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Happy birthday to Mike Montgomery, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 1958 – The Cubs’ Tony Taylor hits a ball inside the third base line that falls into the rain gutter in fair territory at Wrigley Field. San Francisco rookie OF Leon Wagner chases the ball, but is fooled by Cubs relief pitchers staring intently under the bench. Wagner does not look for the ball in the gutter 40 to 50 feet further down. Taylor reaches home on the hit, and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

• 1916 – At age 42 years and 4 months, Honus Wagner is the oldest player to hit an inside-the-park home run. 
• 1920 – Washington Senators pitching legend Walter Johnson no-hits Boston Red Sox 1-0 at Fenway Park, the only no-hitter of his illustrious career.
• 1941 – Joe DiMaggio has two hits in the first game and one in the second to tie Willie Keeler‘s major-league hitting streak of 44 games.
• 1951 – Veteran Bob Feller pitches the third no-hitter of his career, tying the record of Cy Young and Larry Corcoran, as he beats Detroit’s Bob Cain, 2-1.
• 1972 – Roberto Clemente‘s fourth and fifth (out of six) career home runs off Ferguson Jenkins provide the Pirates with a 4 – 3 walk-off win against the Cubs at Three Rivers Stadium. Clemente hits Fergie’s first pitch in the 7th inning over the left field fence to tie the game. After the Bucs fall behind, 3-2, his second homer is a game-ending blast with none out in the ninth.
• 1973 – The Twins’ Jim Kaat fires a one-hitter to beat the Angels, 2-1. Frank Robinson‘s home run in the 2nd is the only hit. This is the second time in his career that Robby hits a home run to break up a no-hitter.
• 1973 – Luis Aparicio of the Red Sox steals the 500th base of his career in a 9-5 loss to Milwaukee. It is the highest total in the American League since Eddie Collins retired in 1930.

Today in Cubs history:

• 1906 – Righthander Jack Taylor, 8-9 with the St. Louis Cardinals, returns to the Cubs in exchange for second-string C Pete Noonan, rookie P Fred Beebe and cash. Taylor will help the Cubs by going 12-3 the rest of the year.
• 1912 – At Pittsburgh, Chicago’s Wildfire Schulte breaks up a scoreless pitching duel between Marty O’Toole and Jimmy Lavender by legging out an inside-the-park homer in the 12th inning. Lavender and the Cubs win, 1-0.
• 1950 – The Reds’ Ewell Blackwell has to go ten innings but finally beats the Cubs, 5 – 3, striking out 14 and allowing just two hits. One of the hits is Andy Pafko‘s three-run home run in the 9th.
• 1973 – At Wrigley Field, the Mets edge the Cubs, 6-5, in the first game of a doubleheader. Then it is the Cubs’ turn, as Randy Hundley bangs a ninth-inning three-run homer to give Chicago the 6-5 edge. Ron Santo has seven hits for the afternoon, five in the nightcap.

Cubs Birthdays:Chris Flexen, Colin Rea, Mike Montgomery*, Dick Drott, Frank Baumann, Hersh Freeman, Fred Holmes, John Clarkson HOF. Also notable: Ben Taylor HOF. Roger Connor HOF.

Today in history:

• 1200 – Sunglasses are invented in China [approx. date].
• 1731 – Benjamin Franklin and members of his ‘Junto’ community improvement club draw up articles of agreement to found the Library Company of Philadelphia, the first public library in British America.
• 1776 – First vote on Declaration of Independence for Britain’s North American colonies.
• 1863 – Battle of Gettysburg begins in Pennsylvania, Union forces halt Confederate General Robert E. Lee‘s Army of Northern Virginia.
• 1898 – Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders charge up San Juan Hill during US’s successful assault on the city of Santiago.
• 1963 – ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) Codes are introduced for United States mail.
• 1967 – The Beatles’ album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” goes to No. 1 in the United States and stays there for 15 weeks.
• 1997 – Nevada Athletic Commission suspends Mike Tyson indefinitely and withholds $20 million purse for biting Evander Holyfield‘s ear during their heavyweight title fight 28 June.

*pictured.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (38-37/4-3)

WORCESTER 15, SYRACUSE 5 (BOX)

The Woo Sox creamed Syracuse. Nick Morabito concluded his red-hot June with three more hits- one of which was a double- but there really isn’t anything positive to say about this drubbing. Luis Robert Jr. went 1-3 while Jorge Polanco went hitless in three trips to the plate.

·  REHAB ALERT CF Luis Robert Jr.: 1-2, BB

·  CF Cristian Pache: 0-2, R

·  REHAB ALERT DH Jorge Polanco: 0-3

·  PH-DH MJ Melendez: 1-2, R, HR (3), 2 RBI

·  LF Nick Morabito: 3-5, 2B

·  1B Ryan Clifford: 0-5, 3 K

·  RF Jared Oliva: 1-4, R, BB, 2 K, SB (3)

·  2B Vidal Bruján: 1-3, R, HBP

·  PR-2B Yonny Hernández: 0-1

·  3B Grae Kessinger: 1-3, R, 2B, RBI, BB, E (1)

·  C Hayden Senger: 1-3, BB

·  SS Zack Short: 0-3, RBI, K

·  RHP Daniel Duarte: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Jack Weisenburger: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

·  RHP Adbert Alzolay: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

·  RHP Ofreidy Gómez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Dylan Ross: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

·  LHP Matt Turner: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, WP

ROSTER ALERT: New York Mets sent CF Luis Robert Jr. on a rehab assignment to Syracuse Mets.

ROSTER ALERT: Syracuse Mets activated SS Zack Short.

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (27-42/2-5)

BINGHAMTON 5, CHESAPEAKE 3 (BOX)

It took a while thanks to a two-and-a-half hour rain delay, but the Rumble Ponies took the opener in their series against the Baysox, their second win of the second half. Binghamton scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, but before they could take their next turn at bat, the rain came. Jonathan Santucci initially took the mound for Binghamton, but because of the torrential downpour, only ended up throwing 29 pitches over two innings. After things cleared up, the Rumble Ponies plated three more runs. The Baysox scored a pair of runs in the top of the third and one more in the top of the fourth, but Felipe De La Cruz, Gabriel Rodriguez, and Saul Garcia held things down in the later innings.

·  C Chris Suero: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, K, SB (21)

·  CF Jose Ramos: 1-4, R, K, SB (7)

·  3B Nick Lorusso: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K, SB (5)

·  1B JT Schwartz: 0-3, RBI, BB, 2 K

·  DH Matt Rudick: 1-4, 2 K

·  SS Wyatt Young: 0-3

·  LF Jaylen Palmer: 0-3, 2 K

·  2B Kevin Villavicencio: 0-3, K

·  RF Nick Lucky: 0-2, R, BB, K

·  LHP Jonathan Santucci: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, E (2)

·  RHP Jordan Geber: 0.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 K

·  RHP Danis Correa: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

·  LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, W (1-1)

·  LHP Gabriel Rodriguez: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, H (4)

·  RHP Saul Garcia: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, S (2)

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Danis Correa assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Syracuse Mets.

ROSTER ALERT: LHP Felipe De La Cruz assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Syracuse Mets.

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (25-40/6-4)

BROOKLYN 5, FREDERICK 3 (BOX)

The reigning, defending, undisputed Pitcher of the Week Daviel Hurtado instantly put himself in the running for a repeat, following up one his six scoreless inning, two-hit performance with one walk and six strikeouts by throwing six scoreless innings, allowing a single hit, walking one, and striking out eight; Acknowledge him. Ronald Hernandez put Brooklyn on the board just before Hurtado left the game with a solo homer, and in the top of the seventh, the Cyclones scored three more. Gregori Louis almost ruined things for the Cuban left-hander by allowing three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the bullpen settled after his blip of an inning.

·  SS Mitch Voit: 2-5, R, HR (9), 3 RBI, 2 K

·  CF Yonatan Henriquez: 1-5, K

·  1B Ronald Hernandez: 1-4, R, HR (7), RBI

·  DH Corey Collins: 1-3, BB, K

·  C Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-4

·  LF John Bay: 0-4, K

·  RF JT Benson: 0-3, BB, K

·  3B Colin Houck: 2-4, 2 R

·  2B Jamari Baylor: 2-4, R, RBI, K

·  LHP Daviel Hurtado: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, W (4-1)

·  LHP Gregori Louis: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Parker Carlson: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, H (1)

·  RHP Ryan Dollar: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, S (1)

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Parker Carlson assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones from Syracuse Mets.

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Tanner Witt assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones from Syracuse Mets.

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (33-33/2-6)

TAMPA 6, ST. LUCIE 0 (BOX)

Emilio Obispo contained the Tarpons once though the order, but in the middle innings, they tagged him for four runs. Zack Mack allowed two more, but ultimately those and every other run outside of Tampa’s first were meaningless, as the Tarpons blanked the Mets. St. Lucie managed only three hits, doubles from Antonio Jimenez and Taylor Darden and a Jack Scanlon single.

·  SS Elian Peña: 0-4, K, 2 E (15, 16)

·  2B Trey Snyder: 0-4, K

·  3B Antonio Jimenez: 1-4, 2B, 3 K

·  DH Julio Zayas: 0-3, K, HBP

·  RF Branny De Oleo: 0-3, K, HBP

·  C Chase Meggers: 0-3, K

·  CF Simon Juan: 0-3, K

·  1B Jack Scanlon: 1-3, K

·  LF Taylor Darden: 1-3, 2B, K, E (1)

·  RHP Emilio Obispo: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

·  RHP Zack Mack: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, BLK, HBP

·  RHP Tyler McLoughlin: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

·  RHP Luis Alvarez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, WP

ROSTER ALERT: St. Lucie Mets released RHP Joe Charles.

Rookie: FCL Mets (16-24)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Daviel Hurtado

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Adbert Alzolay

Good morning Birdland,

It’s officially July, which means trade season will soon be open. Last year, the Orioles traded away reliever Bryan Baker on July 10, when they were 10 games under .500. and seven games back of the final wild card spot. While dealing away a middle reliever isn’t necessarily a sign of surrender, that’s exactly what it would be for the 2025 Orioles.

Right now, the 2026 version of the Orioles are 9 games under .500, five games back of the final wild card spot, and in the midst of a four-game losing streak. This year’s AL is worse than it was a season ago, so perhaps there is some reason for optimism in the organization. More likely, there is pressure within the front office to just make this roster work, no matter what. The team’s on-field play is making that a tough case to prove.

The Orioles 9-3 loss on Tuesday night was just the latest disheartening performance. Some of that was another tough start for rookie Trey Gibson, which is frustrating but understandable for such a young player. More annoying was yet another weak offensive showing. They had nine hits, but scored just three runs, and did not hit any home runs. It’s just not good enough, and while their have been moments of brilliance, and some good weeks mixed in, the squad has just generally been a disappointing. There are no signs to indicate that will change.

That doesn’t mean the Orioles need to get to selling right now. Maybe a miracle happens, they forget who they are, and they string together a bunch of wins by the end of the month. That would be fun to see. But we shouldn’t hold our breath. And considering the times that Mike Elias has given up on solid-but-not-great teams, it would be pretty frustrating to see him pick THIS team as one worth doubling down on come the deadline.

Stay cool out there today, Baltimore. It’s gonna be a hot one. And we have an Orioles game right in the middle of it. First pitch is 12:35 from Camden Yards. Stay in the shade. Drink water. And get inside when possible.

Links

‘They have every right to boo’: Albernaz, Orioles confront struggles as Deadline looms | Orioles.com
The thing is that Orioles fans do NOT have championship expectations for their baseball team. These guys don’t need to be the Dodgers or Yankees in order for fans to be pleased. But they should be competitive and in the mix for a playoff spot. Instead, they are a nightly disappointment.

This, that and the other | Roch Kubatko
Some Mike Elias quotes from over the weekend are in here. He spoke about injuries, how they have impacted the team, and the upcoming trade deadline. It is fair to say that injuries have been a problem for the Orioles, but come on. The team doesn’t stink because Jordan Westburg and Zach Eflin have been out. They should have been able to absorb those losses and still been an 85-90 win team. The issues go deeper.

Jon Meoli: If the Orioles even give Mike Elias a trade deadline choice, buying is the only one | The Baltimore Banner
Eh, I’m not sure I agree with the premise. The roster is flawed and hasn’t shown the sort of upside that, to me, feels worth doubling down on. They do have a few weeks to go on some sort of magical run. We’ll see.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

• Nelson Cruz turns 46 today. The slugger spent just one season in Baltimore, but it was a good one. He led the league with 40 home runs and helped the Orioles capture the 2014 AL East title.
• Jamie Walker is 55 years old. He pitched out of the Orioles bullpen for parts of three seasons from 2007 through ’09.

This day in O’s history

1957 – Orioles pitcher George Zuverink and catcher Frank Zupo form the first “Z” batter in major league history in a 3-2 loss to the Yankees.

1967 – Orioles pitcher Mike Adamson makes his major league debut, becoming the first draftee to bypass the minors and go straight to the majors. However, he will play in the minors in 1968.

1982 – Orioles manager Earl Weaver moves Cal Ripken Jr. from third base to shortstop.

1994 – The Orioles and Angels combine to hit a major league record-tying 11 home runs in a 14-7 win for the O’s.

BALTIMORE – On the day Sam Antonacci played his first professional baseball game, going 2-for-4 for Class A Kannapolis in a Carolina League contest Aug. 8, 2024, the Chicago White Sox fired their manager with a 28-89 record, mired in a stretch of losing 48 of 54 games, on their way to a record-setting 121-loss season.

Sometimes, it’s advantageous to be young and oblivious.

From that moment in time, a gaggle of players like Antonacci methodically worked their way through the White Sox’s system, were culled from the waiver wire, imported en masse in a blockbuster trade or drafted, developed and tossed into the fire.

And in less than two years, baseball’s most depressing outpost has become its most surprising story.

“When I got drafted, when I first got to the Arizona complex,” Antonacci, a fifth-round pick out of Coastal Carolina in 2024, tells USA TODAY Sports, “it didn’t feel like a 121-loss team.

“I knew it was going to change quickly. It was a matter of when.”

How about… now?

These 2026 White Sox are 45-39, will begin the month of July atop the American League Central and, in a year of leaguewide mediocrity, have an 80% chance to reach the playoffs. It is a stunning climb for a club that saw the fading presence of Tony La Russa give way to three consecutive 100-loss seasons, the utter chaos of the Pedro Grifol managerial era and, finally, a place in the record books nobody wanted.

Yet for so many of the players assembled this year on the South Side, there’s a certain eternal sunshine of the rookie mind that joyfully prevails.

Antonacci did not debut until April 15, yet as the club’s leadoff hitter and left fielder, ranks sixth in the AL with a .391 on-base percentage, a 5-foot-11 doubles hitter residing among giants named Yordan and Trout and Kurtz. Tristan Peters, an erstwhile Savanna Banana rescued via cash considerations after the Tampa Bay Rays designated him for assignment, is playing Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field, rarely strikes out and reaches base at a .345 clip.

Munetaka Murakami, of course, was a member of Japan’s Yakult Swallows back in 2024, only to arrive this year and pound 20 homers in 57 games before a hamstring injury sidelined him. Still, he's a joyous presence around the club as he works his way back to a July return, secure in knowing the club has maintained a 15-12 clip without him.

And then there is Miguel Vargas, whose steady climb these past three seasons at both third base and the plate has him on the verge of a rare journey: Discarded Dodger mega-prospect to All-Star.

“It’s been really impressive,” says second-year White Sox manager Will Venable. “And it starts with players that, regardless of their opportunity in the past or where they are in their career, they’re really special guys. Guys who want to go out and compete and play hard, and make adjustments.

“That’s really what’s required to stay in this league and perform at a high level.”

Even if getting there can be a circuitous journey.

'A wild ride'

Winkler, Manitoba won’t be confused for a baseball outpost anytime soon, wedged as it is roughly halfway between Winnipeg and Grand Forks, North Dakota. And as Peters was growing up, juggling youth hockey (duh) and baseball, he realized his proclivity for the latter.

With that, his family agreed to ship him 12 hours west, to Calgary, where he’d stay with an aunt and attend a school with a baseball academy for his junior and senior years.

Peters would continue following the sun, to Arizona’s Chandler-Gilbert Community College, where fate would intercede in many ways.

Juco ball creates a melting pot of personalities and Peters wasn’t quite sure what to think when a teammate suggested they kill a night by going line dancing.

“And I was like ‘Oh boy, I don’t know,’” Peters remembers. “I said yes and almost got cold feet.”

Yet Peters and his buddy followed through, and good thing they ended up at Scootin’ Boots in Mesa. That evening, Peters would meet a young woman named Erin, commencing a four-year friendship that culminated in their 2023 marriage – held just a short drive from their initial meeting at Scootin’ Boots.

Peters also left an impression on Tyler Gillum, an opposing coach at South Mountain Community College, who’d remember Peters after the outfielder continued on to Southern Illinois University.

And in 2021, Gillum invited Peters to suit up for the Savannah Bananas.

Oh, it wasn’t full-fledged Banana Ball just yet. The Bananas were members of the summer collegiate Coastal Plain League. Yet their home games were spectacles – all the TikToks and stilts and dancing fans have come to expect.

Peters played in 17 games, a period that coincided with Milwaukee choosing him in the seventh round of the 2021 draft. It was good baseball – and an even better mental reset as his pro career began.

“Often, we focus on our performance on the field. There, we’re focused on the fans and how to give them a good time,” says Peters. “That’s who we’re playing for, essentially.

“When you’re hard on yourself and struggling, it can be pretty tough. It didn’t matter if you had a bad game or good game – you’d go out and dance with the fans after the game. You gotta have fun.”

Peters made his major league debut Aug. 8 with Tampa Bay – he’d been dealt from Milwaukee in 2022 for reliever Trevor Rosenthal – yet was hitless in 12 at-bats before returning to Class AAA.

The taste of the big leagues increased his cravings. As did sitting on an 0-for-12 all winter.

Yet as Peters redoubled his efforts, working out at Driveline Baseball’s Arizona facility to add strength and revamp his hitting approach, the Rays designated him for assignment. The White Sox soon worked out a deal for a lump of cash in exchange.

Why the White Sox, for a guy with four games of major league experience?

“They brought up my defense, first and foremost,” says Peters. “Saw some potential in my bat as well. I agreed and thought it was there.

“They were really awesome and excited to have me. That gave me motivation.”

It set the stage for an unforgettable couple of weeks – Peters made the White Sox’s opening-day roster and shortly thereafter, his daughter Elaine was born.

With Erin and Elaine along for most road trips – “She’s having a blast, I think,” says Peters of nearly 4-month-old Elaine – Peters has established himself as a mainstay in center field, racking up 2.3 WAR and tied for fourth among major league center fielders with seven outs above average.

“It’s been a wild ride, to say the least,” he says. “There’s been a lot of steppingstones along the way and some you don’t expect. I’m just super grateful to be here and have this opportunity.”

South Side energy

Vargas can second that. He was a ballyhooed prospect with the Dodgers, rising to No. 30 in Baseball America’s top 100, yet predictably didn’t have a full developmental runway after batting .195 over 81 games in 2023.

So in August 2024, he was dropped into the White Sox’s 121-loss misery. A year later, with Venable stabilizing the managerial position, Vargas began to make strides.

This year, now 26, Vargas is about maintaining that over a full season, with excellent results so far.

The third baseman has racked up 3.3 WAR while hitting 19 homers in 82 games. He’s very much on track for a reunion next week with Cuban countryman and close friend Andy Pages, himself enjoying a big breakout with the Dodgers.

“I just try to be better every day, be consistent with my job,” says Vargas. “Understand that this is a long season. Get my body in the best position to go out there and compete every single day.

“Also, this group of guys, the energy they bring every single day (makes) it so easy to come here and match that energy. It’s been great for me to be part of this group.”

Says Venable: “He’s been so consistent. Last year we saw in flashes, in stretches that lasted a little longer. He just wasn’t able to really maintain it. That’s what’s been impressive – the work he’s put in in the offseason to give him that strength to be consistent throughout these stretches.”

That goes for the White Sox at large. They have received decent starting pitching from somewhat unexpected sources such as Davis Martin and Sean Burke. Noah Schultz, their 6-10 top prospect, will return from injury and start Wednesday, July 2 at Baltimore.

The bullpen is a bit unsettled, yet that’s the case for even the top contenders. Questions still remain about the sustainability of it all, as young players like Antonacci and Peters, recent outfield call-up Braden Montgomery and another rookie first-round pick, first baseman Jacob Gonzalez, complete their first trips around the 162-game sun.

It seems like a hodgepodge of youth. It also seems, trite as it sounds, like these guys are learning how to win. They are 17-10 in one-run games, a respectable 19-22 against teams with winning records.

"Early in the season, we were in a lot of these games that came down to one inning, situational baseball. We’ve had experience with all this stuff now. Everyone kind of knows their role," says shortstop Colson Montgomery, another former first-round pick who leads the club with 21 home runs. "We’re just getting more and more polished each day we play.

"We’re a young team and everything like that. But we like to act like we have that experience and confidence, because we do."

Braden Montgomery's June 9 debut was symbolic in another sense: All three pieces from the December 2024 trade of ace Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox - Montgomery, second baseman Chase Meidroth and catcher Kyle Teel - are now everyday players in Chicago.

That deal perhaps the franchise nadir - 121 losses followed by the trade of a future Cy Young runner-up. They'd go on to lose 101 more games in 2025, the product more respectable but not yet totally watchable.

Yet look at them now.

The White Sox have drawn 15 crowds of at least 28,000, and now rank 10th in the AL in attendance - this after ranking 13th the past two seasons, finishing ahead of only the minor league Athletics and uncertain Rays.

“That’s why I feel it’s more enjoyable,” says Vargas, “and you kind of come from that and where we are now. You look back and the way we’ve been doing it step by step and it’s amazing.

“It’s a great journey for me and the whole organization, and we want to take this opportunity the best we can.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Chicago White Sox went from 121 losses to AL Central penthouse

PHOENIX — They will be proudly representing their teams at the 96th All-Star Game in two weeks in Philadelphia, but once the festivities are over, and they travel back home for the second half of the MLB season, they soon may be wearing different uniforms.

The Major League Baseball trade deadline is Aug. 3, less than three weeks after the All-Star Game, and there are seven potential All-Star players who could be on the trade block and switching uniforms.

The biggest question is not whether two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers will be traded, but whether he will be one of the 12 American League pitchers selected to the All-Star Game by the players, managers and coaches. He’s just 4-4 with a 3.15 ERA after missing five weeks after undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery. Still, he’s one of the finest pitchers on the planet who could be the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history this winter.

Here are this year’s potential All-Star candidates, led by Skubal, who will find themselves subjected to intense trade rumors at the All-Star festivities:

Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

The Tigers, 37-49, have been one of baseball’s biggest disappointments, but as badly as they’ve performed, the American League stinks to the high heavens, and they are just 6.5 games out of a wild-card berth. Do they ride it out and hope that Skubal’s return gets them back into contention, or do they sell him to the highest-bidder and stock their farm system, knowing they’re not going to re-sign him as a free agent, anyway? If nothing else, Skubal has quieted any doubts that he’s fully recovered from his elbow surgery, striking out nine while yielding just one hit and one earned run in six innings in his last start Tuesday against the New York Yankees, hitting 99 mph on the radar gun.

Prediction: Skubal will go, with Atlanta being the favorite according to rival executives, but this decision likely will go down to the final days, if not hours, before the deadline.

Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox

Chapman is 16-for-18 in save opportunities with a 2.19 ERA, but has scuffled at a time the Red Sox are playing their best baseball. Chapman, 38, has blown two saves and given up at least one run in three of his last six appearances. The Red Sox, 37-47, have also been one of baseball’s biggest disappointments, but let’s repeat: the American League stinks. They are only 5.5 games out of a wild-card berth.

Prediction: Chapman, who has pitched for seven different teams in his 17-year career, will still be the marquee reliever traded at the deadline.

Sonny Gray, Boston Red Sox

Gray is 9-1 with a 2.69 ERA and may be the best pitcher traded not named Tarik Skubal. He has been everything the Red Sox could possibly have envisioned when they acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals even chipped in $20 million to cover the remaining $41 million on his contract.

The biggest obstacles in a potential Gray trade is that he has a complete no-trade clause, and will be owed about $11 million in his remaining salary plus a $10 million buyout on his mutual option.

Prediction: The Red Sox will pay his $10 million mutual option, and trade Gray to a team of his choosing, perhaps Atlanta or the Chicago White Sox, unless they somehow claw back into this weak wild-card race.

Luis Arraez, San Francisco Giants

Buster Posey, Giants president of baseball operations, has already let the baseball world know the Giants are open for business, with all of their high-priced players − except ace Logan Webb − available for trades. While infielders Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman are making too much money for anyone’s liking, Arraez is easily their best trade chip among position players. Arraez, the three-time batting champion, is once again working his magic at the plate, hitting .331 with only 13 strikeouts in 353 plate appearances this year, with his 3.7% strikeout rate easily the lowest in MLB. He also is hitting with more power with a career-high seven triples and four homers. The biggest bonus is that with the help of infield guru Ron Washington, he has morphed into a Gold Glove candidate at second base.

Prediction: The Giants absolutely love Arraez, who has become a clubhouse favorite, but have no plans to keep him. They will thank him for his services, trade him, and wish him well in free agency, knowing they certainly helped increase his value.

Jose Soriano, Los Angeles Angels

OK, so he’s not the same pitcher who dominated everyone in his wake in April, yielding a 0.24 ERA in his first six starts. Still, he’s 8-5 with a 3.42 ERA, and best of all, comes with 2½ more years of team control. He is earning $2.9 million this year, so he won’t stretch out anyone’s budget, either.

Prediction: The biggest question will be whether Angels owner Arte Moreno will allow interim GM John Mozeliak to trade him. Moreno hates to trade players who are under team control, and Soriano has shown this year that he could be one of the game’s premier starters. Yet, if Moreno really is handing the reins over to Mozeliak and wants to rebuild, the return for Soriano could be quite the kick-start.

Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona Diamondbacks

Rodriguez, who was a bitter disappointment the first two years of his four-year, $80 million contract, is having the finest season of his career and should be headed to his first All-Star Game. He’s 7-2 with a 2.21 ERA, and has six starts in which he has gone at least seven innings and permitted one or no runs, tied for the major-league lead.

Prediction: The Diamondbacks are on the playoff bubble, sitting 2½ games back of a playoff berth. They are 13-2 against the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies, but 30-40 against everyone else. If they fall out of the race, they must decide whether to simply trade starter Michael Soroka, who’s on a one-year contract, or dump Rodriguez, who is owed $21 million in 2027 before he’s a free agent again. They may have no choice but to listen to any and all offers.

CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals

The Nationals put Abrams on the trade block last winter, but never received an offer that ever tempted them to trade him. His trade value has since soared, with him hitting .273 with 18 homers and 60 RBI with an .866 OPS, leading all National League shortstops in virtually every offensive category.

Prediction: The Nationals, one of baseball’s biggest surprises at 44-43, can’t trade Abrams without a huge public relations fallout. At least not now. They still are in the race, just 2½ games out, and Abrams still is under control through 2028. They have plenty of time to listen to trade offers in the future if they don’t sign him to an extension.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB trade rumors: Tarik Skubal among 7 potential All-Stars who could soon switch teams

Iowa Cubs 3, Toledo Mud Hens 1 (box)

Hens pitching was pretty good on Tuesday, but the bats faltered in the 90 degree heat of this cruel, noon start time.

The Mud Hens did get on the board first. Brett Callahan singled with one out in the top of the second inning. He stole second as Trei Cruz struck out, and the throw from Moises Ballesteros was wild to second, and Callahan took third. A bloop single from Jace Jung brought him home as the Hens only run on the day.

Dylan File put together a pretty mediocre outing, giving up three runs in 4.1 innings of work. He did strike out five against two walks.

Brenan Hanifee, Tyler Mattison, Tanner Rainer, and Nick Sandlin were all effective in relief, but the Hens only managed four hits on the day. Cubs right-hander Will Sanders put together a strong outing against them.

Callahan: 1-4, R, K, SB

File (L, 4-5): 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start at Fifth Third on Wednesday.

Erie SeaWolves 6, Akron RubberDucks 4 (box)

Hayden Minton and Carlos Peña split this start, with each going four innings and allowing two runs. That was plenty as Peyton Graham and the SeaWolves pounded out the hits in this one.

Minton gave up two runs in the first before settling in for three scoreless frames.

In the top of the third, Seth Stephenson and Graham lined back-to-back doubles and Garrett Pennington singled in Graham to make it a 2-2 tie.

In the fourth, E.J. Exposito singled with one out. With two outs, Stephenson singled, and Graham doubled in both runs with his second double on the day. 4-2 SeaWolves.

It’s the 4th inning in Akron and Peyton Graham already has 3 doubles. This one brings in two runs and puts Erie up 4-2. pic.twitter.com/Ux6wg8AMSc

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 30, 2026

Exposito added his 12th home run of the season to open the sixth. That made it 5-2, and a nice relay from Stephenson to Graham to third ended the bottom half of the inning, avoiding a jam for Peña.

Chris Meyers is on a multi-week heater and he continued it with a solo shot to center field in the seventh to make it 6-2.

Peña leaked a pair of runs in the eighth, but Trevin Michael locked down the save.

Trevin Michael and Bennett Lee combine for a game-ending strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play, and Erie wins 6-4. pic.twitter.com/bsZPWttcRc

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 1, 2026

Graham: 3-5, R, 3 RBI, 3 2B

Stephenson: 2-5, 2 R, 2B

Exposito: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, HR, K

Minton: 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Wednesday.

Lake County Captains 20, West Michigan Whitecaps 11 (box)

Neither team’s pitching staff could find the strike zone on a scorching, humid night in West Michigan. Typically under those conditions, home plate umpires call a loose strike zone and force hitters to swing the bats. Not in this one. A tight zone, sweaty hands, and position players pitching by the end of this led to a high scoring game, but it wasn’t entertaining as 24 walks combined were issued in this one.

On a bullpen day, Logan Berrier gave up five runs, and Ryan Harvey and Thomas Bruss each gave up four.

The two clubs started exchanging blows in the third, as the Captains scored five runs. In the bottom half, Patrick Lee was hit by a pitch with one out and Woody Hadeen walked. Bryce Rainer smoked a 114 mph single to center to plate Lee.

Bryce Rainer with a 114-MPH single to right to get West Michigan on the board. He now has 8 multi-hit games in June. @ThatDanHasty and @wangler_nathan on the call. pic.twitter.com/yyht7SLSSx

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 30, 2026

Ricardo Hurtado then doubled in Hadeen and Rainer and took third on throwing error on the play. A Jackson Strong sacrfice fly made it a 5-4 game.

Ricardo Hurtado blasts a 2-run double to center to make it a 5-3 game. Hurtado is now batting .311/.449/.557 in June. pic.twitter.com/RPgwAZrcH9

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 30, 2026

Unfortunately, the Captains scored single runs in the fourth and fifth to take a 7-4 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, the ‘Caps came roaring back. Samuel Gil led off with a single, and after Luke Shliger struck out, Patrick Lee singled, and both scored on a Woody Hadeen double. Rainer walked on four pitches, as the strike zone contined to look extremely tight for the home plate umpire. Hurtado singled in Hadeen and Rainer, and it was 8-7 Whitecaps.

That’s where Harvey and Bruss melted down. The Captains scored eight runs in an unending inning of pain in the top of the seventh.

In the bottom half, Lee walked and then scored on another Hadeen double. Beyond that, this game just got stupid as the Whitecaps turned to position players, and the Captains relievers couldn’t throw strikes. The walks and homers piled up on the Captains side.

Hurtado: 3-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2B

Rainer: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 K

Hadeen: 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B, 2 BB

Lee: 1-2, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB

Zack Lee: 2.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET on Wednesday night.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 7, Palm Beach Cardinals 1 (box)

The Flying Tigers got a little help from a rehabbing slugger, and the pitching staff did a nice job as they returned home with a comfortable victory on Tuesday night.

The one thing that didn’t go right was Grayson Grinsell’s start. The lefty allowed three singles and a walk in the first, but managed to manuever through the inning without allowing a run. He did throw 33 pitches, so the Tigers pulled him.

Pedro Garcia took over for the second inning and he gave the Flying Tigers three scoreless frames to save the rest of the pen.

In the third, Jude Warwick and Nick Dumesnil led off the bottom half with singles. They’d only get one run, as Zach MacDonald and then Jordan Yost walked to force in a run. Beau Ankeney struck out and Josue Briceño popped out to end the inning.

In the third, Carson Rucker led off with a single and Edian Espinal walked. There was a delay for an injury as the Cardinals had to go to the bullpen. The new reliever walked Dumesnil, and Rucker scored on a Jesus Pinto ground out. MacDonald hit one 400 feet to center field, but it was run down to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, Briceño, rehabbing his preseason wrist surgery, smoked an opposite field shot for his first homer of the year. 3-0 Lakeland.

Welcome back Josue Briceño, who hits an oppo missile for his first home run of the season. It left his bat at 105.2 MPH and put Lakeland up 3-0. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/DH8etUImur

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 1, 2026

Right-hander Colin Fields, also on a rehab assignment, gave up a solo shot in the fifth to make it 3-1, but it was all Lakeland the rest of the way. Pinto mashed a three-run homer in the seventh to make it 6-1. Dumesnil singled in Rucker in the bottom of the eighth for the final run of the game.

Jesus Pinto launches a 3-run homer to left to break the game open for Lakeland. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/mQr3F8X0lm

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 1, 2026

Yost: 2-3, RBI, 2B, 2 BB, SB

Rucker: 2-3, 2 R, BB, K, SB

Dumesnil: 3-3, R, RBI, 2 BB

Garcia (W, 2-4): 3.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. ET start on Wednesday.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:W, 3-2 vs. Norfolk Tides

SS Jonathan Ornelas 1-3, 2B, BB, RBI
C J.C. Escarra 0-2, BB, RBI, HBP — finally playing in Triple-A after those very brief demotions earlier in June
2B Marco Luciano 1-3, RBI, SF
RF Yanquiel Fernández 1-4
3B Tyler Hardman 0-4, 2 K
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 0-4, K
DH Payton Henry 1-3, K, HBP
CF Duke Ellis 0-1, BB, K, outfield assist
LF Kenedy Corona 0-2, sacrifice

Adam Kloffenstein 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 5 K
Zach Messinger 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K (win)
Carson Coleman 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (save)

Double-A Somerset Patriots:W, 5-2 vs. Hartford Yard Goats

RF Jackson Castillo 3-4, HR, RBI, SB
CF Jace Avina 0-3, BB, K, outfield assist
3B Coby Morales 3-4, 2 2B
LF DJ Gladney 1-3, BB, RBI, K
C Tomas Frick 0-3, BB, K, GIDP
1B Josh Moylan 3-4, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI — helluva day in the 23-year-old’s seventh game at Double-A; two-run shot put Patriots ahead in the fourth, 3-1, and then hit another in the sixth
DH Miguel Palma 0-4, 3 K
SS Kevin Verde 0-4, 2 K
2B Connor McGinnis 0-4, 2 K

Cade Smith 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 4 K, HR (win)
Kelly Austin 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Matt Keating 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K — struck out all three hitters he faced
Harrison Cohen 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, HR — gave up a dinger to old friend Roc Riggio

Josh Moylan with a TWO-HOMER GAME to give the Zorros a 4-1 lead!!!🔥 pic.twitter.com/ykJpn9gDDe

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) July 1, 2026

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:L, 0-5 vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks — shut out on two hits

2B Kaeden Kent 0-4, BB, 2 K
SS Core Jackson 0-4, BB, K, SB
RF Wilson Rodriguez 0-1, 3 BB, K, 2 SB — no-contact day but hey he got on base
DH Eric Genther 0-2, 2 BB
1B Kyle West 0-4, 3 K
3B Roderick Arias 0-3, BB, K, fielding error
C Josue Gonzalez 1-4, K — singled in the fourth
CF Camden Troyer 0-3, BB, K
LF Luis Durango 1-4, 2 K — single in the ninth was just the Renegades’ second hit

Bryce Cunningham 5.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 1 K, HR, WP (loss) — the Arias error hurt but he didn’t pitch well anyway
Aaron Nixon 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Tanner Bauman 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, WP
Bryce Warrecker 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K — struck out the side

Low-A Tampa Tarpons:W, 6-0 at St. Lucie Mets — pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout

SS Jackson Lovich 1-5, 2 K
2B Hans Montero 0-5, K
C Luis Puello 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI — two-bagger doubled the Tarpons’ lead to 4-0 in the fifth, later got ejected for arguing a call at third
C Ediel Rivera 0-2, 2 K
LF Logan Maxwell 1-3, BB
3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 0-3, BB, K, SB
CF Brando Mayea 1-3, BB, RBI
RF JoJo Jackson 1-4, 2 RBI, 2 K
1B David McCann 2-2, HR, BB, RBI, HBP — clubbed his first homer above Rookie ball, perfect day at the dish
DH Engelth Urena 0-4, GIDP

Justin West 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, HBP (win) — 2025 18th-rounder set the tone nicely
Jose M. Rodriguez 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, HBP
Parker Seay 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, WP
Pedro Rodriguez 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Back-to-back multi-hit games by #Tarpons C/1B David McCann (2-for-2, HR, BB, HBP, RBI, 2 R). Reached base safely in all 4 trips to the plate, including this go-ahead HR leading off the 3rd – his 5th HR (1st w/ Low-A Tampa) and 1st since June 5th. #Yankeespic.twitter.com/7X2gdExLn5

— Nick Flammia (@NickFlammia) July 1, 2026

Florida Complex League Yankees: Postponed vs. FCL Tigers due to lightning and inclement weather; will make up in doubleheader today

Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 10-4 (7) vs. DSL Tigers 2

CF Isaias Castillo 2-4, 3B, HR, RBI, 2 K — very good game!
SS Stiven Marinez 1-4, 2B, fielding error
RF Yostin Pena 3-4, 3 RBI — single drove in one during the four-run first
2B Juan Torres 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, SB — went yard in the four-run sixth
1B Juan Martinez 1-3, 2B, BB, K, SB, throwing and fielding errors — did swipe home on double-steal in the fifth
C Cesar Lopez 1-3, BB, RBI, 2 SB, CS
DH Kenneth Melendez 1-2, RBI, K, SF — pro debut for May 29th signee
LF Manuel Aguilar 0-2, BB, 2 K, SB
3B Abrahan Pichardo 1-3, 2 K

Dalvin Taveras 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 3 K, HBP
Angel Salazar 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, HBP, throwing error (win)
Varis Villarreal 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

🚨Juan Torres hits a 2-Run Shot (5)!

108 MPH EV 🚀#RepBx#Yankeespic.twitter.com/2sUK5pPeBi

— YankeesFarm (@YankeesFarm) June 30, 2026

Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 5-10 at DSL Rangers Blue

SS Mani Cedeno 2-5, RBI, 2 K, SB
2B Carlos Bello 1-3, RBI, SB, HBP
DH Alessandro Rodriguez 2-4, 2 RBI
RF David Carrera 0-4, 2 K, outfield assist
3B Germayhoni Beltre 0-4, 3 K
C Poly Ojeda 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, CS
C Jesus Guerrero 0-0
CF Alfiery Matos 2-3, 3B, BB, K
1B Stalen Ramirez 0-3, RBI, SF
LF Sebastian Pinto 1-4, 2B

Junior Tavera 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 6 BB, 4 K, WP
Oscar Vasquez 2.1 IP, 0 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, WP
Ronald Tejada 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 0 K (loss)
Chaury Gomez 0.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, WP, HBP — ouch
Lenin Caceres 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, balk