Jul 1, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Camilo Doval (75) reacts after walking Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) with the baes loaded to drive in the game winning run during the eleventh inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
After a pair of home-run-saturated wins to start a three-game series in the Bronx, the Tigers looked to complete the sweep on a swelteringly-hot Wednesday afternoon. It took a couple of extra innings, and the drama was a little too much to bear at times, but the Tigers managed to pull off the sweep, winning 6-2 in 11 innings.
Troy Melton made his seventh start of the year for the Tigers. His previous two outings went six innings and saw him give up a single run each time. His previous start, at home against the Astros, saw him retire the first sixteen batters in a row before eight-hole hitter Taylor Trammell hit a solo home run. The one before that, against the White Sox, was almost as good: he surrendered a solo home run to the first batter he saw, and gave up no more hits (although he did walk three).
Facing the Tigers was righty Will Warren, who was making his seventeenth start of the year. He’s been good overall, in his second full season in the major leagues; he led the American League last year in games started with 33, and finshed eighth in Rookie of the Year voting. He got roughed-up in his last start in Fenway Park, though, and quite a few of his recent starts have seen him exit before the fifth inning. He definitely walks more batters than Yankee fans would like to see, and that’ll help shorten an outing.
Dillon Dingler, naturally, got on base with a double with one out in the top of the first. He advanced to third on a Kerry Carpenter groundout, but Riley Greene struck out to end the inning. Similarly, Melton gave up a leadoff single to Ben Rice, but he was stranded on first as the third out was made.
In the top of the third, Kevin McGonigle found a fastball he liked, and smacked it a long way over the bullpen in right-centrefield for a 1-0 Tiger lead.
Meanwhile, Melton kept rolling: he gave up a two-out double to Jazz Chisolm Jr. in the fourth, then struck out the next three batters he faced.
The Tigers added to their lead in the sixth: Dingler led off with a single, then took third on a Carpenter single, who himself skooched up to second when the outfielder’s throw sailed over the cutoff man. Greene hit a sacrifice fly to the wall in left field, scoring Dingler to make it 2-0.
Carpenter smartly advanced to third, seeing that Cody Bellinger in left field had caught the ball rather flat-footed and wouldn’t be able to get a good throw to third base. After Colt Keith struck out, Spencer Torkelson walked, but Zach McKinstry hit a sharp comebacker to the mound and the third out was recorded at first base.
After two quick outs in the bottom of the sixth, Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter paid Melton a visit on the mound to discuss how to pitch to Bellinger. Whatever they talked about seemed to work, as Bellinger struck out on a 1-2 cutter, and that officially made three straight starts that Melton had made it through six innings with two or fewer hits, and one or no runs surrendered. Seeing as how he was cruising, and his pitch count was at a comfortable 81 he didn’t get the ol’ handshake, meaning he’d come out to start the seventh.
After Melton got one out in the seventh, he was told his job was done for the day, and Drew Sommers was brought in to face the lefty Chisolm, and he struck him out on a drop-down sidearm slider. (Remember years ago when pitchers would occasionally drop down sidearm to give a different look? They don’t seem to do that much anymore.) Anyway, Melton’s final line was 6 1/3 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts, and holy moly, that is lovely. Sommers coaxed a grounder to short for the final out of the seventh, and the Tigers were six outs away from a sweep… theoretically.
Drew “The Other One” Anderson came on for the eighth and he got into, and out of, a jam. A pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt (more on this in a minute) put runners on second and third with one out. But Anderson got Rice to strike out on three pitches — the final one swinging a 99-mph heater right down the middle — and then Jasson Dominguez followed with a screaming line drive to centre… which was caught by James “The Third” Outman.
Now, about bunts… some people love ‘em. Some people hate ‘em. My opinion is that their use should be extremely limited: by a home team in extra innings in a tie game with a runner on second (more on this in a minute), and maybe in a first-and-second, no-out situation. But that’s it, other than trying to bunt for a base hit. The revised Run Expectancy Matrix suggests that the latter case, on average, decreases expected run scoring — but you also have to take into account who’s at bat, who’s behind him, the game situation, and so on.
In the top of the ninth the Tigers went 1-2-3 against two different pitchers, so we’d go to the end with a two-run lead, a narrow margin in the Bronx Bandbox. Too narrow, as we shall see.
Anderson carried on into the ninth and gave up a one-out solo home run to Amed Rosario to make it a 2-1 game. Chisolm reached first on a ground ball that clanked off Torkelson’s glove, and he stole second on the first pitch. He stole third on the next pitch — pay attention, Drew! — and the infield drew in tight. Anderson yanked a changeup into the dirt, the wild pitch scored Chisolm, and the score was tied. Anthony Volpe hit a comebacker that Anderson couldn’t handle for an infield single, and he tried to steal second but came off the bag and McKinstry kept the glove on him. A popup to third base was the final out of the inning, and we’d go to extras.
With one out in the top of the tenth, McKinstry — who was on second — took third on a very wild pitch. Jake Rogers struck out for the second out, bringing up McGonigle… who flew out to right.
Keider Montero came in for the bottom of the tenth as he begins a stint in the bullpen, and Spencer Jones started the inning on second base. The Yankees came a-buntin’, and Jones advanced to third with one out. That pulled the outfielders in comically shallow, and Oswaldo Cabrera struck out for the second out. Rice was up next and he was intentionally walked so Montero could face Ali Sanchez, who he struck out to send the game into the eleventh.
Camilo Duval, armed with a 103-mph fastball, was brought in to pitch the bottom of the eleventh. McGonigle started the inning on second, and he moved up to third on a Dingler groundout to second. Matt Vierling followed with a grounder to a drawn-in shortstop for the second out, and Greene was intentionally walked to bring up Hao-Yu Lee with runners on the corners. Greene moved up to second uncontested, and Lee walked on a wild slider to load the bases for Torkelson. The count went full, and Torkelson held off on a low sinker for the bases-loaded walk and a 3-2 lead. McKinstry was up next, and he poked a single into right; Greene and Lee scored, and after a wild throw by the Yankee catcher to second to try to nab McKinstry at second, Torkelson scored as well for a 6-2 lead.
Montero carried on into the bottom of the eleventh and slammed the door with a 1-2-3 inning, and that completed the sweep. Huge performance from Keider Montero. That was nice, wasn’t it?
In case you missed it, Will Vest was placed on the Injured List with the dreaded “elbow inflammation.” Could this be the explanation behind his shaky performance so far this season, and especially lately? The Tigers are confident that it’s not a ligament issue, though, which is good news.
Jake Rogers hit 21 home runs in 2023. That isn’t news, of course, but given his struggles at the plate in recent years, that just seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it?
When looking up information about Will Warren, I saw there was a pitcher in the Negro National League from 1945-47 named Warren Peace. No word on whether or not he was into extremely long books.
Happy Canada Day, everyone! On this day in 1867, after some people here asked the UK politely if they could run things themselves, the UK said, “Sure, why not? But we want you to keep the current king or queen on your coins. Could you do that for us?” We agreed to that, and a country was born.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 19, 2026: Keyner Martinez #48 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Cincinnati Reds at Scottsdale Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
All seven of the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates were in action on Tuesday, with the A-ball teams all beginning a new series. So let’s jump straight into the excitement!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
The only news on the farm is that High-A Eugene teammates Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) and Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) were named to the All-Star Futures Game roster. Congrats to both!
AAA Sacramento (44-35)
Sacramento River Cats beat the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres) 10-5 Box score
A great day of offense for the River Cats, who saw 8 of their 14 hits go for extra bases. There were tons of strong performances, but the best ones belonged to catcher Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) and left fielder Scott Bandura.
June was a rough month for Rodríguez, though he certainly ended it in style. He opened the month by getting optioned on June 1, ending his debut MLB stint. From there, he really struggled, not just with the bat (which was uncharacteristic), but also behind the dish (a bit more expected). The recently-turned 24-year old surely took notice when the Giants had a hole at catcher and decided to roster Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL), rather than bring Rodríguez back up.
But whether his future is as a catcher or a utility player, no one can deny the talent that remains in Rodríguez’s bat, and he showed it off on Tuesday when he hit 3-5 with a solo home run, a double, 3 runs batted in, and a strikeout. Luis Arráez wasn’t the only person in the organization to finish just shy of the cycle yesterday!
Hopefully that can jump-start the righty, as, even with that strong day, he posted just a .691 OPS in June, bringing him down to a .779 OPS and a 106 wRC+ on the year.
As for Bandura, it’s been a slow adjustment to AAA following a fairly early promotion this year. But, like Rodríguez, he has so much potential with his bat, and showed that off in this game, hitting 2-3 with a 2-run home run, a walk, a sacrifice fly, a stolen base, and a strikeout. A little bit of everything!
The lefty has been swinging the bat better lately, and in the final 5 games of June hit 6-17 with 4 extra-base hits, 3 walks, and just 2 strikeouts. He only has a .682 OPS and a 77 wRC+ through 35 games at the level, but there’s plenty to be excited about, including a very nice 19.5% strikeout rate, and some quality defense across the grass.
Recently-outrighted right fielder Will Brennan hit 2-4 with a double and a walk, while first baseman Jake Holton hit 2-5 with a pair of doubles, and do-everything third baseman Thomas Gavello went 2-3 with a triple, a hit by pitch, and a stolen base.
On the mound, LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL) made his 5th AAA start since getting promoted, and was solid if certainly not spectacular. Whitman went 6 innings and gave up 6 hits (including a home run to rehabbing Major Leaguer Luis Campusano), 2 walks, and 3 runs, though he only struck out 3 batters. Whitman certainly wasn’t at his sharpest, as evidenced by throwing just 56 of 94 pitches for strikes, but the Giants have to love his ability to get deep into games. He’s pitched into the 6th inning in 4 of his 5 starts with Sacramento, and has finished it twice. That’s been something they’ve been lacking at the AAA level. On the whole, the 24-year old has a 4.23 ERA and a 5.40 FIP since his promotion, with just 6 walks allowed in 27.2 innings.
A rough outing for rehabbing RHP Jason Foley, who gave up 2 hits, 1 walk, and 2 earned runs, while only recording 1 out. Foley has been struggling during his rehab, which certainly puts the Giants in a little bit of a predicament. We’ll have to wait to see what they do there.
Veteran RHP Michael Fulmer pitched a perfect 9th inning with 2 strikeouts, and needed just 9 pitches to do it. His stuff isn’t particularly exciting, but he has a 3.38 ERA, a 3.33 FIP, and 12.7 strikeouts per 9 innings; that’s valuable depth in AAA.
A really nice day on the mound for RHP Trystan Vrieling, who has had an up-and-down season. The 2022 3rd-rounder, who came to the Giants in the Camilo Doval trade a year ago, cruised through 6 innings, giving up just 2 hits and 1 run, though he did walk 3 and commit an error, while only striking out 3 batters. Still: that’s a great start!
Vrieling, a 25-year old who didn’t debut until 2024, is back in AA after spending virtually the entire 2025 season there, and so far the results haven’t been encouraging. While the ERA is down ever so slightly (from 4.74 to 4.45), the FIP is up dramatically (4.37 to 5.81), and the strikeouts are down a tad (8.6 per 9 to 8.5). Most concerningly, the walks have spiked, from 3.4 per 9 innings to 6.7. There’s a lot of work to be done there, though Tuesday was a reminder as to why he was a high draft pick in the first place.
Another great showing from RHP Christian Alvarado, as the 31-year old settles back into affiliated ball for the first time since 2019, when he topped out in AA with the Orioles. He struck out a pair of batters while picking up the save, and issuing just 1 baserunner on a walk. Since signing with the Giants, Alvarado has allowed just 3 baserunners in 4 shutout innings, with 8 strikeouts. My guess is we see him in AAA at some point in the second half of the season.
In the batter’s box, third baseman Charlie Szykowny had a very nice 26th birthday, hitting 2-4 with a 2-run home run and a strikeout. The dinger was his 11th of the year, which moved him into a tie for 3rd place on the farm, behind only sluggers Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) and Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL).
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 30, 2026
Szykowny ended the month in style, as it was his second straight game with 2 hits and a home run. That’s got to feel good considering the slump he was in before that pair of games: in his prior 9 games, he was 2-34 with 0 home runs and 18 strikeouts. With that, the lefty is down to a .793 OPS and a 106 wRC+, but hopefully he can build on these games.
Left fielder Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) hit 2-4 with a double. He didn’t have a very strong June, but ends it with a 4-game hitting streak, and still has a very nice .860 OPS and 130 wRC+ on the year. Like his teammate Davidson, Harber has excellent numbers but the Giants likely want to see contact and swing decision improvements before moving him up to AAA. But then again, the Giants don’t really do anything developmentally the way I expect, so maybe that pair will be headed to Sacramento imminently!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 30, 2026
Shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL) capped a brutal June by going 0-4 with 2 strikeouts. The lefty finished the month just 10-74 with 37 strikeouts … Richmond was an aggressive assignment for the 2023 4th-rounder out of Tennessee, and while it was going well for a while, it’s come crashing down now. He has a .640 OPS and a 74 wRC+ on the season.
High-A Eugene (46-30)
Eugene Emeralds lost to the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) 6-5 Box score
A rough loss for the Emeralds, who carried a lead into the bottom of the 9th inning. RHP Liam Simon, who has been regressing lately, entered in the 9th with 2 outs and the tying run on 3rd base. He proceeded to walk the bases loaded, and then gave up a game-winning 2-run single.
Simon has some of the nastiest stuff in the system, but just has not been able to control his pitches following a strong of severe injuries. While he’s struck out a staggering 41 batters in 23.1 innings this year, he’s also walked 24 … while also hitting 4 batters, and allowing 28 hits. An odd season, but if he’s able to get his control back at some point, he could take off, a la Spencer Miles.
That (along with a tough outing from RHP Cole Hillier), ruined a nice start by LHP Tyler Switalski, who went 5.2 innings while giving up just 3 hits, 2 walks, and 1 run, and striking out 6. It’s been an up-and-down season for the just-turned 23-year old, but in his last 3 starts he’s allowed only 4 runs in 16.2 innings, with 20 strikeouts.
While the overall numbers are middle of the road (3.91 ERA, 4.26 FIP), Switalski’s improvements this year are remarkable. In his debut season last year, the 2024 16th-rounder struck out just 7.9 batters per 9 innings in Low-A, and then a mere 6.7 in High-A. This year? 11.5! From awful to excellent! And just as remarkably, he’s made those strikeout gains while lowering his walk rate, from 3.7 per 9 across the pair of levels, to 3.2 this year.
There has really only been one downside to Switalski’s season: after ceding just 3 homers in 96.2 innings a year ago, he’s allowed a whopping 11 big flies in just 71.1 innings this year. Still, some awesome improvements.
A trio of nice days in the batter’s box, led by center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL), who only hit 1-4 with a strikeout, but crushed a mammoth 2-run home run, which was his 12th of the year, moving him into solo second place in the system behind only Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL).
Jordan’s strikeout issues remain severe — he has a 29.5% strikeout rate and a 16.7% swinging strike rate — but my goodness does he make loud contact. He has a .798 OPS and a 110 wRC+ on the season, and hopefully can boost those numbers in July.
The other nice days flanked him in the outfield grass: right fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) hit 1-3 with 2 walks and was caught stealing, giving him an .823 OPS and a 125 wRC+, while left fielder Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL) went 2-3 with a walk and 2 stolen bases, bumping his OPS to .789 and his wRC+ to 113, with 18 stolen bases in 19 attempts.
Low-A San Jose (44-32)
San Jose Giants beat the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels) 2-1 (11 innings) Box score
This was a dramatic game! It was scoreless going into the 8th inning, when the Baby Giants took the lead on a solo home run from designated hitter Yosneiker Rivas, who was playing in just his 2nd game since getting promoted from the Complex League.
WELCOME TO SAN JOSE YOSNEIKER RIVAS! His first home run in a Giants uniform breaks a scoreless game in the 8th. pic.twitter.com/1bZqZpb9RJ
They then gave up the lead in the 9th inning, but kept Rancho Cucamonga off the board in the 10th and 11th, before walking it off in the bottom half of the inning on a fielder’s choice with an error.
The drama may have been how it ended, but the story was how it started: with RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL) having an utterly sensational showing. Martinez was completely dominant through 6 shutout innings, holding the Quakes to just 2 singles and 2 walks, while striking out 11 of the 21 batters he faced. My goodness!
It was the second time this year that the 21-year old reached double-digit strikeouts, and it gave him a staggering 41 punchouts in just 22.2 innings in June. There’s no denying that Martinez has some of the most electric stuff in the system, and I think you have to dip into the relief pools to find anyone who could even have a claim for matching his raw stuff. It’s simply overpowering, as evidenced by the 14.9 strikeouts per 98 innings … a mark that ranks 1st among the 449 Minor League pitchers with at least 50 innings thrown this year. The top of the top!
Keyner Martinez struck out 11 over six shutout innings, topping at 98mph, in Tuesday’s victory over Rancho Cucamonga. Following the victory, San Jose’s record improves to 44-32, best in the California League.
It’s not all perfect. You don’t have a 4.42 ERA and a 4.45 FIP without doing a few things wrong, and right now the main thing Martinez is struggling with is walking batters. After having just 1.9 walks per 9 innings in the Complex League last year, the young Venezuelan walked 4.5 batters per 9 following a midseason promotion to San Jose … and is walking 5.6 per 9 this year. His home runs per 9 innings has also spiked, from 0.19 in the Complex League to 0.82 in Low-A, both last year and this year, while his groundball rate has dropped about 10 percentage points.
Still and all. 91 strikeouts in 55 innings doesn’t grow on trees, especially with 21-year olds. Martinez may have a lot to work on, but his performance — combined with the performance of other pitchers in the system — has drawn a very firm line in the sand, in my eyes. Martinez is the organization’s top pitching prospect, and unless they draft Jackson Flora next weekend, I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
RHP Fernando Vasquez also had a nice game, as the 24-year old tossed 2 no-hit innings with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts. Like Martinez, Vasquez has a huge walk issue: he’s given up 30 in just 28.2 innings, which has given him a 6.28 ERA and a 6.23 FIP. But he’s only allowed 14 hits, and struck out 32, so when he stays in the zone he’s virtually unhittable.
No one did anything on offense save for the aforementioned dinger from the 20-year old Rivas, who was promoted to A-ball after just 16 games in the Complex League (which followed 3 seasons in the DSL). Catcher Junior Barajas had a particularly rough game, striking out in all 4 of his at-bats. Last year’s 11th-round pick has been in a free fall following his brilliant start to his debut season: he had a .940 OPS in April, a .573 OPS in May, and a .540 OPS in June.
This game was all about rehabbing players. All of the offense came on one swing of the bat from shortstop Christian Koss, who went just 1-4 but smashed a 2-run home run. Koss had spent the day prior in Phoenix, on the taxi squad for a Giants team that was without a backup infielder due to Willy Adames having the “too injured to play, not injured enough to go on the IL” specialty. After a day on the taxi squad, the Giants decided they were fine and sent Koss back to his rehab and proceeded with their shorthanded infield.
The result? Matt Chapman trying to play through an injury, center fielder Jonah Cox playing second base, and Luis Arráez getting moved to third. But hey, at least it won them a rookie league game, right?!?
On the mound, the ACL Giants used 4 pitchers, and 3 of them were rehabbing. It began with AAA LHP Matt Wilkinson, who was as good as you would expect a AAA pitcher to be in rookie ball, as he threw 3 no-hit innings with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts. Wilkinson rehabbing in the ACL was a tiny bit surprising, since he didn’t spend much time on the IL … he last pitched on June 17, so he really only missed 1 start.
Then it was LHP Hayden Wynja, who made his 2nd rehab appearance after missing the entirety of the 2025 season. A very tall 27-year old UDFA who was in High-A when he last pitched, Wynja gave up 3 hits and a run in 2 innings, with 3 strikeouts.
Finishing off the rehab appearances was AA RHP Logan Martin, who struck out 2 batters in 2 shutout innings, with 0 hits and 1 walk. It was the 2nd rehab appearance for Martin, a 24-year old who came to the Giants in the Mason Black trade this offseason. He missed a month with injury, so we’ll see how many rehab appearances he makes before heading back to Richmond.
While the rehabbing pitchers got the attention, the best pitching performance belonged to the one arm who wasn’t rehabbing: RHP Samir Chires, who struck out 5 batters in 2 scoreless innings, while allowing a hit and a walk. The 22-year old Venezuelan is in his 4th year in the ACL, so it’s go time for him … and so far he’s going, as he has a 2.25 ERA, a 4.00 FIP, and 38 strikeouts against just 9 walks in 24 innings.
Dominican Summer League Black (12-10)
DSL Giants Black beat the DSL Mets Blue 4-2 (7 innings) Box score
A pair of really nice pitching performances, courtesy of LHPs Santiago Guerrero and Hector Dos Santos. Guerrero struggled with command a bit, as he walked 3 batters and hit another, but he threw 4 no-hit innings in the start, while striking out 3. The 18-year old from Mexico, who is in his debut season, has been quite unhittable this year, allowing just 7 hits in 17.2 innings. The strikeout-to-walk numbers (18-to-11) aren’t great, but it’s still been a very encouraging debut, and has led to a 2.04 ERA (albeit with a 5.40 FIP). Dos Santos, a 20-year old in his 2nd season, had a similar performance, as he tossed 2 no-hit innings, but walked 2 while striking out 3. Like Guerrero, Dos Santos doesn’t have a great strikeout-to-walk ratio (12-to-7), but has only allowed 4 hits in 9.2 innings, leading to a 2.79 ERA and a 5.84 FIP.
On offense, left fielder Franco Willias did what he does best: get on base and do stuff once there. The recently-turned 21-year old went 0-1, but he drew 2 walks, was hit by a pitch, and stole a base. He has a .408 on-base percentage, with 11 stolen bases in 22 games (and has been caught stealing just once). Overall, it’s a .915 OPS and a 118 wRC+ in his 3rd season.
Dominican Summer League Orange (13-9)
DSL Giants Orange beat the DSL Mariners 7-4 Box score
Might as well keep with the pitching theme from the other DSL game, as RHP Omar Calcurian pitched 2 no-hit innings but walked 2, while striking out 3. We’ve seen that line before! And hey, in keeping with that theme, Calcurian isn’t allowing hits, but doesn’t have great strikeout and walk numbers, either: the 21-year old has thrown 16.2 innings, and has allowed just 5 hits … but has walked 9 with 16 strikeouts. It’s a 1.62 ERA and a 5.51 FIP for the Venezuelan.
Also a good game for RHP Jose Trevizo, who allowed 2 hits, 1 hit batter, and 1 run in 3 innings, while striking out 5. Unlike the other pitchers we’ve mentioned, the 19-year old has a beautiful 20 strikeouts against 3 walks in 16 innings this year, his 2nd in the DSL. He has just a 5.06 ERA, but a 3.12 FIP.
Nice days in the box for second baseman Yoxander Benitez, left fielder Ricardo Crespo, and designated hitter Jesus Hernandez. Benitez, a 19-year old from Aruba in his 3rd season, hit 3-5 with a double and a strikeout, raising his OPS to .744 and his wRC+ to 96; Crespo, a 19-year fold from Venezuela in his 3rd season, went 1-3 with a double, 2 walks, and a strikeout, and now has an .841 OPS and a 154 wRC+; and Hernandez, a 17-year old from Venezuela playing in just his 7th game, went 1-3 with a double, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. The double was his 2nd career hit, after homering over the weekend.
Home run tracker
12 — Dakota Jordan — [High-A] 11 — Charlie Szykowny — [AA] 6 — Jesús Rodríguez — [2 in MLB; 4 in AAA] 5 — Scott Bandura — [2 in AAA; 3 in AA] 2 — Christian Koss — [1 in AAA; 1 in ACL] 1 — Yosneiker Rivas — [Low-A]
Wednesday schedule
Sacramento: 5:35 p.m. PT at El Paso (SP: TBD) Richmond: 3:30 p.m. PT at Harrisburg (SP: Yunior Marte) Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Vancouver (SP: Luis De La Torre) San Jose: 6:30 p.m. PT vs. Rancho Cucamonga (SP: Jordan Gottesman)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 01: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Fenway Park on July 01, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox are fully back down to earth after the thrill of sweeping the Yankees. Boston fell to Washington 10-2 on Wednesday and dropped the series to the Nationals. The Red Sox ran out of momentum after they won the series opener.
The starter didn’t have it in the finale and the bats resembled their usual underwhelming selves.
Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday’s loss.
PROBLEMS FOR PAYTON Payton Tolle put together a sensational outing through an illness Friday when he allowed just one hit in seven shutout innings against the Yankees. His start Wednesday afternoon took a complete 180.
The young left-hander struggled to begin the fourth inning and surrendered six earned runs on seven hits in just 3.0-plus innings of work. Tolle struck out five but walked three in a step back on the mound as the rotation comes off of the significant run of quality starts.
BATS FALL SHORT AGAIN The Red Sox put together solid at-bats even into Monday’s win before a rapid falloff. Boston mustered just a run and four hits on Tuesday. Wednesday wasn’t much better with four hits for most of the afternoon before the lineup mustered a pair of runs in the eighth inning.
The New York series offered a flash in the pan, but the lineup doesn’t have enough to make that run consistent.
COAST TO COAST
The Red Sox will not play another game at Fenway Park until after the All-Star break on July 17 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Boston hits the road for nine games and will travel coast to coast to do so.
Boston heads to Anaheim for three games with the Angels, including another Sunday night game. After an off-day, the Red Sox continue with three games against the surprisingly solid Chicago White Sox and finish the first half with a three-game set at Citi Field against the also-underwhelming New York Mets.
The Yankees rallied for a couple of runs in the ninth, but fell to the Detroit Tigers in 11 innings by a score of 6-2.
The Tigers completed the sweep, as the Yankees have now lost seven games in a row.
Here are the takeaways…
-- It was a pretty abysmal day for the Yankees’ bats, for most of the game anyway. The Bombers had just four hits through the first eight innings, but found a way to rally in the ninth.
After an Amed Rosario home run cut the lead to one run, Jazz Chisholm Jr. made a run happen almost entirely on his own. After a single off of first baseman Hao-Yu Lee's glove, Jazz stole second and third, then came in to score the tying run on a wild pitch by Tigers righty Drew Anderson.
Making his return to the lineup following being in the concussion protocol, Chisholm made an impact with a pair of hits and a pair of stolen bases.
-- In the 11th, with a runner on third and one out, the Yankees elected to intentionally walk Riley Greene, but the move backfired as Camilo Doval walked the next two hitters to force in the go-ahead run. Zach McKinstry then singled to right, and a comedy of errors ensued as Jose Caballero missed the cutoff man and Ali Sanchez's throw to second sailed into center field, making it a 6-2 lead.
Caballero, a shortstop by trade, missed the cutoff man multiple times in the loss, showing his inexperience in the outfield.
-- Troy Melton, a 25-year-old pitching in his second season, was excellent, going 6.1 innings while allowing just two hits, striking out seven, and walking one.
-- Will Warren didn’t pitch poorly, but he didn’t get any run support. The righty allowed a solo home run to Kevin McGonigle in the top of the third inning, hanging a breaking ball that McGonigle hit into the bleachers in right-center, and allowed another run in the top of the sixth on a Greene sac fly before being pulled.
Warren went 5.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. His season ERA is now 3.73.
-- Spencer Jones was not in the starting lineup as he was one of a handful of Yankees dealing with food poisoning. But he came up with a pinch-hit single to lead off the eighth inning.Caballerofollowed up with a single, and both moved into scoring position with one out. But Ben Rice went down swinging, and Jasson Dominguez lined out to center to leave the tying runs stranded on base.
--Austin Wells went 0-for-2 with a pair of strikeouts before being lifted for a pinch-hitter. He's hitting just .153 on the season.
Game MVP
Melton, who completely shut the Yankees down for 6.1 innings.
Mychal Thompson, a member of two of the Los Angeles Lakers' championship teams from the Showtime era, sounds mystified by a simmering debate, in the wake of LeBron James' decision to leave the Lakers.
Does LeBron James deserve a statue outside Crypto.com Arena, home of the Lakers?
“A statue? He deserves three statues, buddy,’’ Thompson told USA TODAY Sports. “Miami, Cleveland and L.A. That's how great he is.
"He's arguably the greatest player to ever play, along with Kareem and Michael Jordan. …He's delivered championships in three different places that he's played in. He deserves it. ...No doubt about it.’’
In addition to leading the Lakers to the title in 2020, James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first title in franchise history and won two titles with the Miami Heat.
Thompson won championship rings with the Lakers in 1987 and 1988. He played alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, two Laker legends who have bronze statues in Star Plaza.
Thompson, a radio color commentator for the Lakers, knows there’s a faction of fans who oppose James’ getting a statue.
“I just think that people are being narrow-minded and basically don't understand the game,’’ Thompson said. “That's what I think of when I hear people say he doesn't deserve a statue in front of Crypto.com. 'He isn't a Laker legend' (say the critics).
“Obviously, I don't think anybody will match Kareem and Magic and Kobe, those three and Jerry West. But LeBron is every bit as much as a legend as everybody else. A Laker legend.”
How LeBron James stacks up against statue honorees
Comparing Lakers who have been honored by statues helps establish the informal criteria.
Those greats didn’t just win titles; they played critical roles in leading the Lakers.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had six NBA championship rings, six NBA MVPs and two NBA Finals MVPs.
Magic Johnson had five NBA championships, three NBA MVPs and three NBA Finals MVPs.
Kobe Bryant had five NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVPs and one NBA MVP.
Shaquille O’Neal had three NBA championships with the Lakers (and one with the Miami Heat), three NBA Finals MVPs with the Lakers.
James had one NBA championship with the Lakers and was voted NBA Finals MVP after Los Angeles beat the Heat four games to two.
Jerry West had only one as a player but six as the Lakers general manager.
Elgin Baylor did not win an NBA title during his 14-year NBA career, which he spent exclusively with the Lakers.
The non-players honored by statues are Pat Riley, who was the Lakers’ head coach during the Showtime era and helped guide the Lakers to four titles, and Chick Hearn, the late play-by-play announcer.
LeBron James impact beyond titles
James arrived with the task of restoring excellence to the foundering dynasty. The Lakers had failed to reach the playoffs for five straight seasons, and they missed them again during James’ first year with the team.
But over the next seven years, the Lakers made the playoffs six times and won the league title 2020 during the pandemic-shortened season. Los Angeles reached the Western Conference Finals once more during LeBron’s eight-year tenure.
While with the Lakers, James also surpassed Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and in 2024 he and his son Bronny became the first father and son to take the court together.
Those were memorable moments. Whether they’ll impact James’ chances to getting a statue with the Lakers remains to be seen.
Former Vancouver Canucks forward Curtis Douglas is joining the Seattle Kraken on a two-year deal worth $1.25M on average per year.
The 2025–26 season was Douglas’ first in the NHL, with the six-foot-nine forward making his league debut for the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 9 against the Ottawa Senators. He played in a total of 26 games for Tampa Bay, recording two assists, before being placed on waivers and claimed by Vancouver at the 2026 Trade Deadline.
Douglas established himself as a tough player to play against during his rookie season, which is something he continued through his time with the Canucks. His first fight as a Canuck came against six-foot-eight Calgary Flames forward Adam Klapka. He also scored his first NHL goal as a member of the Canucks, beating Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukáš Dostál on April 12, and tallied an assist in Vancouver’s final regular-season game against the Edmonton Oilers on April 16.
Prior to making the jump to the NHL, Douglas signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in free-agency in March of 2022. He spent one full season with the Toronto Marlies, scoring a career-high 13 goals and 21 assists in 67 games at the AHL-level, before being traded to the Arizona Coyotes the year after. He was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay in October of 2025.
Mar 24, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Curtis Douglas (42) shoots against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild has brought back a familiar face, signing forward Mason Shaw in free agency.
Shaw returns to the organization after spending the last two seasons with the Winnipeg Jets organization, where he appeared in games for the AHL's Manitoba Moose.
Shaw, 26, recorded 32 goals, 49 assists and 81 points in 143 games.
The 26-year-old was originally selected by the Wild in the fourth round (97th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft and has appeared in 82 NHL games with Minnesota, recording eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points while bringing an energetic, physical style of play.
A fan favorite during his previous stint with the Wild, Shaw has battled through multiple serious knee injuries throughout his career. He now returns to the organization looking to provide experienced depth and compete for NHL games during the 2026-27 season.
Shaw's deal is a one-year, two-way, $850,000 deal. $450,000 in Iowa.
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CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 01: Catcher Austin Hedges #27 celebrates with closing pitcher Matt Festa #52 of the Cleveland Guardians after the game against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field on July 01, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians defeated the Rangers 9-4. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Much like in the last game I wrote about, this game, too, has been played by the Guardians quite a few times this year. Look out of whack for the first games of the series, and then suddenly put it all together to salvage the series in the finale. Regardless, I won’t be nearly as negative in today’s recap as I was in my last recap. Let’s start with the pitching.
Cantillo was shaky today, but managed — somehow — to Houdini act his way into a decent start. 5 innings, 2 runs. The command was an issue for him today (5 walks), most notably in the 3rd inning. Walk, walk, single, strikeout, RBI walk. The bases were loaded with 1 out, and the Guardians looked to be on the verge of blowing another lead. But, Cantillo managed to get Rangers’ rookie Cauley to ground into a double play, ending the inning. Cantillo’s only other earned run of the day came in the 6th. He walked the leadoff hitter, and was then pulled for Holdrman. Holderman gave up a single, then two groundouts (the second of which managed to drive in a run). Holderman, like Cantillo, was shaky. Holderman, however, moreso suffered from batted ball luck than command issues. He gave up 3 hits, 2 of which left the bat at less than 80 mph. (The sequence went single, forceout, RBI groundout, double, single, strikeout). One of those groundouts was corralled miraculously by second baseman Daniel Schneemann, preventing more damage that inning.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 1, 2026
Herrin pitched the 7th, giving up a single and a walk, but managed to get out of danger by striking out Pederson and getting Smith to ground into a double play.
Sabrowski pitched the 8th, striking out 2 Rangers but unfortunately also giving up a solo homer to Elias Diaz.
Festa pitched the 9th, allowing no baserunners in a 1-2-3 inning.
To the offense.
They actually started out pretty strong today, but finally managed to put runs on the board in the 2nd. Rocchio and Arias both singled to start off the inning, and then Watson struckout. Hedges pulled off a textbook bunt, driving in Rocchio. Schneemann was walked on four pitches, and then Fry did this.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 1, 2026
5 runs by the end of the 2nd inning is an almost Herculean task for this Guardians offense, and it’s nice to know that this, in one form or another, is actually possible with this iteration of the lineup.
The Rangers managed to pull within 2 runs of the Guardians (thanks to the bullpen) in the 6th, but the Guardians answered back in the 7th. Kwan hit a triple (?), and then DeLauter (recording his 3rd hit of the day), scorched a ball to right field (110 mph), driving in Kwan. DeLauter stole second, and then Rangers reliever Winston Santos threw a couple oopsies into the dirt. Those wild pitches got DeLauter from second to home in a matter of three pitches. Hoskins walked, and then the Guardians made 3 consecutive outs to end the inning.
Much to Josh Naylor’s chagrin, Austin Hedges hit a home run today. For those keeping track at home, Hedges now has a wRC+ above Naylor’s, and an fWAR total most likely tied with Naylor’s after today’s events. Not bad for a backup to a backup.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 1, 2026
The Guardians managed to salvage the series, winning today’s affair 9-4. The White Sox come to town for a very consequential 4-game set starting tomorrow. It’ll be Cecconi vs. Davis Martin.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 28: Dominic Smith #8 and Mike Yastrzemski #18 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate after the game against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
June swoon is OUT. Fly high July is IN.
We would very much like to see the Braves get back to playing watchable baseball. Decent, even, if they feel so inclined.
With a rough month in the rearview, it’s time for the Braves to take advantage of a little mental reset that the first of July can bring and get back to their winning ways on both sides of the ball.
One former-White-Sox-pitcher-turned-Braves-starter-turned-bullpen-arm-turned-starter-again follows another with Martín Pérez and Reynaldo López starting these first two games versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Walt Weiss is sticking with the same 1 through 5, 7, and 9 in the order. We saw some signs of life from leadoff man Drake Baldwin last night with his seventh inning single, snapping a 36-at-bat streak. He will be behind the plate for López today. Dominic Smith will DH and hit sixth while Mike Yastrzemski swaps out in Eli White’s spot to play right field and bat eighth ahead of shortstop Jorge Mateo.
Maybe this will be the magical combination that can put up a crooked number against their opponent (and win). A baseball team cannot sustain itself on weird defensive misplays and Ozzie Albies sac flies alone. (Fun stuff from the game notes: Ozzie’s sac fly last night was his 10th of the season and career high – he’s one of seven Braves with double-digit sac flies in a season. He’s the first to do it since Austin Riley had 11 in 2023.)
Only three current Cardinals have ever faced López before and they will be batting second, third, and sixth. In five collective ABs, they’re batting .000 and have one walk courtesy of Masyn Winn. Alec Burleson gets the start at first bae and bumps down Jordan Walker to the cleanup spot. New face Jimmy Crooks will catch for Michael McGreevy and bat ninth.
Apr 22, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) makes a save against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period in game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Stuart Skinner is heading to Winnipeg as the carousel of goaltenders moving around the NHL picked up steam Wednesday with the start of free agency.
Skinner agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth $7.5 million with the Jets, who have been listening to trade offers for three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck. Skinner helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and ’25 before losing to Florida each time, and spent the end of last season in Pittsburgh.
The goalie who beat Skinner and the Oilers, Sergei Bobrovsky, is arguably the top free agent on the market, regardless of position. The Panthers earlier this week traded for goalies Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid to solve their needs in the crease coming off missing the playoffs.
They also signed rugged defenseman Radko Gudas, who just turned 36, to a six-year deal worth $1.5 million annually for a total of $9 million. The 36-year-old Gudas played in Florida for three seasons from 2020-23 and spent last season with Anaheim.
The San Jose Sharks added veteran depth to their young blue line by signing Jacob Trouba to a four-year, $33 million contract. Trouba had 10 goals and 35 points for Anaheim last year, and previously captained the New York Rangers before being traded to the Ducks in December 2024.
The Los Angeles Kings landed forwards Erik Haula (Nashville) and Mats Zuccarello (Minnesota). Haula agreed to a two-year, $7.2 million contract, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. Zuccarello’s contract is worth $1 million in base salary plus bonuses, according to another person with knowledge of that agreement.
Chicago got veteran defenseman Ian Cole (Utah) for next season at $4.75 million, according to a third person, also with knowledge of the deal. Division rival Colorado is bringing in winger Jaden Schwartz (Seattle) on a three-year, $9.75 million deal, according to a fourth person familiar with the contract. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contracts had not been announced.
Washington, which is still waiting on winger Alex Ovechkin’s decision about whether to return for a 22nd NHL season, signed defenseman Vincent Desharnais to a four-year, $16.8 million contract.
Detroit signed Swedish winger Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year contract worth $10 million.
Trades
With a shallow pool of free agents available, many teams are going the trade route to try to improve this summer. The New York Rangers got their backup goalie that way, sending minor leaguer Kalle Vaisanen and a 2028 fourth-round pick to Boston for Joonas Korpisalo.
Nashville acquired pending restricted free agent forward Mavrik Bourque from Dallas. The Predators sent a 2027 second- and a 2028 third-round pick to the Stars for Bourque and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin.
“Mavrik Bourque is a quality, two-way player who will fit perfectly with what we are trying to build here in Nashville,” general manager Chris MacFarland said. “At just 24 years old, his age and style of play fits in with the type of players we are looking to bring in to help make us better.”
Dallas clearing salary cap space could allow the team to sign Jason Robertson, another restricted free agent who is ticketed for a long-term, lucrative contract. Robertson turns 27 this month and led the Stars in scoring with 96 points on 45 goals and 51 assists last season.
His younger brother, Nick, is going to Pittsburgh after the Penguins got him from Toronto for a fourth-rounder in ’28.
Staying put
The Blackhawks signed Bowen Byram to a six-year, $75 million contract extension in a deal that makes him the NHL’s top-paid defenseman in average annual salary and secures him through 2032-33.
The signing comes a week after Chicago acquired the sixth-year player by trading the No. 4 pick in the NHL draft to the Buffalo Sabres. Byram had one year remaining on his current contract, and his $12.5 million average salary surpasses Penguins blue liner Erik Karlsson ($11.5 million).
New Jersey locked up captain Nico Hischier for the long term, signing the Swiss center to a five-year extension worth $58.5 million with an annual cap hit of $11.7 million from 2027 through 2032.
“When I took this job, I knew that Nico was one of the core pieces that I definitely wanted as part of our future,” new Devils GM Sunny Mehta said. “The way he plays the game, his leadership and selflessness are qualities we value for this team.”
— Montreal agreed to re-sign Ivan Demidov to an eight-year, $73 million contract after the 20-year-old Russian forward led all NHL rookies with 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) last season.
— Philadelphia got two extensions done, signing young forward Tyson Foerster to an eight-year, $56.8 million contract (2027-28 through 2035). The Flyers extended goalie Dan Vladar for five years at $27.5 million.
— The Buffalo Sabres signed newly acquired defenseman Olen Zellweger to a three-year, $9.3 million contract. Zellweger was a pending restricted free agent and acquired in a trade with Anaheim.
On the latest episode of CC Sabathia’s podcast, MLB According to CC, the Yankees legend previewed how the Padres will stack up against the Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball, with San Diego and Los Angeles set to lead one of Star-Spangled Sunday's marquee matchups at 7pm ET on NBC and Peacock.
Sabathia said the Padres “need Tatis driving the ball out of the yard” in order for them to compete, not only in critical four-game series, but as season-long challengers to the Dodgers' NL West supremacy. With Tatis Jr. seemingly free from his early-season struggles, the Padres head to their division rivals with some momentum.
This weekend's showdown will mark the first time this season the two teams have met in Los Angeles. “Dodgers and Padres fans really go at it,” said the Hall of Famer looking ahead to the series.
The Dodgers are 4-2 against the Padres this season, with better numbers than their division rival in most categories across the board. As of July 1, San Diego sits 12 games outside of first place, leaving the Friars with plenty of work to do in Southern California this weekend. It's the largest gap between the top two teams in any division so far this year.
Mason Miller and Tanner Scott may possess baseball’s best sliders. CC Sabathia dives into both elite pitches, highlighting how he threw his own back in the day.
Watch Star-Spangled Sunday on July 5, where all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock, NBC and NBCSN. Every team. Every game. One home.
The Calgary Flames are losing a familiar spark on the wing, as Ryan Lomberg has signed a two-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, bringing his second stint in Calgary to a close.
Lomberg’s return to the Flames organization saw him once again fill a role built on speed, grit, and relentless physicality. Across his two stints in Calgary, including his original run from 2017-18 through 2019-20 and his most recent two-year stretch, the 31-year-old appeared in 148 games, recording seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points.
That production, however, only tells part of the story. Lomberg’s impact was defined just as much by his energy and physical presence as it was by the scoresheet, a style that carried over throughout his NHL career.
The Blue Jackets officially announced the signing on Wednesday, with President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell highlighting exactly what Columbus is getting.
“We’re very pleased to add Ryan Lomberg to the Blue Jackets family,” said Waddell. “He is a high-energy player who is an excellent skater, plays with tenacity and his experience and character will be a great addition to our team.”
Across 394 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers, Lomberg has registered 35 goals and 37 assists for 72 points, along with 475 penalty minutes and 807 hits, carving out a role as a physical, energy-driven winger. He also contributed to Florida’s 2024 Stanley Cup championship run, appearing in 32 playoff games across his career with 3 points and 64 penalty minutes.
Lomberg’s most productive NHL season came in 2022-23 with Florida, when he posted 12 goals and 8 assists over 82 games while adding a career-high 88 penalty minutes the following year with 179 hits in 75 appearances.
Before establishing himself as an NHL regular, the 5-foot-9 winger built his reputation through the American Hockey League, ECHL, and USHL, including a productive stretch with the Stockton Heat where he developed into a professional-level agitator and forechecking presence.
Now heading to Columbus on a two-year deal worth $2.6 million, Lomberg brings a well-defined identity to a Blue Jackets roster looking to add toughness and energy to its forward group, while Calgary moves forward after another chapter with one of its more recognizable depth pieces comes to an end.
After acquiring Brandon Duhaime, Sergei Bobrovsky, Jack Roslovic, Teddy Blueger and Colton Sissons with new contracts, he traded for Tampa Bay Lightning center Nick Paul in exchange for Dennis Hildeby, a 2027 fourth-round pick, and a 2028 third-round pick.
Paul, a Mississauga native, comes to Toronto with three more years remaining on his contract at a $3.15 million salary cap hit.
The 31-year-old has been an effective middle-six player for the Lightning, spending parts of the past five seasons with the team.
This past year, Paul has scored seven goals and 15 points in 51 games, losing plenty of ice time to the other stars that occupy Tampa Bay's lineup.
However, in the two seasons before 2025-26, Paul recorded back-to-back 20-goal, 40-point campaigns while averaging 16:52 between those two years. He had a far more important role than in the past season, when he played just 13:41 of ice time per game.
Going out the other way, Hildeby has emerged as a promising young goaltender in the NHL. The 24-year-old played 20 games for the Maple Leafs in 2025-26, recording an impressive .914 save percentage and a 2.86 goals-against average.
With two years remaining on the contract that sees him earn $841,667 against the cap, Hildeby is not waiver-exempt next season. With the addition of Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz already with the NHL tandem, there was a risk of losing Hildeby for nothing.
Instead, Chayka is able to bring in a solid NHL player in Paul, someone who has terrorized the Maple Leafs with the Lightning and the Ottawa Senators over the years.
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Very few could have predicted that the Chicago White Sox would lead the AL Central three months into the 2026 season. That's why Hall of Famer CC Sabathia believes they are the "surprise of the summer," entering July as the slight division leader over the Guardians. The youthful White Sox hit the road this weekend for a key division series in Cleveland, which sits just outside of first place, where they'll face off on Star-Spangled Sunday at 2pm ET, with all 15 MLB games available nationally on Peacock, NBC and NBCSN on July 5.
In the latest episode of his podcast, MLB According to CC, Sabathia evaluated the road ahead for the White Sox as they look to stick around in the American League playoff race. It's been a dramatic turnaround for a franchise that has lost 100+ games in each of the past three seasons, headlined by a dismal 2024 where they finished 41-121, the worst record in modern MLB history. The 2026 White Sox are fun and energetic, headlined by a core of young talent which Sabathia described as "a year or maybe two ahead of schedule."
The White Sox's recent success has largely come via the long ball. Since June 17, the White Sox lead the league in home runs (18, as of July 1). One of the offensive catalysts has been 23-year-old left fielder Sam Antonacci, who is enjoying an excellent rookie campaign with an OPS above .800. Miguel Vargas, Colston Montgomery, and Munetaka Murakami have also had big years at the plate so far in the South Side. All four are 26 years or younger. That's not to mention Braden Montgomery, Jacob Gonzalez, Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth, all of whom stand as key pieces of the organization's future.
"When you got a young team like that and they're all feeding off each other, you don't know any better," Sabathia said. "You're just going out every single day trying to win a ball game, it's fun to watch them come out with this much energy."
The White Sox will look to take their momentum into this weekend and the rest of the summer as they chase their first division title since 2021. With just a handful of AL teams above .500 and a Central division that is "treading water," a joyous return to October could be in the cards for the Sox.
Watch Star-Spangled Sunday on July 5, where all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock, NBC and NBCSN. Every team. Every game. One home.
Jul 1, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) is safe at home plat as Texas Rangers catcher Elias Diaz (35) loses control of the ball during the second inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored four runs but the Cleveland Guardians scored nine runs.
I will simply choose to be glad that A. the Rangers enjoyed a successful road trip against all odds and B. the road trip has now concluded.
Despite this one appearing to be an imminently winnable contest (after all, Texas did have 12 opportunities with RISP of which they only converted three while also leaving nine on base), a MacKenzie Gore flareup inning in the bottom of the second put the Rangers in a 5-0 hole and that’s usually not something teams come back from.
It seemed like the Rangers might, though. They got to within 5-3 in the middle innings and had base runners and chances littered throughout but, in a game reminiscent of darker times from this season, they couldn’t get the big hit to get over the hump.
After getting the first two hitters on in the top of the seventh down a couple runs, Joc Pederson K’d in a pinch hit spot and then Josh Smith hit into a double play. That was the second double play that erased a prime scoring chance for Texas as Cam Cauley was doubled up to end a bases loaded threat in the top of the third.
Cole Winn was in the game for the bottom of the seventh and, well, you know what that usually means. Winn allowed a run and a hit that eventually came around to score to give Cleveland a comfortable lead.
Also, once the wheels kind of came off, Winston Santos finally got to make his MLB debut. After a shaky first few pitches, Santos got through his first inning as a big leaguer technically still sporting a 0.00 ERA despite allowing an inherited run to score. That did not last for long, however, as Santos was asked to finish things off with a second inning and old hero Austin Hedges took him deep for a two-run dong.
The Rangers are beat up. Probably like 60% of the roster would be in Round Rock if the FO had their druthers. They’ve played like 40 games in a row. They’ve played the most road games in baseball so far this season. They’ve played like 80 road games in a row. They’ve won some games they’ve had no business winning. I suppose for today we owe them a blind eye for an ugly afternoon.
Even with everything being familiarly weird for the Texas Rangers, and a blowout loss in this finale, they return home having enjoyed a 7-3 road trip which propelled them back over .500 and atop the AL West.
Player of the Game: Elias Diaz had a couple of hits and a couple of RBIs and also smacked his first home run as a Ranger. Unfortunately it was a solo shot in a 7-3 game and one of the rare moments that the Rangers didn’t have someone on the bases for them to strand.
Up Next: While the rest of the world has come down with a case of World Cup fever, the Rangers probably aren’t as thrilled about it. At least not this weekend.
There’s a World Cup Round of 32 match being played across the home parking lot on Friday which means, instead of getting a day off tomorrow, the Rangers fly out of Cleveland and immediately begin a home series against Detroit tomorrow night before getting their first rest in over two weeks on Friday after which the series will resume on Saturday.
RHP Nathan Eovaldi will pitch for Texas in the opener opposite LHP Framber Valdez. The Thursday evening first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and you can catch it on the Rangers Sports Network.
