DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 31: Hunter Goodman #15 of the Colorado Rockies prepares to bat in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Coors Field on July 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 MLB trade deadline is about 34 hours from now, and the Rockies haven’t been super active yet. They traded Seth Halvorsen to the Dodgers, but have stayed pat otherwise. Some of that, though, might be that they are asking a (rightfully) large return for Hunter Goodman. Additionally, the stove has been lukewarm all around the league so far. But that doesn’t mean it won’t heat up over the next day and a half.
Rockies fans have optimism that they’ll be much more active than recent history, though. The vast majority believe that the Rockies will make three or four trades by tomorrow at 4pm MT.
28% believe they’ll make one or two more, while 12% believe they’ll go nuts with 5+ trades and 1% thinks they’re already done.
Do you agree with the results? Have you changed your vote since the poll was posted on Monday? Let us know in the comments!
But in the meantime, here’s what our writers had to say this week:
The New York Yankees are -125 favorites to get back in the win column this afternoon.
Gerrit Cole gives them a big pitching edge, and my Yankees vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks see New York making the most of it on August 2.
Who will win Yankees vs Cubs today: Yankees (-125)
Gerrit Cole is in great form, having allowed just 10 runs over his last five starts while posting a 2.78 xFIP and 11.57 K/9.
His strong run of pitching should continue against the Chicago Cubs. They’ve been a middling offense the past month, sitting 16th in OPS and 20th in ISO against righties.
The New York Yankees have been up and down offensively, but should have their troubles eased against Colin Rea and his eighth percentile xERA.
Bet to -140.
COVERS INTEL:Cole's 98th percentile walk rate will help him further limit baserunners in a game with extremely pitcher-friendly conditions.
Yankees vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 6.5 (-105)
It’s not often you see totals of 6.5 — and see value on the Under to boot — but that’s the case here.
Cole has pitched like an ace over the last month, limiting runs effectively while posting a high K rate and excellent contact profile.
With Chicago’s offense in middling form, and winds blowing in at more than 20 miles per hour, it’ll be difficult to hit for power — and Cole isn’t allowing many hits.
The forecast calls for temperatures in the high 60s and strong winds blowing in. Big boost to the pitching.
Yankees vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Yankees -130 | Cubs +110
Run line: Yankees -1.5 (+140) | Cubs +1.5 (-160)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-115) | Under 6.5 (-105)
Yankees vs Cubs trend
New York has hit the game total Under in 25 of the last 40 games (+8.75 units, 20% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Cubs.
How to watch Yankees vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Sunday, August 2, 2026
First pitch
2:20 p.m. ET
TV
YES, Marquee
Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (4-5, 3.57 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Colin Rea (8-7, 4.68 ERA)
Yankees vs Cubs latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Tampa Bay Rays look to pick up their 10th win in 13 games this afternoon in their series decider against the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field.
Their hot streak has them favored at -148 on the moneyline, and my MLB picks are taking them to get another win behind Griffin Jax.
I explain why they’ll win a low-scoring affair in my White Sox vs. Rays predictionsfor Sunday, August 2.
Who will win White Sox vs Rays today: Rays moneyline (-148)
The Tampa Bay Rays hold a clear pitching advantage with starting pitcher Griffin Jax taking the mound.
His breaking ball run value ranks in the 86th percentile, anchored by a disgusting sweeper generating a 37.8% whiff rate and a .177 BAA.
Chicago White Sox starter Anthony Kay is allowing hard contact while struggling to record strikeouts. That’s a dangerous combination against a Tampa lineup with the eighth-lowest strikeout rate (20.6%) since July 1.
Jax has allowed one earned run or fewer in seven of his last 10 starts. Look for another strong start, with Tampa’s dominant pen bringing the game home.
Take the Rays to win to -155.
COVERS INTEL: Since July 1, Griffin Jax ranks in the Top 20 in strikeout rate (30.9%), K/9 (11.48), and xFIP (2.99) among 131 SP with at least 70 batters faced.
White Sox vs Rays Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-112)
Kay’s inability to limit hard contact won’t be exploited as much in this matchup, which should help keep scoring down.
The Rays rank dead last in hard-hit rate (23.4%) since the All-Star break. Their ISO of .140 is 10th-lowest, as is their K%.
Thankfully for them, the White Sox aren’t much better. They sit third-worst in HH% (29.3%) since the break, and are Bottom 10 in xwOBA, K%, and BABIP.
The probability of crooked numbers is low for both offenses at the moment, and I expect Tampa to see an eighth straight game with fewer than 7.5 runs.
I'm betting the Under down to -125.
Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 13-15, -3.18 units
Over/Under bets: 16-12, +3.13 units
White Sox vs Rays weather
Weather will not be a factor with the teams playing inside the domed Tropicana Field.
White Sox vs Rays odds
Moneyline: White Sox +138 | Rays -144
Run line: White Sox +1.5 (-156) | Rays -1.5 (+150)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+104) | Under 7.5 (-108)
White Sox vs Rays trend
The Rays have cashed the Under in 32 of their last 50 games for +13.35 units and a 24% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Rays.
How to watch White Sox vs Rays and game info
Location
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Date
Sunday, August 2, 2026
First pitch
1:40 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, Rays.TV
White Sox starting pitcher
Anthony Kay (7-5, 4.25 ERA)
Rays starting pitcher
Griffin Jax (6-8, 3.74 ERA)
White Sox vs Rays latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Detroit Tigers took the second of their three-game road series against the Athletics with an 8-6 win on Saturday night. Max Clark hit his first major league home run and Framber Valdez threw a quality start, but the bullpen almost gave another one away in the late innings.
Looking to seal the sweep in Sacramento, the Motor City Kitties send right-hander Keider Montero to the mound. The 26-year-old’s last outing against the Baltimore Orioles was a dud, serving up six runs (four earned) on nine hits (one home run) and a walk while striking out one and hitting a batter over 4 1/3 innings to earn his sixth loss of 2026 in an 8-5 final.
For the A’s, left-hander Gage Jump will be making the 13th start of his rookie campaign coming off one of his better outings of the summer. At home against the Boston Red Sox, the 23-year-old threw six scoreless frames on three hits and four walks while striking out seven to earn his fourth win in a 4-3 final.
Here is how things look on paper heading into the series finale on Sunday afternoon.
Detroit Tigers (53-58) vs. Athletics (44-66)
Time (ET): 4:05 p.m. Place: Sutter Health Park, Sacramento, California SB Nation Site:Athletics Nation Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 112: RHP Keider Montero (7-6, 3.34 ERA) vs. LHP Gage Jump (4-6, 4.00 ERA)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 01: Members of the 1986 New York Mets pose for a photograph after a ceremony honoring their World Series Championship prior to a game between the Mets and the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on August 01, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
On the day the Mets honored the 1986 championship team, the 2026 Mets highlighted their dissimilarity to that squad in a 6-2 loss to the Marlins at Citi Field. Despite a shaky start from Zac Thornton, the game remained close until the middle innings thanks to a Tyrone Taylor homer that got the Mets back in it, but Daniel Duarte had his first truly poor outing out of the bullpen this season to give the Marlins some cushion in a game that featured a lot of names we are going to see a lot more often in the final couple of months of the season after the trade deadline.
As expected, the reward to Xzavion Curry for soaking up five innings in relief on Friday night was a ticket back to Syracuse. Kevin Herget was recalled yesterday to take Curry’s spot on the roster.
The celebration served as a bittersweet reminder of how far the current organization still has to go, writes John Harper of SNY.
“I don’t think any of us could have ever predicted or imagined that one instance in time in baseball history would bring that much joy to people and create a lasting memory,” Mookie Wilson said yesterday, reflecting on the 1986 Mets. “There’s no one story I can tell that overshadows the rest.”
In Holmes’ stead, Robert Stock will be starting for the Mets this afternoon. It will be his first big league appearance since June 8, 2025 and his first start since 2021. Stock had been in competition for a roster spot with the Mets during spring training before undergoing thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in March.
In Triple-A, Jonah Tong struck out his 100th batter on the season yesterday.
The Braves beat the Nationals 8-3 on the back of seven one-hit innings from Martín Pérez. Pérez was not even the originally scheduled starter for Atlanta; Reynaldo López was scratched from the start about 50 minutes before first pitch due to left knee inflammation.
The Braves acquired outfielder Lane Thomas and left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter from the Royals in exchange for right-hander Lucas Braun—the Braves’ No. 8 prospect, per MLB Pipeline—and left-hander Carter Holton.
The Phillies shut out the Orioles 5-0, as Cristopher Sánchez struck out 11 batters over six scoreless innings.
Prior to yesterday’s win, the Phillies had lost 10 of their last 13 games as their bullpen woes deepened, ramping up the pressure on Dave Dombroski to improve the roster at the deadline.
Around Major League Baseball
There were a flurry of trades yesterday as things began to pick up ahead of Monday evening’s deadline. None were bigger than the Dodgers’ acquisition of two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal in exchange for three players, including two top-100 prospects: outfielder outfielder Zyhir Hope (No. 25, per Pipeline) and righties River Ryan (No. 68) and Brady Smith. “I’m excited to be a Dodger,” Skubal said to reporters after news of the trade broke. “I’m excited to get down there and meet all those guys and chase three championships in a row. It’s hard to do, so I’m excited to be a part of that.”
The Guardians traded Bo Naylor and Codi Heuer to the Brewers in exchange for Craig Yoho and Blake Perkins.
The Yankees dealt Camilo Doval to Pirates for prospects Luis Cruz and Omar Alfonzo.
Luis Castillo went to the White Sox and the Mariners received reliever Seranthony Dominguez, outfielder Nolan Jones and catching prospect Boston Smith in exchange.
The Angels scratched José Soriano from his scheduled start against the Brewers Saturday night in anticipation of a potential trade.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 21: JR Ritchie #60 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the sixth inning during the game against the San Diego Padres at Truist Park on July 21, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
August 1st started off with a bang, didn’t it?
Ultimate team player Martín Pérez was having a completely normal day before, in a span of five hours: thinking he was going to be traded, agreeing to start on short notice with scheduled starter Reynaldo López headed for the IL, and then carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning against a very legitimate Washington offense, leading the Braves to an 8-3 win.
It feels like April instead of August – here we are on a Sunday with the Braves aiming to turn a series win into a series sweep. Except this one is of the rare four-game variety, so let’s break out the mops.
With Pérez answering the call early, JR Ritchie was scratched from his start in Gwinnett last night and has been recalled to Atlanta.
Ritchie (1-2, 4.50 ERA) came out of the bullpen in his last five outings with the big club with his last start dating back to June 23. In that July mop-up capacity, he had a 3.38 ERA and still had an issue with walks. In his last start with the Stripers on July 26, he gave up seven hits and five earned runs in four innings of work.
This will be a rematch, as Ritchie will be opposed by Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli (8-4, 3.55 ERA). Cavalli has been a fairly consistent arm for the Nats and has a four-game streak of quality starts. Cavalli last faced the Braves in late April, where he surrendered seven hits in five innings, but only allowed two runs. JR Ritchie earned the win on his debut that same day by a final score of 7-2. A comfortable Braves win like that sounds nice for the Sunday matinee.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, August 2, 1:35 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV: BravesVision
Streaming: MLB.tv
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 21: Patrick Ngongba #21 of the Duke Blue Devils defends against David Punch #15 of the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 21, 2026 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
They’re correct to say that, while he’s a good athlete, he’s not elite. However, intelligence is a more valuable asset than raw athleticism. Look at some guys who have carved out nice NBA careers despite limited athleticism, at least by NBA standards: Jared McCain, Jalen Brunson, and Luka Doncic, to name a few. Now look how many great athletes have washed out of the league or failed to live up to expectations.
Never bet against smart players.
Ngongba needs to prove he can stay healthy, but assuming he can do that, he has a lot to offer, and not just post play: “Ngongba will have to be much better to overcome his age, and potentially even add some skills not yet seen. Though it’s not out of the question the NBA values his play-making big archetype, and ancillary skills, enough to take a shot on him in the late-lottery.
“Regardless, he should be a locked-in first-round selection with even limited improvement.”
The ancillary skills include his passing game, which is superb. He brings a lot to the table for any team, and we may see aspects of his game this season that we haven’t see before.
MACAU, CHINA - OCTOBER 12: The sneakers worn by Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns during the game against the Brooklyn Nets as part of 2025 NBA Global Games China at Venetian Arena on October 12, 2025 in Macau, China. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After two series of signature shoes and a childhood spent as a sneakerhead, Phoenix Suns All-Star Devin Booker is partnering with Rizzoli Publications to release a book titled In My Shoes: Hardwood to Concrete, chronicling the creation of his signature shoes.
Devin Booker's new book, In My Shoes, is dropping this September. Inside you’ll find roughly 150 pairs of Nike Book 1 releases and PEs that were revealed over a two year span 📖 pic.twitter.com/Eum8dyvq2T
Set to be released on September 8, the book chronicles how the Nike athlete aspired to join the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in having signature shoes with the company. It features initial sketches he made as a kid and present-day, behind-the-scenes looks at some of his most popular colorways, including his “Chapter One” shoes and player-exclusive designs such as “Desert Camo” and “Moss Point.”
Many NBA players have worn Booker’s signature shoe, including Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, who wore it when the two played against each other in December. Booker was trying to recruit Curry to Nike while Curry was a sneaker free agent this past year.
Available in hardcover, the 240-page book is available for preorder on Amazon for $56.98, with free delivery for Friday, September 11th.
While Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Charles Barkley and other Phoenix Suns players have had signature shoes while with the team, only Booker has played his entire career in Arizona, with many of his sneakers featuring purple and orange colorways that represent his Suns ties. His first signature shoe with Nike came out in 2024, with the Book 2s coming out earlier this year.
Predicting the Colorado Avalanche’s top scorers in 2026-27. [Sports Illustrated]
Former Avalanche goalie Justus Annunen has gone from a trade piece in Colorado to a rising star in Nashville, forcing the hockey world to rethink what his ceiling truly is. [The Hockey News]
News Around the League
Patrick Kane returns to Blackhawks on two-year deal. [Sportsnet]
Sharks And Celebrini agree to five-year, $94M extension at record $18.8M AAV. [TSN]
McDavid: Babcock ‘perfect fit’ for where Oilers are at. [The Score]
How Eric Lindros could have changed Avalanche history. [Sports Illustrated]
Women of Colour Hockey Collective broadens its reach by introducing the game to Jamaican children. [Toronto Star]
Gap remains wide as Senators, Drake Batherson work toward new deal. [Toronto Sun]
McKenna, other top prospects take in ‘fun’ NHLPA Rookie Showcase. [NHL]
Decision on Russian participation for the 2026-2027 IIHF Championship season made following event-by-event review. [IIHF]
Poland striker scores double on his home MLS debut
Messi returns as Inter Miami draw 2-2 with Columbus
Robert Lewandowski scored two goals on his home debut as the Chicago Fire eked out a 2-1 victory over Charlotte FC on Saturday. The win is Chicago’s first in Major League Soccer since the end of the international break.
Lewandowski, signed in late June as a free agent, produced a vintage performance to help the Fire (9-6-2, 29 points) close an ever-narrowing gap with the Eastern Conference’s top three clubs. Charlotte (7-7-4, 25pts) has now lost four of its last five road matches.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are going into the 2026-27 NHL season with an entirely new coaching staff, with Jim Hiller steering the ship from behind the bench.
It was a much-needed shakeup after the Maple Leafs missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since that streak started in 2016-17. With that change, particularly the hire of Hiller, turned heads.
In the process of searching for a new bench boss, Toronto had reported links to the likes of Peter Laviolette, Patrick Roy, Jay Woodcroft, Dallas Eakins, and even Joe Pavelski. But there weren't many hints about Hiller returning to the Maple Leafs organization for a second stint, this time as the 41st head coach in the franchise's history, instead of an assistant, as he was from 2015-16 to 2018-19 with Toronto.
Part of the reason for that is how Hiller's tenure with the Los Angeles Kings played out. Under Hiller, the Kings were a very mediocre team offensively at their best. At their worst, they were a team that kept a tight, defensive system but struggled mightily to score goals, which ultimately led to his firing on March 1.
Therefore, Hiller is certainly going into this coming season with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove.
Indeed, his system with Los Angeles led to average results and dull hockey, but that was a different team. The Kings didn't have superstar offensive talents such as Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Not to mention threats like John Tavares, Matthew Knies, Gavin McKenna, and others.
Hiller will have the opportunity to show that he's not just a coach who has his team sit back and defend. In fact, when he was an assistant in Toronto, he was in charge of the team's power play, meaning he can incorporate an attacking approach into his team's play.
His time with the Kings was his only stint as a head coach in the NHL. With that, there isn't much of a successful sample size to say that Hiller is a top coach in the league and capable of guiding the Leafs back to the playoffs. After all, he finished 24th in TheHockeyNews.com's NHL head coach ranking.
But if he's going to rewrite that narrative, he'll have to do it under some real pressure, not just because of where the Maple Leafs stand based on failure from this past year, but also because of the market.
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SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 13: Jeremy Sochan #20 of the New York Knicks arrives to the arena before the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jeremy Sochan has had a strange NBA ride. Originally drafted ninth overall in 2022, he was a bit of a mismatch for the San Antonio Spurs. With his bright-colored hair and intimidating on-court nature, he harkened back to the mid-90s when the Spurs traded for Dennis Rodman. Like Rodman, Sochan never quite fit in with the Spurs culture.
In his first two seasons, while the Spurs were struggling to get their footing, Sochan’s struggles flew under the radar. He averaged between 26 and 29 minutes per game and averaged just over 11 points, but waffled as a power forward against many of the league’s larger, more experienced players. It was during the second season that Gregg Popovich tried him out as point guard, an experiment that ultimately failed. In his third season, he maintained roughly the same amount of minutes and points per game, but lost his starting spot alongside Victor Wembanyama, Chris Paul, and Harrison Barnes, ceding the role to Devin Vassell. He was given some minutes as the center when the Spurs went small, another unsuccessful ordeal.
The 2025-2026 season exposed chinks in the armor as Sochan struggled to find minutes at all. Over 28 games, he averaged just 12.8 minutes scoring 4.1 points. As the trade deadline approached, his name was mentioned in conversations. It seemed a suitable trade could not be found so the Spurs waived him. It was believed in media circles that Sochan’s next destination was overseas. But lo and behold, he signed on with the New York Knicks two days later. Unfortunately, he fared even worse in The Big Apple averaging 6.9 minutes over 16 games scoring 2.8 points per game.
That said, Jeremy Sochan ended up an NBA Champion. That is an honor no one can take away from him. He played in the final minutes of Game 5 and was on the court when the final buzzer ended the season. He hoisted the Larry O’Brien in the same arena he’d played his first three-plus seasons. But his time in New York ended shortly after the festivities.
Sochan entered free agency this summer and has now signed a one-year minimum deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.
From a lottery pick with potential $80M plus extension upside in San Antonio to signing a 1-year minimum deal (~$2.5M) in Portland, the business of the NBA is harsh and moves fast.
Jeremy Sochan now gets a full reset with the Trail Blazers to rebuild his market value and prove… https://t.co/cz8woRBdWY
A vet minimum is a far cry from what Sochan may have anticipated a couple of years ago, but time has a way of altering fortunes. And Portland may be the last stop on his NBA ride. The Trail Blazers Organization has been in a bit of a tailspin itself.
First, it was exposed that owner Tom Dundon utilized money saving techniques such as leaving two-way players behind on road trips, forcing staff to check out early from hotels, and reducing treatment staff. Then he eliminated fan experiences such as t-shirt giveaways. He also cut coaching salaries and limited contracts. After Chauncey Billups stepped down due to illegal gambling practices, Tiago Splitter was named interim for the remainder of the season. Splitter was not invited back. They hired Micah Nori, but limited the contract to one season.
In addition to signing Sochan, Portland traded Kris Murphy and Jerami Grant for Ja Morant, adding to the Island of Misfit Toys motif.
Whatever strategy Portland is taking, Sochan’s NBA career got the life support it needed to keep him in the big show for another year. If he can bounce back into form and pick up minutes, he could find himself in the Pacific Northwest for an extended stay.
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New York Post | Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman: Late last night, Sherman and Heyman dropped a report that the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes seems to be coming to a head, and while the Dodgers appear to be the favorites, the Yankees and the Brewers have also been in hot pursuit of the back-to-back American League Cy Young winner. According to the report, the Tigers initially asked for a package that contains two majors leaguers (including a starting pitcher) and two prospects — but which lacked George Lombard Jr., the Yankees’ top prospect. As it turned out, though, they would wind up falling short, as less than a half hour after their article went live, Jeff Passan tweeted that the Dodgers had finalized a trade for Skubal. While I never quite thought that the Yankees would reel in the former Tigers ace — their needs in the starting lineup vastly outshine their needs in the rotation — this nonetheless stings.
MLB.com | Aiden Stepansky: While the Yankees will most certainly be buyers at this year’s Trade Deadline, their first move this year was to in fact unload a player. Prior to yesterday’s game against the Chicago Cubs, the Bombers sent Camilo Doval to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for a pair of prospects in Omar Alfonzo and Luis Cruz. Yovanny Cruz was promoted from Triple-A as the corresponding move for the MLB roster. Doval, who was acquired from the San Francisco Giants at last year’s deadline, never really settled in with the Yankees, and now, looks to bounce back away from the Bronx, where he had been downright horrendous this season (7.08 ERA at home).
MLB Trade Rumors | Charlie Wright: It’s no secret that the Yankees need some help at the plate, and although their attention has primarily been on right-handed bats (last night’s awful performance against David Peterson is a prime example as to how weak they are against southpaws), they simply need bats, period. As such, the team has apparently checked in on Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr., who is in the midst of a career year in his age-26 season. A left-handed bat who is, realistically, a platoon bat at first base, Garcia is not exactly the ideal fit for a Yankees squad that, when fully healthy, has the first base and DH spots already covered in Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton. The thing is, though, they have never really been fully healthy this year, and, well, a 137 OPS+ is a 137 OPS+; sometimes, you swing for the bat and figure out the details later — like when the Yankees added Edwin Encarnacion in 2019 while Aaron Judge and Stanton were on the shelf.
MLB.com | Rob Terranova: Every year, an unknown prospect emerges who can throw triple digits and suddenly finds himself on everybody’s radar. This year, that player is Allen Facundo. Signed out of Venezuela five years ago, Facundo has battled arm injuries his entire professional career, missing 2022 with shoulder issues and undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024. Now healthy for the first time, uh, ever, the 23-year-old has skyrocketed up prospect risks, jumping from the organization’s 26th prospect to eighth as he has struck out more than a batter an inning with Hudson Valley. While he’s probably too far away to help this season, the left-hander profiles as a future bullpen arm — and, well, southpaws who can sling it 100 mph aren’t exactly a dime a dozen.
Newsweek | Jon Paul Hoornstra: Gil Blanco, who made 17 appearances with the Yankees in 1965 during his age-19 season, passed away in July, at the age of 80. We send our condolences to his family.
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 01: Parker Messick #77 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, August 1, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Grace Hoppel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Guardians are just a rough watch night in and night out. Messick and Holderman were great tonight, as they have been all season, and then Gaddis and Aleman decide to implode. The offense did put some runs on the board in the last couple innings once the game was already over so I guess that is one positive takeaway from this game. It just feels like this team is missing something. They aren’t the worst Guardians team in recent memory, but they may be the most boring.
The Guardians will try to avoid the sweep tomorrow. It will be Merrill Kelly vs Gavin Williams at 1:40 pm ET.
COVERS INTEL:
