Yankees Mailbag: Assessing Jones’ first stint and Boone’s stewarding

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 29: Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees walks back to the dugout during the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

Long Time, First Time asks: As his first extended stint in the show comes to a close, what are your impressions of Spencer Jones?

That there’s a lot of work left to be done before he’s a regular in the starting lineup. The obvious worry with Jones was that he carries a high strikeout rate with him from the minors and that was certainly exacerbated in the majors, striking out a whopping 41.5 percent of the time, but despite that he managed to find some moments to contribute. A .687 OPS isn’t going to wow anybody but it was far from the worst production the Yankees were getting during his stay with the team, and his playing time was rather inconsistent as the team did not give him starts against lefties which took him out of nearly the entire Boston series among other stretches. His defense in the outfield was mostly fine, definitely better than his counterpart in Domínguez and significantly better than running José Caballero out there, but between the two options the team sees a better chance for improvement down the line with Jones getting regular reps in Triple-A and will ride with Domínguez in right field for now. Jones didn’t do enough in his time up for me to argue passionately against that assessment, but we’ll see whether Jones can muster up a couple hot weeks mashing at Scranton to push the issue.

Cisforcookie asks:Let’s say that the Snakes are six games out of the WC at the break (3.5 or so right now and a bunch of teams right ahead of them). What would it take to get them to part with Moreno and his 2.3 years left? Given that Judge is not getting any younger, whatever the ask (apart from Cam) shouldn’t NY pay it?

I don’t know if I’m on board with going all-in for Gabriel Moreno, at least not yet. The team should certainly make a swing for an upgrade at catcher, as despite his homer yesterday I have little faith in Austin Wells’ bat the rest of this season and the options below him are even less appealing. But the future of the position doesn’t have to get solved here and now so much as the position needs to be covered going into the stretch run and the postseason. So if it’s more feasible for the Yankees to trade for the short-term rental in Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers and swing other deals to improve the roster overall rather than put their eggs in the Moreno basket, I would prefer to do that. Jeffers in just 37 games this season has produced 1.7 fWAR on the back of a tremendous 165 wRC+, and while he doesn’t have a season that’s reached the peak of his offensive prowess like this one he has enough of a history that I can believe he’ll hold up. Moreno has garnered 2.1 fWAR in 66 games and has been consistently an above-average hitter while also playing his best ball this year with a 124 wRC+.

If the market develops and there’s no other significant move the Yankees can make alongside getting a catcher, then I think Moreno makes sense. He would be costly to acquire, and I won’t speculate on a specific package as there’s no current news about Arizona even considering moving him even if they fall out of the race in the NL Wild Card, but if he’s the big piece they can get then you go for it. I’ve argued in the past that Brian Cashman’s playing for longevity has cost him opportunities to strike for more ideal acquisitions, and now that the core is pushing towards the latter stages of their careers with no ring in hand yet the pressure is on to do something a bit more desperate. We’ll have to see if he’s really feeling that pressure, or if Hal Steinbrenner is content with more of the status quo.

Hankflorida asks:Since Boone has to dance with who he brought, he is limited to what he can do, and Cashman may not have the cards to greatly improve this team; my question is what do you think that Boone can do with shaking up this lineup while he waits for Judge to come back and what are his choices with his starting and relief pitchers? Is Boone just limited to whatever will be will be and has to just continue to follow his analytics and wait and see with hope that things turn around?

There are moments you could argue that Aaron Boone has let things play out with a lack of urgency, or that his team’s general lazy defensive over the years (this one included) is a reflection on him and his staff, but by and large I don’t have a ton of criticism to levy on Boone right now. The injuries that piled onto the lineup were significant, and without their biggest boppers in the mix the rest of the team suffered as a result. As Bradford Willaim Davis put it the other day, at a certain point the Yankees simply have to play better. A full third of the offense can’t be playing like they’re overwhelmed minor leaguers on a regular basis and expect to compete, and thankfully they broke out of their reverie for a bit with this recent Rays series dropping five runs in the opener for just the second time in nearly three weeks and then ending it on a 12-run blowout. Will that carry on? They have one more series before the All-Star break to prove it and then get some much-needed rest, but with Trent Grisham back in the fold and Ben Rice heating back up the floor at least raises to a more competent team than we’ve seen during their week-long losing streak.

Casey Schmitt and the Missing Walks

Jun 30, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants shortstop Casey Schmitt against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

We may never find out what Casey Schmitt thinks about his aversion to walks. Is it a philosophical thing? Instinct? Last night, he finally drew a walk for the first time since May 24th. In his post-game interview with NBC Sports Bay Area, there was an opportunity for a question about his approach to hitting that could’ve addressed the walk situation in a positive way, but instead, the broadcast went in a different direction:

KYLEN HILLS: Casey, gotta ask about a unique stat that you probably haven’t heard yet, but, you’ve hit seven first inning home runs, which is the most of any Giant in the last 50 years through this point in the season not named Barry Bonds. What is it about the first inning? Can you give us any insight?

CASEY SCHMITT: You know, honestly, I thought this was gonna go a different way. I thought you were gonna say the at bats until I got a walk again [laughs]

KYLEN HILLS: [laughs] Come on. We wouldn’t do that to you. We’ve got your back.

CASEY SCHMITT: Yeah, I didn’t know that. That’s pretty cool. That’s a cool thing to know. But, uh, yeah, I mean, I’m just trying to get on base. I’m not trying to swing for the fences or anything. I’m trying to stay within myself every single at bat.

A wonderful moment that tells us everything and nothing at the same time. What does Casey Schmitt think about drawing a walk? Or, at the very least, why does he try to avoid them? I have some theories:

His favorite TV show is Hacks

Sure, the title could be a reference to hacking at pitches, but the spirit of the show is being your unapologetic self no matter what the world throws your way. A comedy about two women from different generations trying to understand each other just enough to get what they want. Maybe Schmitt really likes Jean Smart or her chemistry with co-lead Hannah Einbinder. But the message of getting what you want by going after it, well, yeah, that would certainly diminish the value of a walk in the eyes of a hitter.

Threats

At the beginning of Spring Training, Buster Posey brought into the clubhouse those items or people most important to the players. Casey was all, “Wait, what’s my dad doing here?” before Buster calmly explained that he was only going to allot a certain number of walks this season and that players who go over their allotments would be forced to watch something terrible happen to someone they love.

Instinct

When Casey Schmitt sees a baseball coming right at him, his internal monologue sounds like comedian Tim Robinson’s screaming voice and all he can think is “F**K, F**K, F**K — A BASEBALL’S COMING AT ME!“ And later he explains, ”It was coming right at me — like, RIGHT at me — 110, 120 miles per hour. It could’ve taken my head clean off.“

Hunter Mense

Okay, seriously, it’s got to be the approach the team imported from Canada’s Toronto Blue Jays in the form of the World Series team’s assistant hitting coach. Mense has brought a swing-first approach to the roster, it seems and it’s clear that it’s working. Since May 1st, the Giants are fourth in wRC+ (110) and fifth in batting average (.259). What’s interesting to note about him is that he’s a huge advocate of swing decisions, an obsession over which got the last President of Baseball Operations fired from the Giants. So, has he instilled something in Schmitt or given him a permission structure for giving into his baser swing instincts?

I guess we’ll never know! The team-owned media has his back! Walks are taboo? We can’t talk about them? Yeah, I guess that home run stat is pretty cool because being mentioned in the same breath as Barry Bonds is extraordinarily notable…

But, bro. Bros

As Steven mentioned in his recap, “Schmitt worked a walk for the first time since May 24th — the longest span by a Giants player since Hal Lanier in 1964.” And, if you tweak that search to be any Giant of the Oracle Park era, you find that in the Oracle Park era, Schmitt’s 169 PA walk-less streak is second only to pinch hitter extraordinaire Shawon Dunston’s 246 PA streak (105 games!) that stretched from May 2001 to July 2002.

So, on the one hand, Schmitt can hang with a Barry Bonds stat. On the other hand, he’s in the same group as career .529 OPS Hal Lanier and career .712 OPS Shawon Dunston. And these players of recent vintage:

But then you see Jung Hoo Lee on this list with Pablo Sandoval, Hunter Pence and even Marquis Grissom, and suddenly the lack of walks doesn’t feel quite so dire. Even Donovan Solano. I would not deprive a Giants fan of their Donnie Barrels love.

The career walk rates of everybody I just mentioned: 6.4%, 7.1%, 7.4%, 6.2%, 6.2%, and all of them with sub-20% strikeout rates (some greatly under that). Schmitt’s career rate of 4.7% and 22.1% strikeout rate check in as higher than this group, but this season, he’s at 2.2 BB% and 19.3 K%.

The reason why it’s worth pointing out is that this simply isn’t sustainable. The reason why walks matter is because it increases the rate by which a batter does not make an out. The lower the “out” rate, the higher the rate of runs scored. Yes, hits are more valuable, but treating on base as zero sum is foolish. The value of not making an out is greater than making an out, after all.

Schmitt has drawn 8 walks in 357 plate appearances. Let’s just say he gets to 600 plate appearances and ups the walk rate a bit to 2.5%; so, 15 walks to end the season. According to Baseball Reference, that’s only happened 27 times in the history of Major League Baseball (unless I’m entering the filtering options wrong).

The most interesting part is that the most recent 10 range from 1966-2017, but between the most recent 10 and the remaining 17, there’s a 31-year gap. Anyway, if Schmitt is able to pull this off, he’ll join these players:

It’s an interesting group. Alcides Escobar was 30 and would play just 3 more seasons. Tim Anderson was at the beginning of his career, and would have a great run after his 606 PA & 13-walk season from 2018-2022 without drawing many walks (.297/.329/.455 — 4.0 BB%, 21.5 K%), but he’d play just 3 more seasons after this run (.232/.269/.270 in 855 PA). Ben Revere played just 3 more seasons, too. Deivi Cruz played five more, but this was his last good season (.264/.293/.384, 3.5 BB%, 9.7 K%). So, let’s hope that this is more Tim Anderson than any other player worth comparing him to on this list.

It’s really tough to compare eras, too, but except for 2013-2015, the league walk rate since 2000 has been consistently around 8.5%. This season, it’s 9%. If you step back to last century and look at 1966-1990, it’s still around 8.5%, with the exception of a 3-year run when it was about 7.7%. So, historically, Schmitt is an outlier, and not in a way that typically signals long-term success.

But we have other measures, too. He’s making contact as frequently as Mike Trout and Junior Caminero (79.7%), for instance. It helps that he’s swinging more than average (54.6% — 12th-most in MLB), but he’s also swinging out of the strike zone more than average (39.9% — 13th-worst in MLB, 11th percentile), which isn’t great and evidence that he’s still probably guessing or still trying to do something at the plate rather than “stay within himself.” Still, he’s not swinging and missing a lot (11.1% — between James Wood at 11% and Ohtani at 11.2%) and he’s seen the fourth-most rate of pitches (44.4%) in the strike zone compared to any other hitter in the sport.

The batted ball results are undeniable…

So, I’d say he’s confident that he can get to a lot of pitches right now and confident he can do damage — because he is — but maybe over time he’ll start recognizing which pitches are actually worth the swing.

In his minor league and college careers, he walked around 8.5% of the time, which would be the league average if he could bring that sort of discipline to the major leagues. It’s entirely possible this season is motivated by some tricky psychologically: he knew he needed to hit to stick and he’s done exactly that. Once he settles into a position, will that consistency allow him to give himself the power to lay off some pitches?

On the other hand… if it’s working, why not keep doing it? The theory of why I’m engaging in any concern here is simply that plate discipline and swing decisions have been historical drivers of future success and if Schmitt will be sticking around for a while, I think I’d like to have some sense that he might be one of the players who makes the team better in the future. But for now, all of this is working for him, so, I guess I need to sit back and appreciate this breakout season.

Mets call up Tobias Myers and Zack Short, place Mark Vientos on IL, DFA Dan Hammer

Mark Vientos #27 of the New York Mets reacts after being hit by a pitch during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field on July 09, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City.

The Mets have once again made a bunch of roster moves, as the team has called up Tobias Myers and Zack Short, placed Mark Vientos on the injured list with a right hand fracture, and designated Dan Hammer for assignment.

Myers was just optioned to the minors following his latest appearance with the Mets, but thanks to the injury that Vientos suffered, the Mets can call him back up much sooner than they would’ve been able to without someone hitting the injured list. After starting the season pretty well, Myers has struggled mightily since the Mets started sending him to Syracuse and bringing him back, and he now has a 6.14 ERA and a 4.86 FIP at the major league level this season.

Short, an infielder who had a very brief stint with the Mets in 2024 and and even briefer one earlier this season, gives the team a capable defender at shortstop. He’s hit just .200/.287/.275 in Triple-A this season across time with the affiliates of multiple organizations.

Vientos has been one of the worst regular players in baseball this year, as he’s been worth -1.1 fWAR, the third-worst mark in baseball among players who’ve made at least 100 plate appearances this year. On top of his shoddy defense, he’s hit just .211/.256/.388 with 11 home runs and a 77 wRC+.

Hammer was just the latest in an ever-rotating group of pitchers to get churned by the Mets’ front office. He was called up yesterday, having spent his season up to that point with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. Should he clear waivers, he figures to return to Syracuse.

Tommy Nance Traded to Minnesota

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 04: Tommy Nance #45 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 04, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Blue Jays have traded right handed reliever Tommy Nance to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for A+ catcher Ryan Sprock:

Nance has been with the organization for two years, after being acquired from the Padres in the middle of the 2024 season. He filled innings capably down the stretch in that lost season, and was a key part of the bullpen last year when he pitched 31.2 innings with a 1.99 ERA. This season he’s been more solid, posting a 3.82 ERA and striking out 34 against 13 walks in 33.0 innings.

Sprock was an 8th round pick out of Elon University last season. He was a two way player in college, splitting his junior season between third base and the bullpen. Naturally the Twins drafted him as a catcher, a position he hadn’t played in college. He seems to have taken to it, though, with some positive reviews on his early glove work. Fangraphs believes he could get to average there. Offensively, he’s shown a strong eye and excellent contact rate so far as a pro, with 64 walks to 52 strikeouts over 374 PA. He’s only managed 7 home runs in that time, but 21 total extra base hits shows that there’s a little pop there.

In terms of what this means for the Blue Jays, I wouldn’t take it to be all that much. Nance is 35 and missed time with a forearm issue this season. He’s a decent reliever, but not one any team is likely to have long term plans for. He’s also already been DFA’d and brought back onto the roster once this year, and Louis Varland, Tyler Rogers, Jeff Hoffman and Braydon Fisher are ahead of him on the right handed relief depth chart, with Spencer Miles possibly entering that mix if/when the rotation gets healthy. Sprock, meanwhile, is extremely the Jays’ kind of guy, a plus contact hitter with a plan at the plate who hit with wood bats in the Northwoods League as an amateur. My interpretation is that they were offered a guy they like for a pitcher who was somewhat on the roster bubble anyway and took it. I don’t see this as any meaningful move towards being sellers at the deadline. With three weeks to go and (with respect to the Rays recent hot streak) a soft schedule for the rest of July, 2.5 games out of a wildcard, I can’t seem them having made a buy/sell decision yet.

On the Twins’ side, Nance is probably instantly the third or fourth best guy in an awful bullpen with a league-worst 5.28 ERA. They have some offence and a Cy Young candidate in Joe Ryan, and they’re two games out of a very bad AL Central. Nance fills a need and could be a small but meaningful part of trying to win a very tight division.

Best of luck to Tommy in that endeavour, and welcome to the organization Ryan.

Update:

MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson confirms that international bonus pool space is going to Minnesota in the deal, although how much does not seem to have been publicly confirmed yet.

Update 2:

Ben Nicholson-Smith reporting it’s $250,000 in bonus pool money. That’s a meaningful amount, which as Ben says shows that the Jays were motivated to acquire Sprock, but doesn’t hugely change the shape of the overall deal.

Introducing Tyler Bilodeau … how much do Nets trust sharp shooter?

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Tyler Bilodeau #34 of the Brooklyn Nets shoots a three point shot over David Green #44 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half of the California Claasic at Golden 1 Center on July 06, 2026 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Back on June 24, the second night of the NBA Draft, fans were aghast that the Nets, who picked at No. 43 weren’t going for a big man, preferably one who can protect the rim. Why didn’t they use their cache of 21 second rounders to take Trevon Brazile of Arkansas, taken by the San Antonio Spurs at No. 35, or Baba Miller of Cincinnati taken by the Los Angeles Clippers one pick later?

Then when the Nets selected 6’9” power forward and sharp shooter Tyler Bilodeau of UCLA and Billings, Montana, at 43, there were more questions, starting with “Who?!?” and “Why?!?” Fans wanted to know “Why Not Henri Veesar?” the Estonian seven-footer who played at North Carolina and was still on the board (and would be till No. 52) or Ugonna Onyenso of Virginia and Nigeria, who lasted till No. 53.

Bilodeau was unknown to a lot of fans. Until ESPN’s Jeremy Woo listed him at No. 60 and last in his final mock draft two days earlier, he had not made any of the major media’s mocks despite being the top 3-point shooter in the Class of 2026. After he was selected, the Nets moved to sign him to a two-way deal, as they often do with mid-second round picks.

Now, after two games in Sacramento’s California Classic, outrage has subsided a bit and some fans are calling Bilodeau, the next Joe Harris or a taller Joe Harris (by three inches.) We should be so lucky. Harris was taken at No. 33 in the 2014 draft and finished his career with the third best 3-point shooting percentage of all time, having twice led the NBA in 3-point percentage, even beating Steph Curry in the 3-point contest in 2018.

The big change of opinion came in the third game in Sacramento when he scored 18 points, grabbed five rebounds, handed out two assists and hit 4-of-6 from deep. So far, so good. Bilodeau who may not be athletic but has a 7’1” wingspan and big frame is averaging 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds while shooting 55.6% overall and 58.3% from deep, that latter figure the beneficiary of some no-long passes from Brown Jr.

“Yeah, you don’t find dudes at 6-9, 6-8, they could shoot it like that. You don’t. Those are rare. And he’s very versatile on both ends of the floor,” Brown Jr. told The Post. “[He’s] definitely one of those guys that once he sees one or two go through the basket, let’s try to find him. Because once he’s hot, he’s hot.”

Similarly, Egor Demin liked what he saw in Sacto.

“It’s very encouraging. He’s a very big target, first of all; that’s his main advantage. His shot is very quick. That’s something I noticed…that’s one of the main emphasis for me when I’m working out my shot, was how fast can I shoot in a non-game situation to translate it better. His shot, it’s incredible,” Dëmin told the Post. “It’s going to be great for him to make this transition, and benefit the team with his shot. It’s obviously amazing.”

Bilodeau told ND’s Shara Talia Taylor he enjoyed himself…

His head coach, Dutch Gaitley, the defensive specialist on Jordi Fernandez staff, was balanced, starting with his D. He could be hunted by opposing teams at the next level.

“He’s going to guard 4s or 3s, but we switch so much, eventually teams will (say), ‘Hey, let’s test this guy’s footwork,’ ” Gaitley told The Post. “Can he guard? Switch on the ball and hold his own?

“Then the next level is hold his own, but also be able to dictate to them, ‘Hey, I may be fearful I’m going to get beat, but if I get beat, I’m going to get beat in this direction because I know my help is going to be there.’ Know right-hand, left-hand dominant, our help is baseline or help’s middle. If he can lock into those things, he’ll be able to be successful.”

Then, said Gaitley, it’ll be learning the Nets system mostly in the G League which opens November 13. There will be a lot of work including how he can contribute when that shot isn’t falling.

Bilodeau will have an opportunity. As a two-way, he can be active in Brooklyn for up to 50 games before the Nets will have to make a decision on whether to convert him to a standard deal. In the meantime, expect him to light up the G League.

So why did the Nets take Bilodeau. They didn’t say but one factor you have to think played into their thinking. When you have great passers like Demin and Brown Jr., they enhance the value of a sharp shooter. Joe Harris knew that too.

Shohei Ohtani injury costs Dodgers star MLB All-Star Game appearance. The latest

PHILADELPHIA – Shohei Ohtani, baseball’s biggest star, will not participate in the All-Star Game after being scratched Friday, July 10, from his scheduled start on the mound with an inflamed knee.

Ohtani will still be the Los Angeles Dodgers’ designated hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend, but will not travel to Philadelphia to participate in the All-Star Game or festivities. He was scheduled to be the National League’s starting DH.

It leaves the game without the defending MVPs and leading vote-getters in New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge and Ohtani. The St. Louis Cardinals' Iván Herrera will replace Ohtani on the NL roster.

Ohtani, the four-time MVP, was scheduled to pitch Friday night against the Diamondbacks but was scratched in the afternoon with an inflamed left knee. The news comes just three days after Ohtani hit his 300th career homer in the fewest games in baseball history.

It’s a huge blow to the All-Star Game, and a setback for Ohtani’s Cy Young hopes. It’s unknown how long he will be sidelined as a pitcher.

Ohtani, who turned 32 last week, is certainly in the running for his first Cy Young award. He is 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA this season with 95 strikeouts in 85.2 innings. And he’s still considered the finest hitter in the National League, hitting .290 with 20 homers, 56 RBI and a .939 OPS.

Ohtani was not expected to pitch in the All-Star Game, with the starting nod expected to go to Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez, but he was scheduled to be the starting DH. That now will fall to Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber, who leads baseball with 32 homers.

Ohtani also rejected an invitation to be in the Home Run Derby, but MLB officials are hopeful that Chicago White Sox star Muneteka Murakami, who hit 20 homers before missing the last 35 games on the injured list, will be the final participant in the derby. He was activated on Friday.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shohei Ohtani injury costs Dodgers star MLB All-Star Game appearance. The latest

Cardinals reportedly agree to an 8-year, $112.5M extension with JJ Wetherholt

The St. Louis Cardinals and JJ Wetherholt have agreed to an eight-year, $112.5 million extension that buys out the rookie second baseman’s first several years of free agency, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the club had not announced the extension.

The Cardinals picked Wetherholt seventh overall out of West Virginia two years ago in the first-year player draft, and he rocketed through their farm system. The 23-year-old made his major league debut on opening day and is hitting .267 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs and nine stolen bases.

The advanced metrics also have graded Wetherholt as one of the best defensive second basemen in baseball this season.

The emergence of Wetherholt in the middle of the St. Louis infield is a big reason the club has been one of the surprises of the first half of the season. The Cardinals are 48-44 and three games out of an NL wild-card spot heading into the weekend.

The deal is one of the first big signings for St. Louis since significant changes were made to the top of the organizational ladder.

Last September, Chaim Bloom took over as the Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, replacing longtime general manager John Mozeliak. Then, Bill DeWitt III took over as chief executive officer, though Bill DeWitt Jr. has continued as its chairman and principal owner with a hand in baseball and business matters.

Mets first baseman Mark Vientos set to miss 6-8 weeks with fractured hand

Mets first baseman Mark Vientos is set to miss 6-8 weeks with a fracture in his right hand, but will not undergo surgery, per SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes.

Vientos was hit by a pitch on his throwing hand in the second inning of Thursday night's 7-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field.

Talking to reporters prior to Friday night's series opener with the Boston Red Sox, Vientos expressed his disappointment on being sidelined long-term.

"I definitely want to be with the team, definitely want to play with the guys and I love playing baseball at the same time," said the first baseman. "It sucks, for sure."

With Vientos being moved to the IL, the Mets have called up infielder Zack Short. The 31-year-old has appeared in three games for the Mets this season, all at shortstop.

Players on the Mets active roster who could fill the void left at first base include Jared Young, Eric Wagaman, Brett Baty, and Jorge Polanco.

Vientos has hit 11 home runs and tallied 35 RBI in 73 games for the Mets this season, but has also recorded a dismal .644 OPS and 61:12 K:BB in that time.

Lakers should be all-in on Jonathan Kuminga — but at the right price

Atlanta Hawks player Jonathan Kuminga (0) shoots over a New York Knicks player (24) during an NBA game.
ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 30: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Round One Game Six of the...

LAS VEGAS — It’s no secret that the Lakers are pursuing unrestricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga

And at this point, it’s clear that Kuminga would like to be a Laker. 

But the two sides aren’t close on an agreement because the Lakers’ lastest offer isn’t what Kuminga’s side is seeking from L.A. 

It’s no secret that the Lakers are pursuing unrestricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga.  NBAE via Getty Images
And at this point, it’s clear that Kuminga would like to be a Laker.  NBAE via Getty Images

The Lakers’ latest offer, a source told the California Post, would have Kuminga earning an average annual salary around $10 million. 

At this point in the league’s calendar – almost 1 ½ weeks into the start of free agency – the number of double digit salary deals are becoming less common.

But the vision the Lakers have pitched Kuminga on – being the team’s starting wing who completes the puzzle of the team’s offseason of building around superstar Luka Doncic – doesn’t match the offers the Lakers have made to Kuminga at this point. 

Especially when factoring in the fact the Lakers agreed to long-term deals with Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million), both of whom will make at least $13 million next season despite at least one of them coming off of the bench if Kuminga joins the Lakers.  

It’s clear Kuminga wants more from the Lakers. 

The problem for the Lakers? 

It’s clear Kuminga wants more from the Lakers.  Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

They’ve already used up the $52-plus million in cap space they entered the offseason with on Grimes, Mamukelashvili, Walker Kessler (four years, $130 million), Collin Sexton (two years, $19 million) and Kevon Looney (one year, $3.9 million).

The Lakers would have to shed a little over $10 million in salary to create enough cap space to outright sign Kuminga – and that’s before factoring in the deals for Sexton and Looney, which aren’t official yet, or the re-signing of Austin Reaves (four years, $185 million).

Once the signings of Sexton and Looney are official, the Lakers would have to shed around $20.8 million of salary to offer Kuminga a $10 million per season deal. 

And that clearly won’t be enough to get the 23-year-old athletic forward in the Purple and Gold. 

As the Post reported on Wednesday, the main avenue for the Lakers to acquire Kuminga would be in a sign and trade with the Hawks. 

The Hawks, a source to the Post, are willing to execute a sign-and-trade with the Lakers around the framework of Kuminga going to L.A. and the Hawks receiving Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap – the lone option the Lakers have of trading a first-round pick this summer. Los Angeles also has three second-round picks (Wizards two picks and its own 2033 pick) available to trade.

They’ve already used up the $52-plus million in cap space they entered the offseason with on Grimes, Mamukelashvili, Walker Kessler (four years, $130 million), Collin Sexton (two years, $19 million) and Kevon Looney (one year, $3.9 million). NBAE via Getty Images

Kuminga’s contract would have to be for at least three or four seasons (not including option seasons), and the first season must be fully guaranteed, if the Lakers acquired him in a sign and trade.  

A sign-and-trade would allow for the Lakers to pay Kuminga a higher salary and retain his Bird Rights without having to sacrifice depth from their roster. 

And if the framework of the sign-and-trade for Kuminga is still on the table beyond Thursday, the Lakers should jump on it

Vanderbilt has two years and $25.7 million left on his four-year, $48 million contract extension he signed with the Lakers in September 2023. He has a $12.4 million salary for 2026-27 and a $13.3 million player option for 2027-28. 

The Lakers have been willing to trade Vanderbilt, according to multiple sources who spoke with the Post who were granted anonymity so they could speak freely, as well as other players on the roster in order to create more roster-building optionality. 

Vanderbilt hasn’t been a consistent top-nine rotation player for the Lakers when the roster is healthy. And even when healthy, Kuminga has been a better and more dynamic player than Vanderbilt. 

And if the framework of the sign-and-trade for Kuminga is still on the table beyond Thursday, the Lakers should jump on it.  Getty Images

And the pick swap would simply be the price of doing business. And if the Lakers are better than the Hawks in six years – which they expect to be with Doncic on the roster – the pick swap becomes less of a factor. 

But then there’s the matter of how much the Lakers should pay Kuminga. 

If the Lakers acquire Kuminga in a sign-and-trade including Vanderbilt and the pick swap, the most they’d be allowed to pay Kuminga for 2026-27 would be around $21.5 million, which would also keep the Lakers below the first apron threshold they’re hard-capped at.

This is a salary range around Kyle Kuzma ($20.5 million), Dillon Brooks ($20.9 million), Christian Braun ($21.5 million), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($21.6 million), Norman Powell ($22.5 million), and Miles Bridges ($22.8 million). But outside of Braun, every other player in that salary range is either on an expiring deal or has a team option for the 2027-28 season. 

But on a three- or four-year deal, which the Lakers would be required to sign Kuminga to in a sign-and-trade, they should stick to a salary range between $16-19 million. Duncan Robinson ($15.9 million), Nikola Jovic ($16.2 million) and Patrick Williams ($18 million) are among wings/forwards who are in this salary range for next season. 

Kuminga is not only better than most of these players, but also has higher upside because of his youth, athleticism and skillset. 

Kuminga would be worth that salary range for the Lakers before even factoring in the fact he fits exactly what they need around Doncic and Reaves because of his physical profile, youth, skill and athleticism.

They’d be paying not just for what he is not, but the player he could develop into. Especially playing off of Doncic and Reaves.

Or that their options for a starting-level wing/forward who could be a long-term fit are limited. 

The Lakers must get a deal done for Kuminga.

Their offseason is already a success without Kuminga, but would be an overwhelming success with him. 

And they don’t have to break the bank to get Kuminga. But it’s time for the Lakers to back up the sentiments and vision for Kuminga with their offer.


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Steph Curry shares unbothered response to the ‘superstar whistle' debate

Steph Curry shares unbothered response to the ‘superstar whistle' debate originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry has heard the debate about the superstar whistle. He still is not interested in joining it.

The four-time NBA champion addressed the long-running conversation around his lack of preferential foul treatment during an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole — and his response was as unbothered as his on-court demeanor suggests.

“Conversations that I don’t need to be a part of,” Curry told Poole on “Dubs Talk” at the American Century Championship in South Lake Tahoe. “I play basketball; figure it out as I go. I try my best not to complain out there on the court and just figure out whatever the challenge is. That’s my mindset.”

The debate Poole referenced still is a genuine one in NBA circles. Despite being the greatest shooter in league history and one of the most decorated players of his generation, Curry has averaged just 4.3 free throw attempts per game over his career — a figure that still is remarkably low for a player who commands as much defensive attention as anyone in the sport. This past season, he averaged 5.1 attempts, still well below the marks posted by players of comparable offensive impact.

The explanation, as analysts have long noted, still is rooted in how Curry plays rather than how officials treat him. He still is one of the least physical drivers in the league — his game still is built around creating space and shooting rather than drawing contact — and he still is, by most accounts, one of the worst in the league at selling contact when it does occur. He does not flail. He does not sell. He finishes, misses, or moves on.

In a league where stars routinely work officials and complain after non-calls, Curry still is the exception — not because he does not notice, but because he genuinely does not seem to care.

That might be the most Steph Curry answer he has ever given.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

St. Louis Cardinals sign rookie 2B JJ Wetherholt to big 8-year extension

PHILADELPHIA — St. Louis Cardinals rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt may have been snubbed by not being selected to the All-Star game, but certainly no one is having a greater weekend.

Wetherholt agreed Friday, July 10 to an eight-year, $112.5 million contract extension, a person familiar with the deal told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity since the Cardinals have yet to announce the contract.

It’s the largest contract extension given to a Cardinals’ player since first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s five-year, $130 million deal in 2019.

Wetherholt becomes the latest young star to sign an extension this year, joining Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (8 years, $150 million), Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (8 years, $140 million), Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson (8 years, $95 milllion) and Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt (8 years, $50.75 million). Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong also signed a six-year, $115 million contract extension this season.

Wetherholt, the Cardinals’ first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is hitting .267 with 13 homers and 36 RBI with a .773 OPS this season. The 23-year-old is ranked as the top defensive second baseman in baseball this season, leading the majors with 249 assists and ranking second with 16 outs above average.

Wetherholt also leads all rookies in WAR (3.8), runs (56), and times on base (140). The only National League players with a higher WAR are Crow-Armstrong (5.6), Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (4.6) and Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (4.2).

He has 39 hits leading off an inning, including four homers, the second-most behind James Wood of the Washngton Nationals (54) this season, and the most by a Cardinals rookie since Vince Coleman in 1985. He is bidding to become the first Cardinals rookie to hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases in a season.

Wetherholt is the first player signed to a multi-year contract extension since Chaim Bloom became president of baseball operations in October, 2025.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: St. Louis Cardinals sign rookie 2B JJ Wetherholt to big 8-year extension

Reds activate Ke’Bryan Hayes, place Matt McLain on injured list

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 18: Ke'Bryan Hayes #3 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, May 18, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Ke’Bryan Hayes looked just 5 games at the minor league level during his rehab stint due to a lower back injury, but in that time he managed to produce with aplomb. At AAA Louisville, in particular, Hayes went 7 for 12 with a homer and 5 runs scored in just a trio of games, and that was apparently enough to warrant a recall to the active roster by the Cincinnati Reds.

Hayes was activated on Friday afternoon with infielder Matt McLain heading the other direction with a calf strain, and the Reds will now begin the process of figuring out if the woeful struggles Hayes had at the outset of the 2026 were at all pinnable on the lingering back issues he has dealt with for years.

Those struggles, you may recall, were pronounced. Across 44 games and 128 PA, Hayes hit just .142/.195/.225 (.420 OPS) with only 2 homers and a lone triple. Even with his vaunted glovework factoring in, that meant he was worth -0.2 bWAR and a brutal -0.9 fWAR so far this season, numbers that are simply unsustainable for the Reds at the big league level regardless of cost.

Friday will begin Hayes’ quest to prove he can still cut it as a big leaguer, something that’s vital for this Reds club to know, too, seeing as they’ve got over $30 million still owed to him over the course of the contract they fully acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates just last July. Hayes is in the starting lineup for Friday’s series opener against the Chicago Cubs, playing 3B and batting in his customary #9 spot in the order.

Kawhi Trade Value Could Change Based on Aspiration Scandal

The NBA’s investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers possibly circumventing the salary cap via a no-show endorsement deal with Kawhi Leonard has officially become a basketball controversy. 

The Clippers and the Toronto Raptors announced this week their trade involving Leonard is on hold pending the outcome of the league probe. The possibility that Leonard’s contract will be voided and that he will be suspended are two variables that dramatically impact the trade’s value and could lead to a reworked trade package.

Last month, the Clippers agreed in principle to trade Leonard to the Raptors for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks. Leonard, 35, previously played for the Raptors in 2018-19; the team won the NBA title that year, and Leonard was named Finals MVP.

Leonard, however, is a central figure in an alleged plot by the Clippers to pay him millions beyond his player contract—a direct violation of the CBA. 

Last year, journalist and podcaster Pablo Torre, of the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, broke the news that Leonard and then-Clippers sponsor Aspiration signed a four-year endorsement deal in 2022 that didn’t obligate Leonard to perform services and would have ended if the forward had been traded.

The Clippers have denied the allegations and stressed several reasons to question them. 

Aspiration, which was renamed Catona, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year and its co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, was recently sentenced to 14 years in prison for wire fraud. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has said he lost $60 million to Aspiration and contends he was a victim of Sanberg, whom the U.S. Department of Justice has called a “con man” who used lies and exaggerations to “prey on investors and lenders.”

Sanberg has also cooperated with the NBA’s investigation, a point Ballmer portrays as problematic as it relates to his team. Not only is Sanberg’s credibility highly questionable, but he arguably had an incentive to make himself seem useful to the NBA. 

Before Sanberg was sentenced to prison, attorney David Anders, whom the NBA retained to investigate the Clippers, wrote a letter to the presiding judge describing Sanberg as sharing “information that was relevant to our investigation” and helping them “develop a more complete understanding of key events.”

The Clippers and Ballmer Could Be Punished

Much of the attention on the scandal has focused on potential consequences for the Clippers and Ballmer. 

If NBA commissioner Adam Silver determines the Clippers violated the CBA, he could strip away Los Angeles draft picks, suspend Ballmer and impose various fines on both. Circumventing the cap undermines fair play and provides a team with an unfair advantage since it gives that team an advantage over teams that follow the rules.

In 2000, Silver’s predecessor as commissioner, David Stern, ordered the forfeiture of five first-round picks from the Minnesota Timberwolves and imposed a $3.5 million fine for a salary cap scheme. The Timberwolves agreed to pay forward Joe Smith less in initial one-year contracts so they could sign other players those seasons in exchange for promising to later sign Smith to a long-term, lucrative deal after they acquired “Larry Bird rights,” which let a team go over the cap to keep a player. Stern also voided Smith’s 1999-2000 contract with the Timberwolves and by also voiding Smith’s previous Timberwolves contract (1998-99), effectively stripped Smith of his Larry Bird rights.

If Silver reaches similar conclusions about the Clippers, he could impose a hefty penalty. However, the commissioner could determine a lesser penalty, or even no penalty, is appropriate if he concludes the evidence is uncertain and unreliable. 

The Clippers insist they have “fully cooperated” with the investigation, including by “participating in dozens of interviews” and “providing tens of thousands of documents.” Silver, who like several of his deputies is an accomplished attorney, has also said while the NBA is not a court of law, it values due process and fairness and that the “mere appearance of impropriety” isn’t enough.

To that point, Silver said last fall the investigation must be consistent with “any process that requires fundamental fairness” and one that reaches decisions based on “the totality of evidence.” 

Leonard Also Could Face League Punishment

Article XIII of the CBA states that the commissioner can void any player contract, or any renegotiation, extension or amendment of a player contract, as one type of penalty for salary cap circumvention. Leonard is set to be paid $50.3 million in 2026-27 in the third year of a three-year, $149.5 million deal. The obvious risk to the Raptors would be if, after trading for Leonard, his contract for 2026-27 is voided. The team could conceivably sign him to another deal, but the risk of contract forfeiture alone is a reason to delay consummating the trade.

In the scenario of contract voidance, Leonard could borrow a page from the Smith playbook, as Smith challenged Stern voiding his contracts. However, an arbitrator upheld Stern’s decision. Then-NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said the arbitrator “recognized the importance of enforcing the provisions relating to secret agreements” and demonstrated “that if you enter into secret agreements, the consequences of getting caught can be fairly significant.”

Leonard could also be suspended by the league, meaning regardless of his contract status, he would be ineligible to play.

Both the uniform player contract and CBA contain language that permits Silver to punish Leonard if the commissioner concludes Leonard acted wrongly. For instance, if the NBA concludes the Clippers knowingly circumvented the cap through its dealings with Aspiration, the NBA might also conclude Leonard—who stood to benefit financially—was aware of the plot and thus “in on it.”

The uniform player contract requires that an NBA player “conduct himself on and off the court according to the highest standards of honesty, citizenship and sportsmanship.” It also forbids a player from doing “anything that is materially detrimental or materially prejudicial to the best interests of the team or the league.”

The league could also punish Leonard if it determines he wasn’t fully cooperative, including in the candor and forthcoming nature of his statements and in evidence he’s shared or not shared. Article VI of the CBA obligates players to “cooperate with investigations of alleged player misconduct conducted by the NBA.”

Further, the league constitution contains far-reaching language that is potentially on point. Through Article 35, Silver can suspend for a definite or indefinite period a player who, in Silver’s opinion, made statements that are detrimental to the best interests of basketball or to the NBA or partook in conduct that “does not conform to standards of morality or fair play” or is “prejudicial or detrimental” to the NBA.

Leonard would have the right to contest a punishment. A suspension of 13 or more games can be appealed to a neutral grievance arbitrator, while a suspension of 12 or fewer games can be appealed to Silver or a designee of the commissioner’s choosing. Leonard could not only argue he is innocent, but even if he is at fault, that the punishment is excessive given past player suspensions. Leonard might also assert he too is a victim of Sanberg as the bankruptcy records indicated that Aspiration owed KL2 Aspire, Leonard’s limited liability company, $7 million.

The Waiting Game Is the Smart Game

In short, the Raptors are wise to wait to see whether the NBA finds the Clippers at fault and, in doing so, terminates Leonard’s contract or suspends him. The league has discretion on when it concludes its investigation and when it announces what, if any, actions will be taken. 

If Leonard becomes available for a shorter period to Toronto than the whole season, the team could demand a reworked deal—such as sending back fewer draft picks to LA.

So the Clippers and Raptors might have to hold on for a bit. So, too, will their fans.

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Series Preview: St Louis Cardinals Take On Atlanta Braves at Home July 10-12, ‘26

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 9: Andre Pallante #53 of the St. Louis Cardinals walks to the dugout after being pulled against the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth inning at Busch Stadium on July 9, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cardinals host the Braves this weekend at Busch Stadium leading up to the All Star Break. If you haven’t heard, Jordan Walker will be in the Home Run Derby on Monday night on Netflix, AND be at the All-Star Game, as the Cardinals lone position player representative. Riley O’Brien was also added to the All-Star roster because certain pitchers were scheduled to play in games this weekend and would not have enough rest time for the exhibition game. Old news, I know, but the All-Star Break is just right around the corner after this series hosting Atlanta.

(Personally, I am going to watch the HR Derby for the first time in years, because I currently have Netflix… and probably ignore the All-Star Game as usual, unless I am bored and can find it on streaming TV somehow).

the 2026 Atlanta Braves

Over the last 10 games, the Braves are 5-5, two of those losses and one of those wins due to the Cardinals. Since the Cardinals went to Atlanta, the Braves split a 4 game series vs the Mets, and won a three game series in Pittsburgh. Before we won that series against them in Atlanta, the Braves had been bailing the water out of their boat, going 9-14 in June. So, I cannot tell if their going 5-5 in the last 10 games is them turning it around or, just treading water. Regardless of recency bias, they are one of the best teams in baseball and first place in the ultra tough NL East division, where 4 out of 5 teams possess winning records.

What must be really frustrating for Braves fans during their hapless June: losing series to teams like the Mets, Giants, and Padres, and being swept in two games by the White Sox, while doing well vs the Brewers. Go figure.

The Braves have one of the best bullpens in baseball, and they fare well at home, on the road, and vs over .500 teams. How can a team that has been floundering so much lately be that on top of things? They stacked up 22 wins in March and April, and 18 wins in May.

How is Atlanta so good?

It’s not so much the hitting, it’s the pitching. Their lineup can certainly hit home runs well beyond the midrange, tied for 6th in MLB with 3 other teams. Overall, their lineup is good not great, most similar to the Houston Astros. And similar to the Cardinals, the Braves don’t like to take many walks. They take even less walks than St Louis, and perhaps the biggest weakness to their lineup is on-base percentage. But hey, if you’re hitting the long ball, whatever about walks, amirite.

Braves pitching is what makes their team win a lot. Their best trait is most similar to the Giants, but all the Brewers: they don’t let you barrel the ball. As a team they are really doing well, but there’s a caveat…

Braves pitching has an airtight, lockdown bullpen. So it’s their relievers! Believe it or not, the Braves bullpen is worth nearly as much WAR as their starting rotation. The Braves are either proof that an elite bullpen can elevate your above average team to elite, without having anything more than an above-average lineup and above-average starting pitching by ERA/xERA (below average by FIP stats!).

Braves Defense

The Braves defense is good, especially because of center fielder Michael Harris II, left fielder Mauricio Dubon, rangey first baseman Matt Olson, and part time shorstop Jorge Mateo, if we are going by Fielding Run Value on Baseball Savant. They can certainly prevent some runs on defense, so maybe their starting rotation isn’t as important a factor in their winning ways.

Home runs, prime outfield defense, and a bullpen just as good as the Brewers, only bettered by the Dodgers and Padres by fWAR.

It Ain’t braggin’ if you go out and do it.

Dizzy dean

The Cardinals defense throws all their eggs in one basket, with arguably the best middle infield defense in MLB. Overall St Louis ranks higher than the Braves defense, but it’s not by a lot. Hopefully this can be a good series.

Cardinals 4-6 in their last 10 games

The 2026 Cardinals as they stand today are road warriors. At home they are a game under .500. Earlier in the season the team was over .500 vs teams over .500, but now will need to take two of three from the Braves to go back over .500 vs good teams. That’s a lot of .500! Which is also their expected win/loss record, currently.

No matter how you critique Atlanta, the Cardinals are the underdog here. The Cardinals have a slightly better position-player group overall, with that elite middle infield and a slightly better lineup because of the years Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, and Ivan Herrera are having, with the added on-base power of table setters JJ Wetherholt and Lars Nootbaar and the 134 wRC+ bat of Nelson Velazquez.

While the Braves don’t have stellar run producers like Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson, they score more runs because of a deeper lineup. So as much as statcast and sabermetric stats like the Cardinals a little bit more, the Braves are winning more games because of scoring more runs… and having much better pitching.

courtesy of baseball savant / mlb statcast info

You might be surprised that the Cardinals rotation is about the same as the Braves in ERA, and actually a fair deal better in total fWAR. That is where the similarities end, the Cardinals bullpen ERA is 4.28 and the Braves is 3.13! And the difference by xERA is even more devastating. If you prefer the lens of fWAR, the Braves bullpen is 3.5 wins better than the Cardinals!

This will strike home but the Braves bullpen probably will not walk you. No free passes. Whereas the Cardinals bullpen corps is practically inviting you onto first base in comparison. When Riley O’Brien is your most stingy walks guy, there is a problem. Ryne Stanek, Ryan Fernandez, Matt Svanson, and Gordon Graceffo are the prime offenders, but George Soriano needs some work too. The usually reliable JoJo Romero isn’t having his best year, but his ERA is good at least.

Series Schedule and Matchups

7:15 PM Friday July 10, 2026: Chris Sale vs Kyle Leahy

Fangraphs odds: Braves favored 58.1% to Cardinals 41.9% chance of winning

-Watch on: AppleTV (sorry guys)

Aging Ace Chris Sale is a lefty, so we should expect to see Nelson Velazquez in left field and batting cleanup. Blaze Jordan will probably play first base. Pedro Pages will likely catch Kyly Leahy.

Keys to the game: our outfield is like the inverse of Atlanta’s, defensively. Not good! Jordan Walker and Nelson Velazquez are having a race to the bottom in OAA numbers. At least Nathan Church is playing, it would seem! The Cardinals need to rely on pitch-to-contact, ground out style pitching. They must somehow get to and/or catch Chris Sale on a bad day. Because you don’t want to have to win vs Atlanta’s bullpen. Burleson needs a big hit in a big pinch hit opportunity, if the Cardinals pitching can even tame the Braves lineup.

Should we win this? No. But it sure would be nice.

6:15 PM Saturday July 11, 2026: Reynaldo Lopez vs Matthew Liberatore

Fangraphs odds: Braves favored 53.6% to Cardinals 46.4%

-Watch on: CardinalsTV

Reynaldo Lopez looks really good by old school stats ERA and W/L record. Everything else looks prime for regression, whether it’s his xERA or FIP stats. He probably just isn’t that good. He will probably issue some walks. But on the flipside, he is still better than the Cardinals worst starting pitcher in 2026, Matthew Liberatore.

Liberatore is worse than Lopez across the board except he actually issues less walks. It could be argued that Reynaldo is having a lucky season while Matthew is having a .325 BABIP against disaster. Whatever the case, Liberatore is having a bad season and is getting hit harder. Lopez also has less miles on the tires, at only 50 some innings pitched. This game is winnable, but we are going to have to see a decent Liberatore outing.

Lopez is a right-handed pitcher, so look to see Burly man first base, with Herrera catching Liberatore and Nootbaar in left field. I am using roster resource projected lineups for the purposes of this preview.

Keys to the game: Let’s make Reynaldo Lopez regress quickly, shall we? Score as many runs as possible early on.

Should we win this: I’m going to call it a draw, flip a coin, whatever.

1:15 PM Sunday July 12, 2026: Hurston Waldrep vs Dustin May

Fangraphs odds: Braves favored 45.3% to Cardinals 54.7%

-Watch on: CardinalsTV

Hurston Waldrep sounds like a name in a sci-fi or fantasy novel, or maybe a steampunk character, but he doesn’t seem to be a very good pitcher. This would be like if it was Liberatore vs Sale, because our guy Dustin May is pitching vs their worst pitcher. Who knows what could happen since he doesn’t seem to be a regular starting pitcher and we are dealing with small sample size, somewhat… but this guy has a major, major walk issue.

Dustin May may have a babip against problem in 2026 (he usually doesn’t), but his underlying numbers and non-ERA rate stats look real good. He is on pace for a 4 fWAR season powered by a 3.21 FIP. His xERA is 3.78, making him the Cardinals ace by that measure. It is looking like the standard Burleson lineup Sunday as Waldrep is a righty. Look for Herrera to catch again Sunday, maybe.

Keys to the game: see if Waldrep will walk you first and foremost, and if not, do some damage. May will need to have a decent game, if the Cardinals lineup is mystified by the newbie starting pitcher. Or maybe it’s a bullpen game for them that day, great.

Should we win this: why the heck not! Winning the last game before the All Star Break seems key, somehow. Maybe this is the game where we prove we can outhit the Braves.

See you Wednesday on the other side of the All Star Game! Go Cardinals.

And of course, tomorrow afternoon starting at noon is the MLB Draft! Full coverage here on VEB for each pick! don’t miss it… google tells me that it is on both NBC and MLB Network, or on streaming through Peacock, Fubo, and MLB.com.

Cardinals baseball will resume next Friday night in Arizona, after this Braves series

Blue Jays vs Padres Prediction, Odds & Home Run Pick for Today's MLB Game

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The Toronto Blue Jays open a weekend series looking to keep their bats warm against the San Diego Padres and left-hander JP Sears.

Ernie Clement has become a near-automatic source of offense and headlines a card built around Toronto's edge against southpaws, with Shane Bieber taking the ball for the Blue Jays.

Read on for my Blue Jays vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks for Friday, July 10.

Blue Jays vs Padres predictions

Blue Jays vs Padres best bet: Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases (+115)

We're starting to talk about Ernie Clement as a hit-per-day guy. He's gone under this prop in three of his last four games, but he has recorded a hit in four straight and carries strong career numbers against Padres starter JP Sears.

The Toronto Blue Jays infielder is 3-for-8 lifetime against Sears without striking out. Clement is a contact machine who has cemented his place atop Toronto's order, and I'm backing him to spark the offense as the Jays carry their San Francisco momentum into San Diego.

I'd play this bet down to even money.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Clement is batting .287 with a team-leading 27 hits against left-handed pitchers this year, with nine going for extra bases. That's exactly the matchup he draws against Sears.

Blue Jays vs Padres same-game parlay (SGP)

Neither Shane Bieber nor JP Sears has been sharp lately, so I'm riding Over 8 total runs in what should be a hittable pitching matchup.

I'll pair that with the Toronto Blue Jays moneyline at plus money. The Jays are 7-2 on the road against left-handed starters this year, while the market appears overly concerned by Bieber's tiny sample.

Kazuma Okamoto Over 1.5 total bases rounds out the parlay, as Toronto's top power bat draws a favorable matchup against a homer-prone southpaw.

Blue Jays vs Padres SGP (+475)

  • Toronto Blue Jays moneyline
  • Over 8
  • Kazuma Okamoto Over 1.5 total bases
img loading="lazy" width="100%" height="null" src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/jaysmlcbp.jpg" alt="Canada’s best price for Jays"
Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.

Blue Jays vs Padres home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+240)

I won't go so far as to say you should always bet Kazuma Okamoto's home run prop, but the Blue Jays rookie has been a power beast lately. He's homered in two of his last three games, including a grand slam in Wednesday's finale against the Giants, and leads Toronto with a .474 slugging percentage against left-handers.

That makes Okamoto a strong bet to go yard against Sears, who carries an inflated 6.05 FIP and has allowed 2.3 home runs per nine innings. I like the prop at +240, but I wouldn't play it below +230 and would keep the wager to a quarter unit.

2026 Transparency record
  • Best bets: 6-1, +4.48 units
  • SGPs: 2-6, +0.19 units
  • HR picks: 1-7, -0.63 units

Blue Jays vs Padres odds

  • Moneyline: Toronto +105 | San Diego -125
  • Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+160) | San Diego +1.5 (-190)
  • Over/Under: 8 (Over -120 | Under +100)

Blue Jays vs Padres trend

The Toronto Blue Jays are 7-2 on the road against left-handed starters this season, a strong backdrop with JP Sears on the mound. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Padres.

How to watch Blue Jays vs Padres and game info

LocationPetco Park, San Diego, CA
DateFriday, July 10, 2026
First pitch9:40 p.m. ET
TVSportsnet, Padres.TV, TVA Sports
Blue Jays starting pitcherShane Bieber
(0-1, 9.00 ERA)
Padres starting pitcherJP Sears
(2-1, 4.70 ERA)

Blue Jays vs Padres latest injuries

Blue Jays vs Padres weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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