pete Crow-Armstrong has been on over the past several weeks.”

PCA-Mania Continues!

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Curse of PCA? Ex-GM talks Pete Crow-Armstrong trade with Cubs that Mets would obviously like to have back, “Since the All-Star center fielder is getting mentioned in the same breath as Babe Ruth a lot these days, maybe the deal that sent him from the Mets to the Cubs is about to bring about baseball’s next infamous curse.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Pete Crow-Armstrong becomes MLB’s first 20/20 player this season. “Crow-Armstrong is the first Cub with back-to-back 20/20 seasons since Sammy Sosa.”
• Andrew Wright (Yardbarker): Pete Crow-Armstrong first to join 20-20 club in 2026, makes Cubs history. “Pete Crow-Armstrong is setting the pace for the rest of baseball in a major way.”
• Casey McAleer (Da Windy City): Pete Crow-Armstrong’s mindset is what makes him baseball’s next face. “The Cubs star’s humility and relentless approach continue to separate him from the rest of the game’s brightest young talent”
• Matthew Trueblood (Cubbies Crib): Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Signature Single, Which is Sometimes a Double. “The home runs will get the headlines; they should. But Pete Crow-Armstrong’s transformation into a well-rounded offensive superstar would be incomplete without the emergence of his new signature hit: the slugger’s single.”

Trade, Injury and Draft Talk:

• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): The Cubs Have Played Their Way Back to Being Buyers. What Should They Buy? “The Cubs are still under .500 over the last two months, but they’re getting hot at the right time. No longer is it realistic to think they’ll be sellers before the trade deadline. So, what must they buy?”
• Max Ralph (MLB.com): After leaving game with cramp, Suzuki says he’ll eat HOW many bananas?! “Suzuki said after the game that he feels fine now, but he joked that he’ll take extreme measures to prevent (cramps) from happening again.”
• Brandon Glick (Cubbies Crib): Cubs may get second chance at offseason target if Padres become trade deadline sellers. “The Cubs may have sent San Diego into a tailspin.”
• David Hill (Yardbarker): Three areas the Cubs need to improve ahead of the trade deadline. “There are other concerns that go beyond the pitching staff. Let’s take a look at three areas the Cubs could potentially target ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.”
• Jared Bloom (Sporting News): Cubs face mounting pressure to hit on the 23rd overall pick in the draft. “The Cubs have been awarded the No. 23 pick, which isn’t a premier pick, but there will certainly be elite talent still on the board.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Return to starting in 2026 ‘not realistic’ for Chicago Cubs’ Justin Steele as he continues injury recovery. “There are obviously some unknowns about what that might look like for a pitcher who hasn’t appeared in a big-league game since April 7, 2025.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): With closer Daniel Palencia on IL, denizens of Cubs’ bullpen ‘dungeon’ have thrived in ninth inning. “The relief corps has been one of baseball’s best in the ninth inning since Palencia went on the shelf, with a host of arms stepping into unforeseen roles and succeeding with games on the line.”

Assorted Stories:

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Seiya Suzuki breaks free of mini slump, showing well-stocked Cubs lineup primed to chase championship goals. “The slugging right fielder homered for the second time in as many days and drove in both Cubs runs Thursday, showing a well-stocked lineup has multiple guys who can deliver against opposing pitchers.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): ‘They make it look so easy’: Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner impress as elite double-play duo for Chicago Cubs. “President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has emphasized defense as he built this team over the last four years, and it starts up the middle.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Quantifying Hope: Cubs Hovering Near 75% Playoff Odds. “Since climbing out of the nadir in early June that saw them dip below 40% playoff odds, the Cubs have pretty much been on cruise control.”
• Zoe Grossman (Chicago Cubs On SI): Cubs’ 2025 Pick Ethan Conrad Just Got Promoted After Making Waves in Minors. “Cubs 2025 first-round draft pick Ethan Conrad is expected to make his Single-A debut Thursday.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Alex Bregman’s hitting obsession has the Cubs believing a second-half surge is coming. “While Bregman has not yet lived up to the hype, the Cubs are still a playoff contender planning to buy at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.”

Food For Thought:

Gertrude “Ma” Rainey (nee’ Pridgett; April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was an American blues singer and influential early-blues recording artist. Dubbed the “Mother of the Blues”, she bridged earlier vaudeville and the authentic expression of southern blues, influencing a generation of blues singers. Rainey was known for her powerful vocal abilities, energetic disposition, majestic phrasing, and a “moaning” style of singing. Her qualities are present and most evident in her early recordings “Bo-Weevil Blues” and “Moonshine Blues”.

Gertrude Pridgett began performing as a teenager and became known as “Ma” Rainey after her marriage to Will “Pa” Rainey in 1904. They toured with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels and later formed their own group, Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues. Her first recording was made in 1923. In the following five years, she made over 100 recordings. Touring until 1935, she then largely retired from performing and continued as a theater impresario in her hometown of Columbus, Georgia, until her death four years later.“

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

If you like any and all things involving San Francisco Giants baseball, then my goodness is today a good day for you. The Giants play at 1:05 p.m. PT this afternoon, and all seven of their Minor League Baseball affiliates are in action throughout the day.

But the big event? The first day of the 2026 MLB Draft. The draft is split into two days now (as opposed to three in recent years), with the first 10 rounds on Saturday and the next 10 rounds on Sunday. For the first time in a long time, the Giants haven’t sacrificed any picks … in fact, they’ve added picks (a very rare thing in MLB, since only a few picks can be traded), as they picked up a Competitive Balance Round A selection in the Patrick Bailey trade.

That means the Giants have 11 picks today: No. 4, No. 29, No. 55, and the 15th pick in Rounds 3-10. It should be an exciting day! So join us here to enjoy all the action … I’ll have newsers for the various draft picks, but we can talk the day’s action here.

How to watch Day 1 of the draft

What: 2026 MLB Draft, Day 1, rounds 1-10

Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When: 10:00 a.m. PT – 4:45 p.m. PT

TV: NBC/Peacock (10:00 – 11:30 a.m. PT, picks 1-10); MLB Network/MLB.TV/MLB.com/MLB+ (11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. PT, picks 11-40); MLB.TV/MLB.com/MLB+ (1:30 – 4:45 p.m. PT, picks 41-135)

Sections of the Rangers support have long called on the club to recruit the Scottish Premiership's best talent, and the Ibrox hierarchy appear to be acting on that this summer.

Both Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin were among Hearts' standout players as they came within minutes of a historic Scottish top-flight triumph.

The Ibrox club have signed both without needing to pay a transfer fee and have also plucked manager Derek McInnes from Tynecastle.

"Cammy is obviously a player I know, and I am well aware of what he will offer to Rangers," McInnes said.

"His levels of consistency for me were superb, and he is the type of player that every manager wants in his team."

Devlin made the most tackles per 90 minutes in the Premiership last season, and among midfielders he ranked second for interceptions, second for defensive contributions and third for recoveries.

Some Rangers fans have expressed concerns about his work on the ball while playing for a team that will dominate possession in most domestic games.

But there were only four Premiership midfielders who completed more accurate passes per 90 minutes than Devlin last season. One of those was Rangers' Nicolas Raskin.

"He is someone who knows the Scottish league, and nothing will surprise him with what lies ahead," manager McInnes added.

"I am looking forward to welcoming Cammy to Rangers and working with him again after he returns from his holiday."

The 2026 Boston Red Sox are somehow just 1.5 games out of a playoff spot entering the final two games before the All-Star break. Just three teams sit ahead of them in between the final wild card spot with the Toronto Blue Jays, the Houston Astros and the Minnesota Twins. 

That field has shrunk in recent weeks, making the idea of the Red Sox leapfrogging them a more realistic possibility. As we wrote about a few months ago, the American League is bad. It’s been bad before, but this year is in a realm of its own. 

Boston is not good, but the team still could find a way to October this year. Isn’t that crazy? Because they’re really not a contender and should still sell at the deadline. But the open nature and brutal mediocrity of the AL leaves the door to the playoffs open far longer than this installment of the Red Sox deserves. 

That’s not to say there aren’t bright spots, because that’s the reason we’re having this conversation at all. The rotation is beyond exceptional with a multitude of quality arms, even in a season where multiple went down, headlined by the extended absence of Garrett Crochet. The Red Sox also earned two initial All-Star selections in Aroldis Chapman and Ranger Suarez. Willson Contreras joined the party as a replacement and (for now) snub Sonny Gray should be next in line if another injury need comes up to head to Philadelphia next week. 

The Red Sox have the necessary pitching for October. The problem, as has been the case all season, is the offense, though the group has put together solid outings consistently in a six-game winning streak against questionable competition. If the conversation is to stick around this summer about whether or not Boston should still have playoff aspirations this season, a real conversation needs to be had about what the lineup can truly be down the stretch.

Obviously, they still need to get healthy. With that said, here’s the best possible lineup construction the Red Sox can get to with the players they currently have in the organization. 

1. Roman Anthony, LF/DH
2. Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
3. Willson Contreras, 1B
4. Wilyer Abreu, RF
5. Romy Gonzalez, 2B
6. Trevor Story, SS
7. Jarren Duran, LF/DH
8. Caleb Durbin, 3B (probably has real argument to be higher)
9. Carlos Narvaez, C

That gets them close to what the group looked like on Opening Day healthy. If the Red Sox get back to this standard, they’d still probably need another impact guy externally to make a real playoff push.

That’s where the trade deadline gets so complicated as of this time, because Boston should still probably sell given the assets they have. But if they get serious about trying to play for October, another bat is a necessity. 

The fit is interesting because an infielder makes the most sense, particularly up the middle. That rental market isn’t great, unless they deal from pitching depth and swing for Ketel Marte again with young pitching going to Arizona. 

The idea of Boston riding its pitching staff through a remarkable season turnaround to the postseason isn’t too crazy at this point. But if the Red Sox cannot get enough of a consistent lineup together – both in production and health – to support the arms, the pros of buying may not even be worth it by season’s end. 

And the risk of not getting the capable return of their assets as sellers matters too much in the decision.

The Atlanta Braves made yet another roster move on Friday, and this time, right-hander Hurston Waldrep was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett while lefty Tyler Kinley was reinstated from the paternity list. 

The #Braves today reinstated RHP Tyler Kinley from the paternity list and optioned RHP Hurston Waldrep to Triple-A Gwinnett.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 10, 2026

Waldrep has appeared in three games this season after recovering from elbow surgery. In 10.2 frames, he’s logged an 8.44 ERA and recorded nine strikeouts. 

Kinley returned on Friday night, where he threw a scoreless inning, recording one strikeout and surrendering a walk. 

With Kinley back in the bullpen, Waldrep will return to Gwinnett to continue refining his game and await his next opportunity in Atlanta. 

More Braves News:

After a three-hour rain delay, the Braves fell to the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1.

From consensus ratings to another mock draft, here is the Braves fan guide to the MLB Draft.

Tate Southisene tripled on Thursday for the Rome Emperors. More in the minor league recap. Grant McAuley caught up with Southisene to discuss his road to the show. 

MLB News:

The 2026 Home Run Derby participants have been announced. The derby is set for Monday evening. 

Shohei Ohtani is dealing with a left knee issue and will miss the All-Star Game. He will continue to DH this weekend but will not make his scheduled start on the mound.

From the Feed:

After the Shohei Ohtani news, Ivan Herrera has been called to take his spot on the All-Star Game roster.

Imagine having an opportunity to go back in time and watch a baseball game featuring stars such as Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodriguez, Adley Rutschman, Riley Greene, Michael Harris II, Michael Busch and Cole Ragans ... BEFORE they'd ever played a game in the majors.

That's the allure of Major League Baseball's annual showcase of top prospects – the All-Star Futures Game. Each of those players mentioned were part of the Futures Game just five years ago in Coors Field.

Which players in this year's game will go on to make their mark in the majors? We'll get a look at them when the American League and National League squads take the field for the 2026 Futures Game on Sunday, July 12, as part of MLB's All-Star Week festivities.

How to watch MLB Futures Game

The 27th annual All-Star Futures Game will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

• Date: Sunday, July 12
• Time: Noon ET
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock
• Announcers: Melanie Newman (play-by-play), Yonder Alonso (analyst), Sam Dykstra (analyst), Sande Charles (reporter)

Prospects to watch at 2026 MLB Futures Game

Each of the top six overall minor league prospects in MLB Pipeline's latest rankings will be in attendance at this year's Futures Game. Here's a look at them and what makes them potential major leaguers.

1. SS Jesus Made, Brewers. Just 19 years old and playing at Class AA Biloxi (Mississippi), Made is hitting .277/.347/.420 with seven homers and 25 stolen bases in 31 attempts. A switch-hitting shortstop with elite bat speed and athleticism in the field, Made has more than held his own against much older competition.
2. SS Leo De Vries, Athletics. Another 19-year-old Dominican shortstop, De Vries was the centerpiece of the 2025 trade that sent closer Mason Miller to San Diego. In his first full season at Double-A Midland (Texas), he's hitting .276/.369/.420 with 10 homers and 30 steals in 35 attempts.
3. SS Eli Willits, Nationals. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft out of high school, the son of former major leaguer Reggie Willits has blazing speed and plays excellent defense. His hit tool is developing as an 18-year-old, and he was recently promoted to High-A Wilmington (Delaware). Over two minor league levels, he's slashing .282/.416/.498 with 12 homers while going 38-for-50 in stolen base attempts.
4. OF Josue De Paula, Dodgers. Compared to the top three, the 21-year-old De Paula has tons of experience. In fact, this will be his second appearance in the Futures Game, after he won MVP honors a year ago in Atlanta for his go-ahead, three-run homer. He's destroyed pitchers at Double-A Tulsa (Oklahoma), hitting .320/.417/.549 with 15 home runs and 25 steals in 30 attempts.
5. SP Kade Anderson, Mariners. The most exciting pitching prospect in the minors, Anderson has dominated hitters ever since being drafted third overall out of LSU in 2025, two spots behind Willits. In his first pro season, the 22-year-old Anderson has posted a microscopic 1.36 ERA over 72⅔ innings (14 starts) with a 108/10 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
6. SP Seth Hernandez, Pirates. Taken three spots after Anderson, Hernandez is a rare high school pitcher to go that early in the first round. The Pirates clearly believe in his powerful right arm, one that can touch triple digits. But his best pitch may be his changeup. Over 16 starts at Class A and High-A, the 20-year-old has a 2.61 ERA with 111 strikeouts and 30 walks in 69 total innings.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB All-Star Futures Game: Top prospects, how to watch the 2026 showcase

I do at least appreciate that when the Phillies lose a game like that, I can at least focus my attention on something else and not be dialed into every single pitch like normal. It lets me get some things done around the house for the evening.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• As mentioned yesterday, Kyle Schwarber is doing the Home Run Derby as well, joining teammate Bryce Harper.
• For this All-Star Game, it has all the fingerprints of David Montgomery, who knew he wouldn’t be here to see it happen ($).
• The MLB Draft is today, which will feature the first time the Phillies are penalized for spending money.

MLB news:

• JJ Wetherholt joins the group of those that are getting extensions so soon in their major league career, getting an eight-year deal from the Cardinals.
• More like Shohei No-tani, amiright? The Dodgers star is going to miss the All-Star Game with an ouchie in his knee.
• The Home Run Derby is set. Let’s have some fun!

The 2026 MLB Draft gets underway today. Over the next two days, the Milwaukee Brewers will select 20 players to add to their organization and be part of that next wave of young talent.

MLB’s Draft is notoriously difficult to predict, especially the later the Draft goes on. Picks aren’t necessarily about who is the best on the board; it’s about who is there for the best price, so the slot money can be spread around to get the maximum amount of talent. The Brewers have been one of the best teams at spreading out their available bonus money over the past several years.

This year, the Crew has one of their lowest bonus pool totals in a long time — they have a lack of compensatory picks (including trading away the No. 67 pick to acquire Kyle Harrison) and had the best record in baseball last year, pushing their picks toward the end of each round.

The Brewers have their first pick at No. 25 overall, which is the last selection in the first round. Where could they go? Let’s take a look at who the experts have Milwaukee taking in their mock drafts.

Baseball America 7.0 – Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina

The Brewers took a starting pitcher from Coastal Carolina last year with Jacob Morrison in the third round. Carlos Collazo at Baseball America has the Crew going back to the Chanticleers rotation again this year with Cameron Flukey.

Flukey’s success is no fluke. He sits in the mid-90s on his fastball and can reach 98 mph with movement. His curveball is his best secondary and is a high-spin pitch, which is a quality the Brewers have targeted consistently in their pitching selections. Flukey stands 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, so there’s a starter’s frame with room to add on more weight if needed.

ESPN – Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina

Back-to-back Flukey selections here; he should be going off the board right around this range, so it does make sense. However, the Brewers have selected a pitcher in the first round just once in the past decade. That pick was Ethan Small in 2019, and Small didn’t exactly work out very well for the Brewers. There’s a reason they don’t go there often. But could they buck the trend this year?

The Athletic – Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State

The Brewers have drafted corner infielders a lot in recent years, so why not go back to that well again with an SEC third baseman? Ace Reese has big-time power, slugging 24 bombs this year for the Bulldogs while hitting .336. Classic left-handed power bat with a solid feel to hit. The big question will be his defensive home and if he can stick at the hot corner.

CBS Sports – Cole Prosek, SS/C, Magnolia Heights (MS) HS

The nephew of Brewers third base coach Matt Erickson, Prosek has been a heavily connected name to the Brewers through this process. He’s also from the same high school as the Crew’s current shortstop, Cooper Pratt, and plays with Pratt’s younger brother on the team. Prosek is an athletic player who can play both infield and behind the plate. He has a strong feel to hit, with some giving him plus grades, and some pretty good pop as well. He’s committed to Ole Miss, but there’s strong momentum for him in the first round, and the Brewers feel like a great landing spot if he’s there.

MLB Pipeline – Zion Rose, OF, Louisville

MLB Pipeline’s most recent mock draft came back on July 2, and they had the Crew going with a college bat yet again. This is not much of a surprise. Rose is generally above average across the board offensively, and though they may need to work on pitch selection with him, Rose has a pretty good ceiling to work with.

The Sporting Tribune – Cole Prosek, SS/C, Magnolia Heights (MS) HS

Another Prosek pick. The connection is certainly strong. The Brewers do have a history of selecting players who have the potential to stick behind the plate even if they haven’t primarily played there as an amateur. If the Brewers like his catching potential, they could take him and send him out there. Marco Dinges was one such player a few years ago.

Fangraphs – Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State

For many years, the Brewers avoided corner infielders like the plague. They focused on up-the-middle athletes only. Recently, they’ve taken Brock Wilken, Blake Burke, and Andrew Fischer with early selections each of the last three years. They seem to have plenty of future possibilities on the corners, but can you ever really have enough?

Prospects Live – Cole Prosek, SS/C, Magnolia Heights (MS) HS

A very popular pick here. Could it be because of the Matt Erickson connection? Could it be legitimate interest? Could it also be a smokescreen? If too many prognosticators think the Brewers are taking someone, the Brewers generally do something else. They keep things largely tight to the vest.

Baseball Prospect Journal – Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU

Back to the college bats, Sawyer Strosnider is another name that has popped up quite a bit with the Brewers. Strosnider is a left-handed bat with a big-time power-speed combination, earning plus grades on both tools. He does have a little bit of a strikeout problem, which is somewhat concerning with any hitter. But in terms of tools and athleticism, few in this draft have more, which makes him a name to watch.

Other names connected

Throughout all these mock drafts, the writers do include other names they considered or names they have heard connected to the Brewers at No. 25. That group includes:

James Clark, SS, St. John Bosco (CA) HS
Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee
Taj Marchand, SS, James Island (SC) HS
Trey Ebel, SS, Corona (CA) HS
Eric Becker, SS, Virginia
Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA

The 2026 MLB Draft gets started this afternoon. We shall see which, if any, of these mock drafters were correct in their selections.

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

Even in a season that isn’t going according to plan, an immutable fact remains: life seems a little bit better after an Orioles win. That’s especially true when the O’s make it a dramatic win, like last night’s 5-3 takedown of the visiting Royals at Camden Yards. After Brandon Young’s bid to pitch into the eighth inning went haywire in heartbreaking fashion, Samuel Basallo stepped up to reinvigorate the team and the sizable crowd of O’s fans with his electric go-ahead homer — and epic bat toss — in the Birds’ last at-bat. Check out Stacey’s recap of a delightful night at Oriole Park.

The game was a fun reminder of what the Orioles can look like when they’re playing well, something that unfortunately has happened far too little this season. A win against a last-place Royals team doesn’t fix the many problems that still plague the Birds. But with two games remaining against lowly Kansas City, the Orioles have a chance to head into the All-Star break feeling better about themselves if they can put together a couple more performances as competent as last night’s.

While the players (hopefully) keep their attention on the field, the O’s front office decision-makers have other things on their mind this weekend. The 2026 MLB Draft begins today at 1 pm, and the Orioles hold the #7 pick. As Mark Brown wrote, there’s no consensus among draft pundits about which player the O’s will take; five different writers have suggested four different possibilities for the Orioles in their mock drafts. And of course the Birds’ actual selection could end up being someone not even mentioned. They do that sometimes.

The Orioles’ #7 pick is their highest since 2022, when they held the #1 overall selection and drafted Jackson Holliday. Since then, their highest first-round picks have been #17 in 2023 (which they used on Enrique Bradfield Jr.), #22 in 2024 (Vance Honeycutt), and #19 in 2025 (Ike Irish).

And I would venture to say that Mike Elias really needs to nail this one. His once-hyped draft prowess has lost quite a bit of luster in recent years. After his lauded first draft with the Orioles in 2019, which netted the O’s both Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, the results of his subsequent drafts have been a mixed bag. He reached a bit to make Heston Kjerstad the #2 overall pick in 2020 and that hasn’t panned out, though he also scored Jordan Westburg later in the first round. Elias’s top selection in 2021, Colton Cowser, is still a bit of an enigma offensively. Then there’s Holliday, who hasn’t yet performed like the platonic ideal of a #1 overall pick, though he’s still just 22.

None of the Orioles’ draft picks from 2023 or beyond have arrived in the majors, but Bradfield has struggled to hit consistently in the minors, and the 2024 draft — in which Elias selected Honeycutt and Griff O’Ferrall in the first round — looks like a bust. Early returns from the 2025 first round (Irish and Wehiwa Aloy) look promising so far, as does Caden Bodine, whom the O’s traded to the Rays in the Shane Baz deal.

If the Orioles’ 2026 campaign continues to go sideways and the team decides to make front office changes this offseason, then there’s a real possibility that this is the final draft Elias will oversee. For everyone’s sake, let’s hope it’s a good one.

Links

Basallo’s tie-breaking home run gives Orioles 5-3 win over Royals (updated) – School of Roch

Basallo got some amazing distance on that thing. And I’m just talking about the bat toss.

Is 2026 the year the Orioles draft a 1st-round pitcher? ‘We’ll see.’ – The Baltimore Sun

In my house, “we’ll see” is what I tell my daughter when my actual answer is a hard no. I’m thinking the same is true here.

Will Orioles’ Jackson Holliday fulfill his promise? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com

One e-mailer suggests that the O’s should mortgage the farm to trade for Mason Miller. I hate to tell you this, friend, but the Orioles are not a closer away from being a good team.

Will the O’s consider trading any pending free agents? – Steve Melewski

Follow-up question: do the Orioles have any pending free agents that other teams would even want to trade for?

Turnstile will be at the Orioles game tonight. The commemorative jerseys will not. – The Baltimore Banner

Due to supply chain issues, the O’s didn’t have the Turnstile giveaway jerseys ready to hand out to fans last night. It’s been that kind of a year for the 2026 Orioles.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You share your day with two guys who were briefly Orioles: outfielder Daniel Johnson (31), who played nine games from 2024-25, and righty Zach Clark (43), who pitched a single MLB game back in 2013.

On this date in 1968, Earl Weaver managed his first major league game after taking over for the fired Hank Bauer. The then-37-year-old Weaver guided the O’s to a 2-0 win over the Senators in Baltimore, thanks to Dave McNally’s two-hit shutout and a Don Buford home run. It was the first of 1,480 regular season wins — plus 26 postseason wins — in Earl’s eventual Hall of Fame career.

And on this day in 1987, Billy Ripken made his MLB debut, joining brother Cal Jr. in the Orioles lineup. Their dad, Cal Sr., became the first skipper in MLB history to manage two of his sons. Cal Jr. and Billy went a combined 0-for-7 in the Orioles’ 2-1 loss to the Twins.

Random Orioles game of the day

On July 11, 2002, the Orioles opened the second half with a 4-1 loss to the Athletics at Camden Yards. Scott Erickson had a strong seven-inning, three-run outing, but was outdueled by A’s lefty Mark Mulder, who stymied the Orioles for seven scoreless. Future Oriole Miguel Tejada went 2-for-5 with an RBI double for Oakland. The loss dropped the Orioles to two games under .500, which doesn’t seem so bad considering they eventually finished the season 28 games under.

The Detroit Tigers continued their surge into the All-Star break on Friday night with an authoritative 10-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Comerica Park. Jack Flaherty made it to the six-inning mark for the first time in what seems like forever, giving his team a quality start in the process, while a trio of home runs fueled the offense to a double-digit total.

On Saturday, the Motor City Kitties can clinch their fourth straight series with right-hander Casey Mize taking the mound. The 29-year-old is coming off a pair of quality starts of his own, putting up a 1.32 ERA and 2.46 FIP over the last 13 2/3 innings, allowing just six hits (one home run) and two walks while striking out 14 to earn his third and fourth wins of the season.

It will not be easy for the Tigers with left-hander Cristopher Sánchez climbing the hill for the Phillies. Coming off a season that saw him finish second in the National League Cy Young race, the 29-year-old has picked up where he left off, ranking second in the majors in pitching fWAR behind Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski.

However, Sánchez is coming off his worst outing of the 2026 campaign, surrendering nine runs on 12 hits (three home runs) and a walk while striking out just one Kansas City Royal on the road for his fourth loss in a 15-1 final. Maybe the Tigers can get to him on Saturday evening too.

Here is a look at how the two match up in Game 2 of the three-game series in Detroit.

Detroit Tigers (44-50) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (52-43)

Time (ET): 6:10 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:The Good Phight
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 95: RHP Casey Mize (4-5, 2.64 ERA) vs. LHP Cristopher Sánchez (10-4, 2.62 ERA)

Player	G	IP	K%	BB%	GB%	FIP	fWAR
Mize	13	71.2	25.7	5.7	33.7	2.73	2.3
Sánchez	19	120.1	27.6	4.8	57.8	2.68	3.8

MIZE

SÁNCHEZ

Good morning, BBN!

The 2026 MLB Draft begins today, and Kentucky Baseball fans will have at least one major reason to tune in.

Wildcats shortstop Tyler Bell is widely expected to be selected in the early rounds after two seasons in Lexington.

Bell entered the season as one of the top prospects in the 2026 class, with MLB Pipeline ranking him among its top draft prospects. He also participated in the MLB Draft Combine last month.

While recent first-round mock drafts from CBS Sports and ESPN have not projected Bell among the opening selections, his prospect status makes him Kentucky’s best bet to be called early in the draft.

Bell’s combination of defensive ability, switch-hitting potential, and youth could make him an intriguing option for organizations looking for an up-the-middle prospect.

Kentucky could also have additional players selected during the later rounds as MLB organizations work through 20 rounds over two days.

How to Watch the 2026 MLB Draft

Day 1: Saturday, July 11 (Rounds 1-4)

• 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET – Preview show + Picks 1-10 (NBC/Peacock)
• 2:30-4:30 p.m. ET – Picks 11-40 (MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)
• 4:30-7:45 p.m. ET – Picks 41-135 (MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)

Day 2: Sunday, July 12 (Rounds 5-20)

• 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. ET (MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)

Where do you think this year’s Wildcats land?

Tweet of the Day

Ready to get to work! #BBN @KentuckyMBB@UKSportsNetworkpic.twitter.com/zV8FJpFoyU

— Milan Momcilovic (@MilanMomcilovi5) July 10, 2026

Get to know Milan and his Kentucky journey!

Headlines:

J Batt set to begin tenure at UK – UK Athletics

A new era.

Spain beat Belgium late to set to World Cup semifinal vs. France – ESPN

Spain vs. France is going to be electric.

College basketball rankings: Marcus Spears Jr.’s commitment lifts Texas in early Top 25 And 1 – CBS Sports

Texas might be the best team in the SEC next season.

Scottie Scheffler misses the cut for the first time in 4 years – NBC Sports

Scottie has been on a slide lately. Further proof of Tiger’s untouchable greatness.

Shohei Ohtani dealing with knee irritation, to miss All-Star Game – ESPN

MLB in shambles hearing this.

The NBA’s seven biggest non-LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard questions left to be answered this offseason – CBS Sports

It’s been quite the offseason.

Report: George Pickens among teammates working with Dak Prescott in Utah – NBC Sports

Love to see it.

Mike Boynton Jr. agrees to 2-year deal as Michigan hoops coach – ESPN

Big opportunity.

Why Argentina Football Association for has reportedly been investigated for alleged money laundering in U.S. – CBS Sports

Insane story.

Jannik Sinner beats Novak Djokovic to set up Wimbledon final vs. Alexander Zverev – NBC Sports

Should be a great one!

In some past seasons, we’ve written up every pick the White Sox make in the draft with individual stories. This year, we’ll let a constantly-updated Day 2 draft tracker do all the work, but overall we will have individual features on the first five White Sox picks (Nos. 1, 34, 44, 77, 105).

An exciting twist to our coverage this year is having Melissa Sage-Bollenbach in Philadelphia and on the grounds covering for us. That should mean details and quotes you won’t see anywhere else, as well as video and other postings on all our social media channels (@southsidesox.bsky.social on Blue Sky, South Side Sox on Facebook, @sss_south_side_sox on Instagram, @southsidesox_ on TikTok, @sss_south_side_sox on Threads and @SouthSideSox on Twitter/X).

To kick off our coverage of today’s five picks and the following 16 on Sunday, here’s a How to Watch guide. But really, let us do the heavy lifting and just stay tuned to the real-time updates of South Side Sox!

2026 MLB draft
Day 1: Saturday, July 11 (Rounds 1-4)
Noon-12:30 p.m. CT Preview show (NBC/Peacock)
12:30-1:30 p.m. CT Lottery picks 1-10 (NBC/Peacock)
1:30-3:30 p.m. CT Picks 11-40 (MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)
3:30-6:45 p.m. CT Picks 41-135 (MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)

Day 2: Sunday, July 12 (Rounds 5-20)
10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. CT Rounds 5-20 (MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)

The 2026 MLB draft is in Philadelphia this year as part of MLB All-Star Week. First-day coverage of the draft is extensive, with interviews of newly-drafted players, highlight packages, real-time analysis from MLB’s experts, footage from team draft rooms and interviews with front office personnel. Sunday’s coverage will be exhaustive, covering every pick, but the nature of buzzing through hundreds of picks means that the broadcast mostly consists of stock-ticker reporting in rapid-fire fashion.

MLB draft primer
After trading Jacob Gonzalez to the Pirates, the White Sox the largest draft pool in baseball: $20,489,500. Each pick of the first 10 rounds has an assigned slot value, and adding up all of those pick values determines the bonus pool. Teams can spend more or less on any draft choice in any round, all the way down to Round 20.

Overall, teams are allowed to exceed their allotted pool by up to 5% — but teams are taxed 75% on any spending beyond the bonus pool; if the White Sox sign their 21 draft choices for $21 million, they’ll have to pay a 75% tax on that extra $510,500. (For a Jerry Reinsdorf-run team, don’t expect to see the White Sox exceeding their bonus pool.) And if a team was to exceed their bonus pool by more than 5%, it’s viewed as “cheating” and results in higher penalties and a loss of future draft picks — NO TEAM has ever done this.

Players picked in Rounds 11–20 have slot values of $150,000 — but it’s all “free” money in that it does not count against the bonus pool. Any contract of more than $150,000 results in the extra payment counting against the pool (if the total used to sign Round 11-20 selections adds up to $1.5 million, the White Sox will have all $20,489,500 to spend on their Round 1-10 picks, but if the total added up to $3 million, the bonus pool to sign Round 1-10 draftees will be just $18,989,500. The White Sox are very likely to lowball a few selections with no other options (players sign for as little as $10,000) to free up money in the latter half of the draft, rather than cannibalize the more precious bonus-pool monies.

White Sox top 11 draft pick slot values
Round 1 (No. 1) $11,350,600
Competitive Balance Round A (via Pirates) (No. 34) $2,897,400
Round 2 (No. 41): $2,446,100
Round 3 (No. 77): $1,086,600
Round 4 (No. 105): $747,700
Round 5 (No. 137): $547,700
Round 6 (No. 166): $413,900
Round 7 (No. 195): $325,100
Round 8 (No. 225): $256,500
Round 9 (No. 255): $217,000
Round 10 (No. 285): $200,900
Total Pool $20,489,500

White Sox picks Round 11-20
11th Round No. 315
12th Round No. 345
13th Round No. 375
14th Round No. 405
15th Round No. 435
16th Round No. 465
17th Round No. 495
18th Round No. 525
19th Round No. 555
20th Round No. 585

Finally, if you’d like your own “White Sox draft preview show” as you wait for the action to begin, here’s director of scouting Mike Shirley on Friday’s broadcast, talking draft: