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Next week, the 2026 MLB All-Star Game gets underway at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

But before this generation’s stars take the field, the next generation will take the stage in the City of Brotherly Love.

The 2026 MLB Draft gets underway on Saturday, and over 600 prospects will hear their names called during the 20 rounds that unfold, beginning with the Chicago White Sox at No. 1 overall. To get you ready, we have a mock draft to help set the stage.

For more on how the first round works, we have you covered here with this piece from Thursday. And a note on methodology: This is a “what I think will happen” mock draft, and not a “what I would do” mock draft. Mostly because I would draft Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson with every pick in that scenario. But there is still some “what I would do” sprinkled in …

Here are the picks, with some thoughts after.

If you want to get a little deeper into this class, read on.

Thoughts on the top ten

Let’s dive into the top ten selections a bit more.

1. Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

It is by no means a done deal, but UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky remains the consensus top player in the class. And with the White Sox trying to sign him out of high school, the pairing between player and team fits. But there is a lot to like about Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson, as well as Georgia Tech’s Vahn Lackey, who stand out as the top three players in the class. Chicago likely goes with Cholowsky, who might have the highest floor of the three, but Emerson might have the highest ceiling.

2. Tampa Bay Rays: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)

If Cholowsky indeed comes off the board first, Tampa Bay runs to the podium for Emerson. The high school shortstop has a silky smooth swing from the left side of the plate, is coming off another monster season where he slashed .532/.648/1.013, and was just the second high school player in the past 48 years to be named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, joining Bobby Witt Jr. on that short list.

3. Minnesota Twins: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech

The Minnesota Twins sit in a decent spot, as they would be happy to take Vahn Lackey, who slashed .397/.519/.722 as part of Georgia Tech’s monster offense this season.

4. San Francisco Giants: Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech

This might be the first departure from consensus, as a bit of “what I would do” works its way into this mock draft. But in addition to Lackey, outfielder Drew Burress was a huge part of the Georgia Tech offense this past season. He slashed .358/.473/.675, while belting 16 home runs to break Jason Varitek’s school record of 57 career home runs, as Burress hit 60 during his time in college. The San Francisco Giants have been linked to several bats in this class, but Burress’ power stands out.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove HS (MS)

Mississippi outfielder Eric Booth Jr. is something of a consensus pick for the Pirates, and Pittsburgh dipped into the Mississippi prep waters recently with some success with Konnor Griffin. Eric Booth Jr. is considered the top prep outfielder in the 2026 MLB Draft class, hit .467 as a junior in 2025, and followed that with a .481/.699/.922 slash line this past year:

6. Kansas City Royals: Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

It’s time for the first pitcher to come off the board, and it is UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora. Flora set a new school record with 133 strikeouts this season, as he finished with a 12-0 record, an ERA of 1.06, and a WHIP of just 0.853. Flora features high-level velocity — his fastball rests in the upper 90s and hits triple digits regularly — but he can mix in two different sliders, as well as two different changeups.

Here’s a look at that fastball:

And now let’s mix in some of that breaking stuff:

If Flora is off the board, high school arm Gio Rojas could be a pick for Kansas City here.

7. Baltimore Orioles: Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama

Here is another selection where the college influence creeps into my mind. Consensus is mixed on Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, who could come off the board anywhere from No. 8 to the late teens.

So I concede I might be higher on him than consensus, but the tools are there and the shortstop was critical to Alabama’s run to Omaha this season. According to multiple reports the Orioles are looking at college bats with this pick, and Lebron makes a great deal of sense.

8. Athletics: Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas

As noted by other outlets, the Athletics are looking at college bats, and Ryder Helfrick sliding to this spot would offer a nice combination of positional value and power at the plate. Helfrick slashed .305/.420/.616 for the Razorbacks in 2025 along with 15 home runs, and followed that with a .283/.417/.562 slash line in 2026 along with 18 big flies.

Plus, there is a track record of success with the wood bat, as he slashed .261/.323/.837 for Brewster on the Cape during the summer of 2024, along with 11 home runs.

9. Atlanta Braves: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS (FL)

This might be a bit low for Jacob Lombard, who is coming off boards earlier than this in other industry mock drafts. But with the board falling like this, the Braves would be happy to see Lombard available. The Florida infielder carries some “swing-and-miss” risk, particularly against upper-level velocity, but he offers an intriguing mix of power at the plate and speed on the bases.

10. Colorado Rockies: Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

The Colorado Rockies are another team linked to college bats in the 2026 MLB Draft, and Kentucky infielder Tyler Bell certainly fits the bill. Bell slashed an impressive .343/.510/.608 for the Wildcats this past season, with nine home runs.

The switch-hitter also has power from both sides of the plate. Here is a home run against West Virginia in the College World Series Regionals:

And here is a blast from the right side of the plate against Tennessee earlier this season:

That will work at Coors Field someday.

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 5, Syracuse Mets 4 — F/10

Norfolk let a two-run lead slip away but walked it off in the bottom of the tenth. Josh Walker kept the Mets off the board in the top of the frame, and Luis Vázquez drove in the automatic runner with a single to right field.

José Barrero got the Tides on the board with a solo homer in the second inning, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand launched a three-run shot in the bottom of the third. Norfolk only tallied five hits across the ten innings. Heston Kjerstad went 1-for-4, and Sam Huff singled in four trips.

Christian Herberholz limited Syracuse to two runs (one earned) over five innings. He allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out one. Dietrich Enns allowed a run over two innings, and Yosver Zulueta allowed a run in the eighth.

Double-A: Akron RubberDucks 5, (Guardians) Chesapeake Baysox 3

Chesapeake starter Evan Yates came within one out of a quality start, but he took the loss after allowing three runs over 5.2 innings. Yates allowed five hits, walked two, and struck out four. Micah Ashman allowed a pair of runs and failed to complete an inning of work.

Douglas Hodo III gave the Baysox an early lead with a solo home run in the top of the first. Aron Estrada doubled, walked and scored a run. Frederick Bencosme walked twice, and Thomas Sosa recorded a pinch-hit single in his only at bat.

High-A: Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) Frederick Keys — PPD

The game was postponed for inclement weather and will be made up on July 11.

Low-A: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox) Delmarva Shorebirds — PPD

The game was postponed for inclement weather and will be made up on July 10.

Box scores

Friday’s Schedule

Norfolk: vs Syracuse, 6:35. Starter: Trace Bright (0-6, 7.25 ERA)

Chesapeake: at Akron, 7:17 pm. Starter: Sebastian Gongora (and 7-3, 3.18 ERA)

Frederick: vs Jersey Shore, 7:00 pm. Starter: Boston Bateman (3-3, 3.82 ERA)

Game 1: Delmarva: vs Kannapolis, 4:05 pm. Starter: Stephen Still (1-3, 6.32 ERA)

Game 2: Delmarva: vs Kannapolis, TBD. Starter: TBD

Happy Friday, everyone! Can you believe it? We’re already at the last weekend of play before the All-Star break. The season has already passed the halfway mark officially, but the All-Star Break feels like the marker where we really see which teams are going to make a push for the postseason.

The All-Star Game will also see a pitching icon who is currently on the IL get acknowledged with the “Legend” selection, and that’s Tigers’ pitcher Justin Verlander, who has spent most of the 2026 season injured. He has now come out and announced that he has heard his body’s message loud and clear, and the 2026 season will officially be his last. Right after finding out he’d be headed to Philly for the ASG, he took to his social media to announce his decision.

It remains to be seen if Verlander will return to the mound in the latter half of the season, but for him and for Tigers’ fans, it would be nice to see him go out on a high note.

Now on to the rest of today’s links.

• Ryan Blake looks at the stars who have bowed out of the All-Star Game and how many of them are on West Coast teams making postseason bids.
• Tim Capurso has a handy guide to all the All-Star replacement players.
• Todd Zolecki reports that Bryce Harper will be making the home team proud as he joins the Home Run Derby.
• SI has some fun quizzes to see if you can remember the All-Star starting pitchers and also the All-Star MVPs since 2000.
• Justin Verlander announced he will retire at the end of the season. Story by Cody Stavenhagen. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Tyler Kepner shares that Justin Verlander’s retirement means that the 300-win club may now be closed forever.(The Athletic subscription required.)
• Cody Stavenhagen shares how the new generation of pitchers acknowledge they’re now playing a different game than Verlander. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Shohei Ohtani can’t go a week without breaking or setting new records.

• Just how high can Shohei Ohtani go in terms of home runs? David Adler tries to determine of the sky is the limit.
• Jake Mailhot assesses Dylan Cease’s no-hit bid, and whether he’s making a Cy Young case for himself.
• Bryan Hoch shares that Aaron Judge will be assessed over the All-Star break to determine his road to return.
• Alan Porter has been named the umpire crew chief for the All-Star Game. (AP)
• Anthony Volpe denies reports that he refused to play second base, calling them “BS.” (ESPN)
• Now that’s how you start your MLB career.

• Davy Andrews reports on Konnor Griffin, who is headed back to the IL.
• Dan Gartland looks at just how bad the Yankees have been without Aaron Judge.
• Karl Rasmussen looks at the most pleasant surprises from the first half of the season.
• Jeff Passan offers trade deadline candidates for all the contending teams.
• Willson Contreras has had his suspension reduced to five games. (ESPN)
• Munetaka Murakami will make his return to the White Sox today. (AP)
• A great video to introduce the four inaugural teams of the WPBL and what their names mean.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

After the Total System Failure (TM) of May 2016, the Minnesota Twins stabilized a bit in the W/L columns. From June through July, the team went 25-28. Disappointing for most squads–a miracle for this ’16 unit.

Alas, this did not stop further embarrassments from transpiring as the campaign slogged on.

Sano is Right–but also wrong

Desperate for any offense in ’16, the Twins wanted to keep the lumber of both Trevor Plouffe & Miguel Sano in the lineup at all times. The problem? Both were entrenched at 3B. Well, until the fateful (see header image) decision to play Sano in right field for 38 games.

I’ve always found this clip to be an accurate representation of the Miguel Sano RF Experience (TM)…

Byung-Ho goes bye bye

In 62 contests, the much-ballyhooed Korean Baseball Organization prospect put up this line: -0.2 WAR, 244 PA, 12 HR, .191 BA, .684 OPS. His last game occurred June 28, after which he was demoted due to a wrist injury (very possibly a “wrist injury”) and never heard from in Twins Territory–or anywhere else stateside–again.

After posting a .723 OPS in 111 AAA Rochester games in 2017, Park returned to the KBO in ’18–where he immediately punished 43 Park Bangs to the tune of a 1.174 OPS. Like Tsuyoshi Nishioka before him, Park just could not make the jump from Far East to Midwest.

Terry Ryan re-gone

From 1994-2007, Terry Ryan was the Twins’ General Manager before stepping away from the role. After 4 tumultuous years of Bill Smith’s GM reign, Ryan was re-hired in 2012. What looked–in 2015–to be a promising rebuild, however, came crashing down in 2016.

On July 18, Ryan was–perhaps mercifully–let go, with Rob Antony stepping in under an interim GM tag. Though a better “baseball person” than Ryan likely does not exist, it was clear by mid-’16 that he had “lost his fastball” in terms of adapting to the modern game of roster churn, analytics, and pitching usage.

Meet the Mets

The Mets defeated the hapless Royals in their series finale yesterday afternoon in Queens, taking the series and winning their fourth game in their last five. It’s too little, too late for these 2026 Mets, but it’s always preferable to see them win.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, Faith and Fear in Flushing, New York Daily News, New York Post

Mark Vientos suffered a fracture in his hand during the win, and he’ll be on the shelf for the foreseeable future.

David Lennon writes that the Mets are finally looking like they’ve put it together just as they’re about to be taken apart by trades.

Speaking of trades, Jon Heyman sees Luis Torrens as a great fit for the Yankees.

Clay Holmes is open to a mid-season contract extension with the Mets.

The Mets can feel good about their outfield trio of Soto, Ewing, and Benge.

Around the National League East

The Marlins remain scorching hot, as they defeated the Mariners to complete a sweep of Seattle. Miami is now even with the Phillies for second place in the division, and both teams are three games back of the first-place Braves.

Speaking of Atlanta, they beat the Pirates by a 10-5 score to keep those two teams chasing them from gaining ground.

The Phillies scored just one run, but they shut out the Reds in a win.

The Nationals had the day off, but Federal Baseball looks at Foster Griffin’s intriguing situation with the trade deadline looming. Washington is 48-46 on the season and four games back of the third Wild Card spot at the moment.

Around Major League Baseball

Aaron Judge is set to undergo imaging during the All-Star break, and that’ll determine what his timeline for returning to the field might look like.

Catch up on all of the scores from yesterday’s slate of MLB games here.

This Date in Mets History

July 10 has been a busy day in Mets history, as Matt Franco had a big hit against the Yankees on this date in 1999, the team sent David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Beltrán to the All-Star Game in 2007, and they traded for Jeff Francoeur in 2009.

When the calendar turned the page from May to June, something happened to the Colorado Rockies.

As the weather got hotter and summer really turned on, so did the Rockies offense.

In the 60 games from the season opener on March 27 to May 31, the Rockies production at the plate ranked No. 22 in MLB in OBP (.313) and home runs (54), No. 18 in runs scored (251) and SLG (.384) and tied for ninth with a .245 average. Colorado was tied for the third-highest strikeout rate at 24% with the Chicago White Sox and owned a 7.7% walk rate, which was second-worst in the league.

The team’s combined WAR was 0.0 — the worst in MLB, trailing the Dodgers 12.8. The result was a 22-38 record.

Since June 1, the Rockies have been drastically different.

The first big improvement is in their approach and eye at the plate. In the 34 games since June 1 through Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Rockies have improved their strikeout rate to 21% (ranked No. 21), which is down 3%. In addition, the walk rate has increased 1.6% to 9.3%, which is No. 7.

Outside of increased walks and fewer strikeouts, the results are evident in the stats. The Rockies .278 batting average, .354 on-base percentage and .494 slugging percentage are all the best in baseball since June 1. Their 206 runs and 198 RBIs are also tops. It’s shifted Colorado’s runs per game from 5.57 before June to 6.06 since.

In their first 60 games, the Rockies hit 54 homers. In their last 34, they’ve hit 53. The total is nearly the same in half the games. In that time frame, the 53 homers are also tied for third-most in MLB with the Twins and trailing the Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers.

The team’s combined WAR has bumped up to 6.3, which is tied for the ninth-best since June 1. The result is a 16-18 record, a .471 winning percentage compared to .367.

Along the way, the Rockies have played in more close games. They were 6-9 in one-run games before June and are 6-4 in them since. They have rallied back in the eighth and ninth innings more often to rediscover the “LoDo Magic.” Entering Thursday’s series against the Giants, the Rockies have scored more runs in the eighth inning or later — 129 — in the big leagues. The next-best is Atlanta’s 116.

One of the biggest reasons for this success is that it isn’t just because of one player. It’s been a true team effort.

Five Rockies have hit over .300 since June 1 with Kyle Karros at the top of the list. Karros has hit .343 with a .440 OBP and 24 runs scored. Jake McCarthy has driven in 27 runs while hitting .325. Cole Carrigg is hitting .307 with 23 runs scored and 21 RBI. All-Star Hunter Goodman has hit 14 homers, driven in 28 runs and scored 24. TJ Rumfield and Troy Johnston have hit .317 and .302, respectively. The surge hasn’t even included Mickey Moniak, who was sidelined with an ankle injury from May 22 to June 22.

So what’s the reason for the surge?

Talented young players like Carrigg, Rumfield and Karros help, continued production from back-to-back All-Star Goodman and the surprising addition of McCarthy adding a spark to the offense are all paying off. It’s a good sign for the new coaching staff and front office that the moves they are making are starting to pay off. Time will tell if it’s sustainable, especially with the Draft and tradeline coming up.

While Colorado’s record is still suffering from the slow start and sits at 38-56 (.404) after dropping the Dodgers series 2-1, the Rockies are projected by FanGraphs to finish 66-96. That would be a 23-win improvement from their 43-119 2025 season.

On the farm

Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 6, Sugar Land Space Cowboys 4

Sterlin Thompson hit an RBI single and Vimael Machín hit a sac fly to score Charlie Condon in the first inning to help the Isotopes jump out to an early 2-0 lead. Sugar Land rallied back to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first, but Albuquerque reclaimed the lead in the second when Nic Kent hit a two-run homer, which was his 11th of the season. The Space Cowboys bounced back again, tying the game in the bottom of the second. That score stuck until the sixth inning when Adael Amador connected for a two-run double that ended up being the game-winner.

Keegan Thompson started the game and allowed four runs on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts in four innings. Evan Shawver earned the win by striking out six and giving up only two hits in four scoreless innings.

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies 7, Hartford Yard Goats 3

The Rumble Ponies and Yard Goats both recorded 10 hits, but it was Binghamton that pieced together a four-run rally in the sixth on its way to the win on Thursday night. Dyan Jorge went 3-for-3 with a double, two walks and two runs scored, Roc Riggio added three hits and an RBI, GJ Hill chipped in two hits and scored a run, Mike Antico posted an RBI double, and Jack O’Dowd recorded a sac fly. Stu Flesland III had a short, but solid start, giving up one hit and striking out six in four scoreless innings. Fisher Jameson took the loss after allowing seven runs on nine hits with one walk and five strikeouts in the final five innings.

High-A: Spokane Indians 4, Eugene Emeralds 1

Despite trailing 1-0 after five innings, the Indians pieced together an impressive comeback to win on Thursday night. It started in the sixth inning when Kelvin Hidalgo hit his ninth homer of the season to tie the game. Spokane then took the lead with a three-run eighth inning that started when Tevin Tucker singled. Two outs later, Tucker stole second and then stole third, only to come around to score on a throwing error. Spokane took advantage of the mistake as Roynier Hernandez walked, Ethan Hedges singled, Tanner Thach walked and Robert Calez hit a two-run single. The insurance runs proved to be more than enough with Hunter Mann throwing three scoreless innings with three strikeouts and three hits to close out the game and earn the win. Bryson Hammer put up a quality start for the Indians with six strikeouts and only one run on four hits and two walks.

Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies 8, Stockton Ports 4

The Grizzlies were out-hit 13-12 by the Ports, but since four of those 12 hits were homers, Fresno came out on top on Thursday. Cameron Nelson hit a two-run home run in the second to put the Grizzlies up 3-0 and Roldy Brito added a solo shot in the next inning to make it 4-0. Cruzmel Arias increased Fresno’s lead to 5-3 with a solo homer of his own in the sixth and Cam Hassert added another two-run bomb in the sixth to make it 7-3. Nelson also added an RBI single in the eighth and ended the game with four hits. Austin Newton earned the win for Fresno with five solid innings where he gave up three runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. Bryson Van Sickle earned a four-inning save after only surrendering one run on five hits with five strikeouts.

With No. 10 pick in MLB Draft, what type of player will Rockies’ new front office pursue? | Denver Post ($)

Parker Gabriel speculates on who the Rockies might select in the MLB Draft, which begins Saturday. The Rockies have the No. 10 pick and five picks in the first four rounds. He believes the Rockies will select hitters who have a good eye at the plate — those who chase less and walk more. Gabriel also recaps several mock drafts.

Harper in a hometown Derby? He’s in it to win it — again | MLB.com

On Thursday, the fifth and sixth bats joined Monday’s Home Run Derby in Jordan Walker and Philly’s own Bryce Harper. That means there are two spots open and a few days left for MLB to extend an invite to Hunter Goodman. Goodman is tied for the fourth-most homers in MLB — that’s six more than Walker’s 21 and seven more than Harper’s 20 entering Thursday’s games.

Former Gonzaga, Indians pitcher Gabriel Hughes sterling in first MLB start for Rockies | The Spokesman Review

Dave Nichols chronicles Gabriel Hughes’ rise to being called up to the Majors, culminating in his first start with the Rockies on Monday. The Rockies first-round draft pick from 2022 put up a quality start in his starting debut, against the Dodgers nonetheless.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Good morning, baseball fans!

San Francisco Giants baseball is back at Oracle Park this weekend, so let’s see what’s on deck for fans planning to attend.

Friday is Black Heritage Night at Oracle Park. This is a special event, so fans interested in receiving the Black Heritage Night three-quarter sleeve baseball tee will have to purchase special event tickets. There will be events throughout the ballpark celebrating the Black community and honoring their history and impact on the game. After the game, there will be a fireworks show as well. You know, just in case you haven’t had enough from your neighbors all week.

Saturday will be a Fiesta Gigantes celebration throughout the park, as all home Saturday games are this season. And the first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive a Gigantes Aloha Shirt, which is the perfect addition to any collection. Saturday will also be Dog Days 1, which requires a special event ticket. Special event ticket holders will get to participate in a pre-game field parade with their pups! If you can’t make this one, they will have another event in September.

Sunday is Nickelodeon Day at Oracle Park. The first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive a SpongeBob SquarePants hat giveaway, perfect for the millennial in your life.

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants continue this four-game series against the Colorado Rockies tonight at 7:15 p.m. PT.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (45-45)

NORFOLK 5, SYRACUSE 4 /10 (BOX)

Jonah Tong had another mediocre outing in Syracuse, as he continued to strike batters out an impressive rate while issuing too many walks and giving up too many runs. That outing turned an early two-run lead into a deficit, and the Syracuse lineup was able to get those runs back and get to extras but failed to score in the top of the tenth before Norfolk got the free runner run in the bottom of that inning.

• 2B Ji Hwan Bae: 0-4
• LF Nick Morabito: 2-4, R, RBI, BB, K
• RF MJ Melendez: 1-4, R, 2B, BB, K
• DH Christian Arroyo: 0-3, BB
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 2-5, R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, K
• 3B Yonny Hernández: 0-5
• CF Cristian Pache: 1-3, R, BB, SB
• C Hayden Senger: 1-4, 2B, K
• SS Vidal Bruján: 1-3, BB, K
• P Jonah Tong: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
• P Ofreidy Gómez: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• P Jefry Yan: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Nate Lavender: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Matt Turner: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (31-53)

BINGHAMTON 7, HARTFORD 3 (BOX)

A four-run sixth ining was the biggest one of the night for the Rumble Ponies, but things were looking pretty comfortable all along. R.J. Gordon, who had a solid 2025 season before struggling early this season, made a cromulent start.

• DH Chris Suero: 2-5, R, 2 2B, K, SB
• CF Jose Ramos: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, SB
• 1B Nick Lorusso: 1-4, R, 2 K
• C Kevin Parada: 1-4, R, RBI, K
• RF Matt Rudick: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI
• 2B Nick Lucky: 1-4, R, 2 K
• SS Kevin Villavicencio: 1-4, RBI, K
• LF Jaylen Palmer: 0-4, 3 K
• 3B Nick Roselli: 1-4, RBI, K
• P R.J. Gordon: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• P Brian Metoyer: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Justin Armbruester: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• P Saul Garcia: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (33-49)

BROOKLYN 11, WILMINGTON 2 (BOX)

Mitch Voit had one of his better nights at the plate since the Mets drafted him, and a four-run first inning by the Cyclones set the tone for the game. Their six-run eighth inning made it crystal clear that they were winning this game.

• SS Mitch Voit: 2-2, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 3 SB
• 3B Yonatan Henriquez: 1-4, R, 3B, BB, 2 K
• RF JT Benson: 1-5, R, K, 2 SB
• CF John Bay: 2-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI
• C Daiverson Gutierrez: 3-3, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI
• DH Yohairo Cuevas: 1-4, R, 2B, 2 K
• 1B Trace Willhoite: 0-3, BB, 2 K
• 2B Colin Houck: 0-4, R, RBI, 2 K
• LF Sam Biller: 1-4, R, K
• P Dakota Hawkins: 6.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• P Cristofer Gomez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• P Ryan Dollar: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• P Juan Arnaud: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (37-45)

JUPITER 15, ST. LUCIE 3 (BOX)

Yikes.

• 3B Antonio Jimenez: 1-5, R, HR, 2 RBI, K, 2 E
• SS Elian Peña: 2-4, K, E
• CF Trey Snyder: 0-4, K
• DH Julio Zayas: 0-3, BB, K
• RF AJ Salgado: 0-3, R, BB, K, E
• 2B Branny De Oleo: 2-4, K
• C Francisco Toledo: 2-4, 2B, K
• LF Jackson Hauge: 1-4, RBI, 2 K
• 1B Jack Scanlon: 1-4, R, K, E
• P Christian Rodriguez: 3.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• P Joe Scarborough: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• P Caden Wooster: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• P Luis Alvarez: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• P Taylor Darden: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Rookie: FCL Mets (20-26)

FCL NATIONALS 8, FCL METS 0 (BOX)

• CF Bohan Adderley: 0-3, 2 K
• RF Mike Tauchman: 0-1
• PR-LF Adolfo Miranda: 0-1
• 1B Randy Guzman: 0-3, 2 K
• C Josmir Reyes: 1-3, 2B
• DH Yovanny Rodriguez: 0-3, K
• 3B Roybert Herrera: 0-2, BB, K
• SS Anthony Frobose: 1-3, 2B, 2 K
• 2B Vladi Gomez: 1-3
• LF-RF Heriberto Rincon: 0-2, K
• P Camden Lohman: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
• P Omar Victorino: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• P Austin Brown: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• P Luis Sotillo: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Rookie: DSL Mets Orange (15-14)

DSL ARIZONA RED 14, DSL METS ORANGE 4 (BOX)

• SS Wandy Asigen: 1-1, BB, 2 SB, E
• PH-SS Jose Padilla: 1-3, R
• DH Cleiner Ramirez: 0-5, 4 K
• C Cesar Acosta: 2-3, R, 2B, RBI, BB
• C Yadier Fuentes: 0-1, K
• 2B Sebastian Toro: 0-4, RBI, BB, K
• LF Jhonael Cuello: 1-4, 2 K, 2 SB, E
• CF Ryan Rudas: 1-3, R, BB, K, SB
• 3B Oscar Pena: 1-4, 2B, RBI, SB
• RF Elvis Teran: 0-2, 2 BB, K
• 1B Jesus Griman: 0-3, R, BB
• P Randy Guzman: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Mauricio Nunez: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 5 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
• P Derlin Rojas: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• P Victor Gallegos: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• P Alsy Torres: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• P Isaac De La Cruz: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Mitch Voit

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Camden Lohman

The Red Sox have won five in a row and ten of their last twelve games going back to the start of their series against the New York Yankees. Boston is now 33-31 under interim manager Chad Tracy and 43-48 overall. The Sox are just 2.5 games out of a Wild Card spot and as of Thursday evening have a 30.1% chance to make the playoffs per FanGraphs, above both the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles. Willson Contreras is serving his five-game suspension, Ranger Suarez hit the IL, and a Patrick Sandoval emerged from the abyss to provide needed innings against the Chicago White Sox.

Sonny Gray, who may yet be an All Star with the opening created by Ranger, kicks things off against the Mets Friday night on Apple TV. This game will not be on NESN. It is on Apple TV. As a heads up, they will have another Apple TV game on July 24. Gray is coming off 6.0 innings against the Angels and 7.1 against the Yankees. He allowed just 1 run across those two outings. Nolan McLean is a 24-year-old righthander in his sophomore season with the Mets. He’s struck out 28% of batters this season and walked just 8.8%. At over one-strikeout-per-inning he’s going to be a challenge, although he’s had trouble. He’s gone 6.0 innings in three straight outings but gave up 6 runs to the Cubs, 0nto the Blue Jays, and 3 (2 earned) to the Braves.

Saturday the Red Sox starter is still listed as TBD. Ranger Suarez would be in line to make this start but after leaving his last start early and hitting the IL the Sox must head in a different direction. In fact, the Sox are TBD for each of the final two games of the unofficial “first half.” Brayan Bello might be tapped for one of these games, probably Saturday. The Sox likely don’t want to bring Bello up only to option him back down, given the goal of fixing his first inning issues. Since his demotion he’s put up a 4.34 ERA in 18.2 innings across four starts. His last start was July 1 so he’s rested. No one is lined up for Sunday. Payton Tolle, having pitched the opener in Chicago, would be on four days rest. He’s already over half way to his innings high and benefits from extra rest already. Patrick Sandoval was already recalled. Ryan Watson can, potentially, cover some bulk. Though ideally the Sox are either well ahead or behind, not relying on him to hold a close game. At this point, Sonny Gray is untradable simply because teams need to field a full team every game.

Freddy Peralta is having a dreadful season with the Mets. Traded from the Brewers this winter, he’s putting up his highest ERA in a full season. Strikeouts are down, hits allowed are up…he’s not getting Cy Young votes this year. The Mets similarly are at a pitching crunch for Sunday. We might see dueling bullpen games.

Juan Soto is doing everything he can with 21 homers this season.

Bo Bichette started slow and even after a few good weeks is slashing just .258/.302/.380, which is not what the Mets expected after signing him to a rich three-year deal.

Francisco Lindor may not get along with Soto and is hitting .211/.296/.352, an age-32 crash in his numbers.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday, July 10: Sonny Gray (2.61 ERA / 3.61 FIP) vs. Nolan McLean (3.73 ERA /2.96 FIP)

Saturday, July 11: TBD (— ERA / — FIP) vs. Freddy Peralta (4.68 ERA / 4.30 FIP)

Sunday, July 12: TBD (— ERA / 2.72 FIP) vs. TBD (— ERA / — FIP)

When/Where to Watch

Friday, July 10: 7:15 PM ET on Apple TV

Saturday, July 11: 4:10 PM ET on NESN

Sunday, July 12: 1:40 PM ET on NESN