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For one night, baseball will once again trade packed ballparks for rows of Iowa corn. On August 13, the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies will meet in the long-awaited return of MLB's Field of Dreams Game, marking the event's first appearance since 2022. Hosted at the legendary movie site in Dyersville, Iowa, the nationally televised matchup brings together two contenders in one of Major League Baseball's signature showcase events. The game will be streamed live on Netflix, and it promises to be much more than nine innings. From throwback uniforms and Hall of Fame appearances to a celebration of one of baseball's most beloved films, here's everything fans need to know before first pitch. Baseball Returns to a Legendary Setting The Field of Dreams Game is being played for just the third time after a four-year absence. The inaugural contest in 2021 instantly became one of the most memorable regular-season games in recent history when the Chicago White Sox walked off the New York Yankees, 9-8, on Tim Anderson's dramatic home run. A year later, the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds met in the second edition (Chicago won 4-2) before the event was paused while the Dyersville complex underwent expansion and construction. Now, the Twins and Phillies become the latest clubs to take center stage in baseball's most cinematic setting. While the game is inspired by the famous baseball diamond featured in the movie, the teams will actually play in a specially constructed Major League stadium adjacent to the original field. Why the Site Means So Much Released in 1989, Field of Dreams has become one of the defining baseball movies ever made. Starring Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta, James Earl Jones, and Amy Madigan, the film follows Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella after he hears the now-famous message, "If you build it, he will come." Adapted from W.P. Kinsella's novel Shoeless Joe, the movie earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture and was added to the National Film Registry in 2017. Few sporting events blend baseball history and pop culture quite like the Field of Dreams Game, making it one of MLB's premier annual showcases whenever it's held. More Than Just One Game The festivities extend well beyond Thursday night's matchup. More than 25 members of the Baseball Hall of Fame are expected to attend, creating one of the largest gatherings of Hall of Famers since Yankee Stadium's farewell festivities during the 2008 All-Star Game. The site will also host a High School All-American Game on Wednesday, with Twins legend Torii Hunter and Hall of Famer Jim Thome serving as managers. Fans hoping to experience the venue before the major league game can also catch Triple-A baseball earlier in the week. The St. Paul Saints will face the Iowa Cubs in Dyersville at 6:30 on Tuesday, August 11th. This gives Twins fans another opportunity to see the unique ballpark while several of the organization's top prospects are in action. A First for the Twins Although Minnesota has played regular-season games away from traditional MLB stadiums before, this marks the franchise's first appearance in one of Major League Baseball's specialty showcase games. The Twins' only previous neutral-site regular-season experience came in 2018 when they played Cleveland in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This time, however, the spotlight is much brighter. Minnesota will briefly leave a Target Field homestand to face a Phillies club that features familiar faces, including former Twins Jhoan Duran and Luis Arraez, adding another layer of intrigue to an already unique matchup. How to Watch Unlike the previous two editions, which aired nationally on Fox, the 2026 Field of Dreams Game will stream exclusively on Netflix. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, August 13. The game will not be available live on Twins.TV, but fans can still listen through the Twins Radio Network, including 830 AM and 102.9 FM. Throwback Uniforms Take Center Stage Both teams will celebrate their history with vintage-inspired uniforms designed specifically for the event. Minnesota's look pays tribute to the franchise's inaugural 1961 season after arriving from Washington. The Twins will wear classic white pinstripes featuring the original blue-and-red "Twins" script across the chest, paired with a navy cap showcasing the vintage TC logo. Philadelphia will counter with uniforms inspired by the club's 1939-41 road design. The gray jerseys feature red and navy trim, a retro "Phillies" script, navy caps with a red block "P," and a commemorative sleeve patch honoring baseball's centennial celebration as it was recognized in 1939. A Showcase Worth Waiting For MLB has experimented with games at Little League parks, historic stadiums, and even racetracks, but none have captured the imagination quite like the Field of Dreams Game. After several years away, the event returns with a compelling matchup, a nostalgic backdrop, and one of the sport's most recognizable settings. Whether it's the cornfield entrance, the vintage uniforms, or the atmosphere surrounding one of baseball's most cherished films, the Twins will be part of an event that extends far beyond the standings. For Minnesota, it's another regular-season game. For baseball, it's a celebration of the sport's past—and a reminder that some places still make the game feel timeless. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins entered the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline in an unusual position. They were close enough to the playoff race to justify adding talent, yet still sitting below .500 as the deadline arrived. That balancing act forced the front office to weigh immediate upgrades against the long-term value of one of baseball's strongest farm systems. Ultimately, the Twins resisted the temptation to move their premier prospects. They added to the major league roster without sacrificing the organization's biggest building blocks, preserving a pipeline that could help the club both in September and for years to come. With the deadline now behind them, Minnesota's system remains one of the deepest in baseball, featuring impact talent at nearly every level. Top Prospects Stay In Place An argument certainly could have been made for the Twins to push even harder at the deadline. With a playoff berth still within reach, dealing from organizational depth for another established major leaguer wouldn't have been unreasonable. At the same time, it's difficult to justify moving elite prospects when the club entered the deadline under .500. Minnesota's front office chose to preserve its long-term outlook, and the organization's upper levels still feature multiple players who could contribute in the majors before this season ends. That combination of present help and future upside is exactly why the Twins have been so reluctant to empty the system. Triple-A: The Next Wave Is Almost Here No level better illustrates Minnesota's organizational depth than Triple-A St. Paul has had this year. Kaelen Culpepper was promoted this weekend and immediately handed the starting shortstop role. Walker Jenkins continues knocking on the door of the major leagues. Both have little left to prove in the minors, and it wouldn't be surprising if Jenkins joins Culpepper over the next few weeks should an opportunity present itself. Emmanuel Rodriguez is also working his way back after a thumb injury. Had he remained healthy throughout the season, there's a legitimate chance he would have been the first callup among the top prospects earlier this year. His combination of patience and power still gives him one of the highest ceilings in the organization. The outfield picture has become especially interesting because Hendry Mendez and Gabriel Gonzalez have trended in opposite directions. Last season, Gonzalez looked like one of baseball's breakout prospects, climbing from High-A to Triple-A as a 21-year-old while posting a .909 OPS. This year has been much more challenging, as he's produced a .709 OPS and struggled to build on that breakout campaign. Meanwhile, Mendez has quietly continued his ascent. After opening the season in Double-A, he earned a promotion and has thrived in St. Paul. Across 51 Triple-A games, he's slashing .307/.396/.444 with an .840 OPS, further strengthening his case as a legitimate major league option. On the pitching side, Ryan Gallagher dominated in a brief Double-A stint before encountering more adversity after reaching Triple-A. Through his first stretch with the Saints, he's posted a 6.38 ERA and 1.63 WHIP. That adjustment period isn't uncommon for young pitchers, and the Twins will likely give him plenty of runway to work through it. Double-A: Draft Success Already Paying Off The Twins' 2025 draft class continues to look increasingly impressive. Marek Houston has enjoyed a phenomenal first full professional season while rapidly climbing national prospect rankings. Questions about his offensive upside followed him on draft day, but he's quickly begun answering those concerns. His elite defense at shortstop has remained intact, and his bat has taken significant steps forward (132 wRC+), giving Minnesota another legitimate top-100 caliber prospect. Riley Quick has been nearly as impressive. Another member of that 2025 class, Quick has climbed aggressively through the system and now has a strong argument as the organization's top pitching prospect. In 16 starts, he has a 4.00 ERA, 4.57 FIP, and 34.2 K%. His rapid development has significantly strengthened Minnesota's future rotation outlook. The rest of Wichita's lineup has provided encouraging signs as well. Khadim Diaw mashed High-A pitching, posting an .859 OPS before arriving in Double-A. While the power production has cooled and his OPS has fallen 81 points, he's still reaching base at nearly a 42% clip, demonstrating the advanced plate discipline that continues to make him an intriguing prospect. Brandon Winokur also appears to be putting everything together. After inconsistent production over the previous year, he's raised his OPS to .789—nearly 100 points higher than last season—and has begun looking much more like the player the Twins envisioned when they drafted him. High-A: Patience Required Not every top prospect develops in a straight line. Eduardo Tait has experienced both highs and lows during his first full season. Through 92 games, he's hitting .228/.290/.442 with a .732 OPS. The power remains encouraging for a teenage catcher, but questions continue surrounding both his overall offensive consistency and whether he'll ultimately remain behind the plate. Those concerns shouldn't overshadow his age. The 19-year-old is still a teenager competing against older competition, leaving plenty of time for continued development. Unfortunately, injuries continue to define Charlee Soto's professional career. Wrist soreness surfaced while Soto was rehabbing from the August 2025 surgery that removed a partially detached bone spur from his elbow. The wrist issue sidelined him for the first two months of 2026 before another, more significant injury occurred during his rehab assignment. The talent remains undeniable. Soto won't turn 21 until the end of August, but he's thrown only 15 2/3 innings since the beginning of the 2025 season after logging 74 innings during his promising professional debut in 2024. For now, simply getting healthy remains the priority. Low-A: The Future Is Just Beginning The Twins' newest wave of talent has started arriving. First-round pick Vahn Lackey and supplemental first-round selection Carson Tinney have both begun their professional careers in Low-A. It's far too early to draw meaningful conclusions from only a handful of games, but both players possess significant upside and immediately become important pieces of the organization's future. Quentin Young remains one of the system's biggest boom-or-bust prospects. The 19-year-old has posted a .669 OPS across 84 games, but the raw power that made him such an intriguing draft pick continues to stand out. He's also been consistently facing older competition throughout the season, making patience an important part of his developmental timeline. The System Still Gives Minnesota Options The trade deadline often reshapes a farm system, but Minnesota largely emerged with its prospect depth intact. Several of the organization's best players are nearing the major leagues, while another wave of high-upside talent continues developing throughout the lower minors. That's exactly the position teams hope to maintain: enough prospect capital to supplement the big-league roster today without sacrificing tomorrow. The Twins didn't make the blockbuster move that would have emptied their farm system for immediate help. Instead, they preserved one of baseball's deepest pipelines, leaving themselves positioned to compete this season while maintaining the talent necessary to sustain success well beyond 2026. What stands out about Minnesota’s current farm system? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

There's no question that the Royals bullpen needs help right now. According to Frangraphs, Kansas City relievers rank near the bottom in most major categories. The Royals bullpen ranks 29th in reliever ERA, 30th in reliever WHIP, 28th in BB/9 and H/9, 27th in K/9, and 30th in HR/9. During this 3-3 homestand, the bullpen went through its fair share of issues. On Wednesday against the Twins, Aaron Bummer and Nate Pearson failed to hold onto the lead in the eighth inning, leading to a 4-3 loss and a chance at the sweep. On Sunday, in the rubber game against the Cubs, Easton McGee, formerly of the Brewers, gave up six runs on five hits and two walks in two innings of relief. A 4-2 Chicago lead ballooned to 10-2 by the seventh, ending any shot of the Royals making a comeback in the weekend series finale. The names are different, but the results have typically been the same, unfortunately. That said, fans can't say that Royals President of Baseball Operations JJ Picollo isn't trying to improve the bullpen, even with the Royals 21 games below .500 and sitting in last place in the AL Central. Even after the Trade Deadline passed, Kansas City has been making moves on many waived pitchers, hoping to see if they can find someone who can be part of the Royals' bullpen in 2027 and beyond. After Sunday's loss, Picollo and the Royals added another candidate to help turn around the Royals' bullpen struggles: nine-time All-Star Craig Kimbrel. Kimbrel has pitched for the Mets and Rays this season, accumulating 33 appearances and 33.2 IP with both teams. In that sample, he posted a 4.81 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 4.31 FIP, and 11.1% K-BB%. The 38-year-old most recently pitched with the Rays, posting a 3.86 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 3.90 FIP in 19 appearances and 18.2 IP. He was designated for assignment after the Trade Deadline and elected free agency after being outrighted to Triple-A Durham. Even though Kimbrel has 440 career saves, he hasn't collected a save over the past two years. He last held a closer role in Baltimore in 2024, saving 23 games but posting a 5.33 ERA over 52.1 IP. It's unclear what kind of role Kimbrel will have in Kansas City. That said, he will likely get some high-leverage work, especially with the Royals thin on guys who can handle big spots in the 8th and 9th innings. That said, the Royals aren't going anywhere this year, and it's unlikely that Kimbrel will be in Kansas City beyond this season. So why, during an impromptu evaluation season, would Picollo pick up a veteran like Kimbrel, who is in the twilight years of his illustrious career? First off, Kimbrel brings the Royals a profile that they sorely need in terms of pitch quality. Second, he could give the Royals an idea of what they need to do this offseason to rebuild their bullpen in 2027. Despite Mediocre Numbers, Kimbrel Still Has the Stuff Kimbrel's overall numbers are nothing to shout home about, though his rough 15-inning sample with the Mets earlier this year has brought down his overall line (he had a 6.00 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in Queens). When looking at his TJ Stats Statcast percentiles, he struggled to produce CSW and allowed too many walks this year with the Mets and Rays. However, the extension, TJ Stuff+, and batted-ball metrics were encouraging and probably explain why Picollo and the Royals decided to take a flier on Kimbrel for the remainder of the season. Here's a look at his Statcast percentile via TJ Stats. Kimbrel sports four offerings this year with TJ Stuff+ marks over 100. That includes his four-seamer (109), his sweeper (111), his knuckle curve (108), and his sinker (101). Only his changeup was below the 100 TJ Stuff+ threshold (99). As a result, his overall TJ Stuff+ is 109, which ranks in the 91st percentile. For context, that 109 overall TJ Stuff+ would be the best mark of any Royals pitcher this year. According to TJ Stats' TJ Stuff+ leaderboard, Nate Pearson currently has the best TJ Stuff+ at 107, Steven Cruz ranks second at 105, and Nick Mears and Cole Ragans are tied for third at 104. Thus, in addition to experience, Kimbrel brings the kind of high-octane arm that the Royals bullpen needs for this stretch run of the 2026 season. Royals Picking Up Similar Arms to Kimbrel The Royals have seemed to be targeting pitchers on waivers recently who possess big-stuff numbers. Two examples of this are lefty Luke Little, who was picked up on waivers from the Cubs, and Carlos Duran, who was acquired from the Dodgers for Kris Bubic at the Trade Deadline. Little has limited MLB experience, having pitched only 1 inning this year with the Cubs. However, his TJ Stuff+ numbers have been impressive, though the rest of his Stacast profile leaves a bit to be desired, as illustrated below. The 28-year-old lefty had pitched 36.1 innings at the Major League level in his career, with most of his MLB experience coming in 2024 when he posted a 3.46 ERA in 26.1 IP. Unfortunately, injuries and inconsistency have limited him to Minor League competition over the past two years, despite his being a sweeper with wicked movement. Little has produced a 6.29 ERA and 5.07 FIP in 48.2 IP in Triple-A Des Moines this season. He has struggled with walks (12th percentile BB%) as well as generating chase (27th percentile O-Swing%) and finding the strike zone (35th percentile zone rate). That said, his sinker and sweeper had TJ Stuff+ marks of 103 and 108, respectively, and his overall TJ Stuff+ was 104 in Triple-A, ranking in the 89th percentile. Add that with a 99th percentile extension, and it's easy to see why the Cubs drafted Little in the fourth round in the 2020 MLB Draft out of San Jacinto College North. As for Duran, I talked about him a little bit on Trade Deadline day, but he's a big arm that shares a lot with Steven Cruz, who has thrived this year after a slow start. Like Cruz, there are some walk and control issues, but the TJ Stuff+ metrics from the former Dodgers and Athletics reliever are legit. While Little and Duran don't have the pedigree of Kimbrel, they do share similar profiles to the former All-Star in terms of Stuff. That shows the Royals are willing to take risks on arms with control issues as long as they have the Stuff and pitch extension. Kimbrel, Little, and Duran all rank highly in those two traits, and that could help the Royals identify not just successful relievers but also ones who won't cost too much. Can Kimbrel's Success Give the Royals A Bullpen Blueprint This Offseason? The Royals bullpen has been atrocious this year. However, many of those struggles have been tied to the Royals' lack of a consistent closer in the ninth inning this year. Kansas City had someone initially slotted into the role: Carlos Estevez, who led all of baseball in saves a year ago. Estevez was expected to be another rock in the Royals bullpen in 2026. Unfortunately, his velocity vanished, and he has been plagued by arm issues that have kept him on the IL since his disastrous Opening Day weekend appearance in Atlanta. It's unlikely Estevez will pitch again this season (perhaps in his career). Kimbrel will not be a closer for Kansas City in 2027, barring something really surprising. However, if Kimbrel can step into the closer's role for the Royals and find some success, then the rest of the bullpen may benefit as well. Last year, with Estevez as the closer, the other Royals relievers thrived in their clear, secondary roles. The Royals bullpen posted a 3.63 ERA as a group in 2025, the seventh-best mark in baseball, according to Fangraphs. And that was with a group that was very similar to this year's bullpen as well. If the veteran closer can have success for two months in the closer's role, the other relievers in the Royals organization may find success in lower-leverage opportunities. Instead of being depended upon as closers, Pearson and Cruz can develop as setup men, which may better suit them anyway. Instead of a 7th- or 8th-inning guy, Erceg can be a middle reliever and work on his pitch quality to help him generate whiff and chase again (like in 2024). The Royals can throw other high-octane guys in the mix in the middle innings or in mop-up roles, which is easier to do in lower-leverage situations. Kimbrel finding success could give the Royals the motivation they need to acquire and pay for a legitimate closer this offseason, which would put less pressure on them to build the bullpen as a whole. It's hard to find and develop a closer in one's organization. However, to find and develop middle relievers or setup men? That's an easier and more realistic task, and the Royals have had some success with that during the JJ Picollo era. Thus, while it seems odd for the Royals to bring in Kimbrel now, it does allow them to shuffle relievers while still staying competitive and not throwing these "green" relievers into the fire too quickly. Royals fans have seen young relievers thrown into closer roles too soon, not just fail in the role but plummet overall after the experience. Carlos Hernandez and James McArthur are two prime examples. They could've had more long-term success if they hadn't been thrust into high-leverage situations so quickly. I'm guessing Picollo and the Royals don't want to make that mistake with Pearson, Cruz, Duran, and Little. Let them get opportunities in various situations and prove they can take on the role in spot opportunities both this year and next. For now, however, the Royals need stability in the ninth. This year, it's going to be Kimbrel. Next year, let's hope it's a bigger-name closer. Raisel Iglesias could be a nice free-agent option, and Mason Miller of the Padres and Trevor Megill of the Brewers could be acquired via a trade. View the full article

After seven strong innings from the new, nominal ace of the Chicago Cubs, Kevin Gausman, Craig Counsell turned to Caleb Thielbar in the eighth inning of Friday night’s game to protect a 6-2 lead. Four hitters later, the score was 6-3, and the Kansas City Royals had runners on second and third with just one out. Thankfully, Trent Thornton then entered the game and put out the fire, allowing just one more run to score in a game that the Cubs would go on to win 6-4. No harm, no foul, right? Friday was the third straight game that Thielbar worked out of the bullpen. Clearly, Counsell thought the veteran could handle it after throwing 19 pitches on Wednesday, and just 12 on Thursday. After all, this is a taxed bullpen that was working their 15th game in 15 days. The flip side of the coin, though, is that Thielbar gave up four runs to the Dodgers in his outing on Wednesday. Frankly, the left-hander has been outright bad since returning from an injury on May 19: he has a 6.00 ERA in 27 innings since then. Was he really the best option for the Cubs on Friday night? The easiest place to start with Thielbar’s struggles is with his performance against left-handed hitters. As a left-handed relief pitcher, getting lefty hitters out is a must. Thielbar has made a career out of this. Until, basically, now. All stats courtesy of FanGraphs: Year Split Batting Average Against On-Base Percentage Against Slugging Percentage Against 2026 vs. LHH .281 .317 .526 2026 vs. RHH .229 .312 .482 2025 vs. LHH .161 .211 .276 2025 vs. RHH .205 .248 .342 By almost any measure, Thielbar has actually performed worse against lefties this season than righties, which is bad when, again, retiring left-handed hitters is his primary job as a southpaw out of the bullpen. Thielbar attacks lefties with four pitches: his four-seam fastball, a slider, a sweeper, and a curveball. When a pitcher shows signs of decline, particularly a 39-year-old pitcher, my first assumption is that he is losing velocity. That’s not the case here: he is actually throwing his fastball and curveball a tad bit harder, while his slider and sweeper are down about a tick or so, according to Baseball Savant. Let’s take a look at his results on his three primary pitches, the four-seamer, sweeper, and slider, against lefty hitters. All stats courtesy of Baseball Savant: Pitch Batting Average Against Slugging Percentage Against Four Seamer .182 .455 Sweeper .182 .727 Slider .471 .529 Despite the slugging percentage against the sweeper, it’s the slider that I really want to hone in on. He’s upped his usage of it against lefties, throwing it 27.6 percent of the time compared to 17.5 percent last season. One look at his pitch locations, and it’s easy to see what the issue is: That red zone just off the plate and away from the left-handed batter that occupies so much of the 2025 graphic is all but gone on the 2026 version. In 2025, 56.1 percent of the southpaw’s sliders to lefties were in that shadow or chase zone away from lefties. In 2026, that has plummeted to 27.9 percent. That means a whole lot less of this: Thielbar 1.mp4 And a whole lot more of this: THielbar 2.mp4 With baseball, and pitchers in particular, it is hardly ever just one thing. All four home runs Thielbar has allowed against lefties have come against the fastball and the sweeper. Still, it’s easier to sit on those pitches when the slider is either an easy take way off of the plate, or a meatball right down broadway. This doesn’t even get us into his struggles against righties, either. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if Thielbar being used three days in a row was a bit of a last gasp. A chance for him to show that he still belongs, and an opportunity for the Cubs to get as many innings out of him as they can while he is here. Hoby Milner and Daniel Palencia are both due back soon and will need roster spots. Tyler Ferguson has at least shown that he deserves some more chances. A roster crunch is coming soon, and if Caleb Thielbar can’t even get lefties out, he just might find himself on the outside looking in. View the full article

Adley Rutschman's production has declined in recent years. The offensive foundation that made him one of baseball's premier young catchers largely hasn't. That distinction helps explain why the Boston Red Sox were willing to make such an aggressive move at the trade deadline. More than big power numbers or instant impact, they were betting on one of the game's rarest offensive skill sets: a hitter who controls the strike zone, consistently makes quality contact, and provides stability behind the plate. Those traits haven't disappeared, even if his recent stat line suggests otherwise. Need also played a significant role in the decision. Boston's catchers have been among the least productive groups in Major League Baseball this season, combining for just 0.2 WAR and a 72 wRC+ prior to the deadline. Offensive production from the position had virtually vanished, while Connor Wong and Carlos Narváez had yet to establish themselves as long-term solutions. The most encouraging evidence that suggests Rutschman is the answer to these woes appears against left-handed pitching. That's where he continues to display the offensive identity that once made him one of the sport's most complete catchers. He chases just 24.2% of pitches outside the strike zone, ranking in the 86th percentile across MLB. His 9.8% strikeout rate sits in the 96th percentile, while his in-zone contact rate ranks in the 91st percentile. His excellent approach continues to show up after contact is made. Against left-handers, Rutschman's .359 expected wOBA ranks in the 89th percentile, while his sweet-spot rate reaches the 91st percentile. Even without elite exit velocity or the barrel rate typically associated with power hitters, Rutschman continues to create value by making smart swing decisions and consistently producing quality contact. His offensive game has always depended more on precision than raw force. But that's also exactly where the disconnect begins. Against left-handed pitching, Rutschman's actual .313 wOBA sits 46 points below his expected .359 mark. The gap suggests that many of his best plate appearances simply haven't produced the results that his quality of contact normally deserves. Part of the explanation lies in Camden Yards. Since Baltimore moved the left-field wall back and raised its height before the 2022 season, well-struck fly balls that once reached the wall—or cleared it altogether—have increasingly turned into routine outs. The ballpark doesn't fully explain Rutschman's offensive decline, but it does help explain why several quality swings failed to produce meaningful damage. Against left-handers, nearly half of his batted balls are hit toward left-center field, precisely the area where Baltimore's redesigned dimensions have become far less forgiving. That context also makes his career numbers at Fenway Park as a visitor less informative than they appear. Most of those plate appearances came batting left-handed against right-handed pitching, an entirely different offensive environment from the one the Red Sox expect to maximize. The more intriguing fit comes when Rutschman bats right-handed against lefties, where Fenway's dimensions create a much friendlier setting for the type of contact that too often went unrewarded in Baltimore. None of this means Boston acquired a hitter whose power production is suddenly about to explode. The biggest question remains the ceiling of his raw power. He has hit just eight home runs this season, and only one has been classified as a no-doubter—his lowest rate since 2022. Fenway may turn a few outs into hits and a few fly balls into doubles, but it won't increase his bat speed or transform him into a middle-of-the-order slugger. What it can do is maximize an offensive skill set that continues to produce remarkably healthy underlying indicators beneath modest surface numbers. The front office didn't bet on the version of Adley Rutschman reflected in this year's stat line. It bet on the catcher whose elite strike-zone control, exceptional contact ability and disciplined offensive process remain firmly intact. If those underlying skills finally begin receiving the results they've consistently earned, the conversation will stop being about what he lost, and rather what he gained upon arriving in Boston. View the full article

A mountain of work still lies ahead if the Blue Jays are going to salvage their season, but this past week was a step in the right direction, as they won their first two series after Monday's trade deadline. Remarkably, four of their past five games have gone to extra innings, and the one that didn't was a one-run contest that was decided with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. While that isn't good news for a bullpen that was already taxed to begin with, it does mean there were plenty of pivotal plays by win probability added. Here are the team's biggest moments from the week that was as our Clutch Plays series finally returns. Pitching 3. Tyler Rogers: Brandon Marsh Groundout, Bot 9, 8/7 (+23.5% WPA) The submarining Tyler Rogers got himself into a world of trouble in the ninth inning on Friday, allowing two runs to score as Toronto's lead was cut to 5-4. He mercifully got out of it, getting Brandon Marsh to ground out with the bases loaded to seal the win on his 35th pitch after the play was upheld via replay review. Marsh rolled a ball to Ernie Clement at second, but Kazuma Okamoto, playing back of first, couldn't get to the bag in time as Rogers hurried over to receive the throw mere milliseconds ahead of Marsh. 2. Tyler Rogers: Alec Bohm Force Out, Bot 9, 8/7 (+26.3% WPA) None of the above would've been possible without Rogers inducing a force play against the previous batter, Alec Bohm. Bohm's high chopper to a drawn-in infield was snagged by Ernie Clement, who made a good throw home, but disaster nearly struck as catcher Alejandro Kirk forgot the force was on at home as he crouched to tag Trea Turner, who slid in ahead of his swiping attempt. Thankfully for the Jays, Kirk's left knee happened to be touching the plate, setting the stage for Marsh's bang-bang play at first and one of the more exhausting, air-tight Blue Jay wins in recent memory. 1. Braydon Fisher (Nathan Lukes): Luis Arraez FIDP, Bot 11, 8/9 (+33.7% WPA) It's unfortunate that the Jays lost on Thursday in Chicago and again on Sunday, because both contests featured miraculous game-saving defensive plays that ultimately didn't move the needle. This Nathan Lukes missile to home plate completed what is currently the second-most clutch pitching/fielding play of the season by WPA for the Blue Jays. A bases-loaded, one-out situation in a tie game in extras calls for a strikeout, but that's easier said than done with Luis Arraez, who golfed a fly ball right at Lukes in medium depth right field. Lukes then fired a one-hop strike to Kirk, who tagged Garrett Stubbs to send the game to the 12th. Hitting 3. Ernie Clement: 2-run HR, Top 10, 8/5 (+32.8% WPA) Clement wasted no time getting things started in the 10th inning of Wednesday's rubber match in Houston. His close friend and college teammate Bennett Sousa delivered a high fastball on the inner half, and Ernie deposited it into the Crawford Boxes in left field, admiring it as it went. The fact that this happened with the ghost runner on proved to be a difference-maker as Chase Lee tight-roped out of danger after allowing a run in the bottom half to clinch a 5-4 victory and win the series against the Astros. 2. Andrés Giménez: 2-RBI Double, Top 8, 8/8 (+36.6% WPA) Andrés Giménez had a monster series in Philadelphia, homering off Zack Wheeler on Friday before coming through with game-tying two-RBI hits in the eighth inning on Saturday and Sunday. By WPA, the one on Saturday was slightly more meaningful, and it came on an 0-2, two-out pitch from one of the tougher lefty relievers in the game in José Alvarado. Alvarado's sinker caught a little too much of the plate, and Giménez stayed on plane, lacing it up the alley in right-center to score Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer and tie things up at four. 1. Nathan Lukes: 2-run HR, Top 11, 8/8 (+48.5% WPA) Lukes would not be denied this past weekend, contributing just over 0.8 wins by WPA in less than 24 hours with his bat and glove. His two-run home run in the 11th on Saturday broke a 5-5 tie and stood as the winner after Lazaro Estrada completed his first career save in the bottom half. Remember how his outfield assist completed the Jays' second-most clutch pitching play of the year? Well, this homer is their second-most clutch hitting play of the year as of now. With his pitch count already high, Chase Shugart had to come in the zone on 3-2, and his middle-in breaking ball played right into Lukes's bat path as he lifted it out of the yard for one of the bigger swings of his career. View the full article

The New York Mets' 2026 campaign has not been defined by a lack of pitching. Through the trade deadline, the team ranked 12th in the league in ERA. While not exceptional, that looks pretty dang good when compared to what's happening with the bats. New York hopes it addressed its future offensive concerns at the trade deadline (hello, Jefferson Rojas and others). Its future rotation and bullpen, though, feels like it's in great shape, even as the two most-heralded arms in their system struggle with their command. Monthly stats referenced are from milb.com at the player's listed level. Pitchers eligible for inclusion on this list must have pitched at least 10 innings. Prospect rankings are from Grand Central Mets. Ranking Mets' Best MiLB Pitchers in July 4. Noah Hall - High-A (Brooklyn) Hall posted a 2.72 ERA in 25 games (21 starts) for the Cyclones in 2025. The 2023 seventh-round pick failed to carry that momentum into 2026, posting monthly ERAs of 5.32, 7.84 and 5.24 to open the season. Then, in July, he locked in. G (GS) IP H R (ER) K/BB 4 (2) 23.1 9 1 (1) 30/10 I'd be impressed if you put up those numbers pitching to your kids in the backyard, let alone at High-A. Opposing hitters batted just .115 against Hall last month. That, a 0.39 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 11.57 K/9 rate earned him a promotion to Double-A Binghamton on July 28. 3. Garrett Stratton - AA (Binghamton) The third-to-last pick (No. 613 overall) in the 2025 MLB Draft has been dominant during his first full minor-league season. Stratton's lone MiLB frame post-draft was enough for him to open this year in Brooklyn. He went through the usual hiccups in April and May, but has been otherworldly from June onward, tallying 36 strikeouts to just two walks in 18 appearances. G (GS) IP H R (ER) K/BB 9 (0) 11.2 7 5 (3) 15/1 Stratton's ERA (2.31 in July) was better in June (1.32). However, he lowered his batting average against more than 80 points (.245 to .163) month over month, giving him a minuscule 0.69 WHIP. Whether you believe his June or July was better, there's no disputing his credentials for placement on this list. 2. Jonathan Santucci - AA (Binghamton, No. 6 Prospect) Santucci, the highest-ranked left-handed starter in New York's pipeline, made what he likely hopes are the final Double-A starts of his career in July. The 2024 second-round pick from Duke got two more outs last month than he did in June despite making one fewer start, and significantly improved his K/9 rate (10.23 to 14.69) in the same span. G (GS) IP H R (ER) K/BB 4 (4) 22.2 14 9 (7) 37/10 Jonah Tong has not posted a BB/9 rate below 5.00 in any month of MiLB play this year. Jack Wenninger's lowest rate, 4.84, came in April. Santucci now has two months with a rate lower than 4.00 after July's 3.97 clip. Five walks across four innings in his Triple-A debut don't set him to repeat that effort, but at least he has shown he's capable. If he can rein in those free passes the rest of this month, it's possible he earns a look with the big-league club in September. 1. Nate Lavender - AAA (Syracuse) The Mets drafted Lavender in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft (No. 412 overall). He opened a couple games for Syracuse this summer, but is a reliever by trade, and a darn good one. Through August 1, his career MiLB K/9 rate was 13.84. He sat a shade lower than that in July, when he punched out 17 batters in 11 2/3 innings. G (GS) IP H R (ER) K/BB 8 (0) 11.2 5 3 (3) 17/4 Opposing hitters can tag the ball hard when they touch Lavender's offerings, but they don't put bat to ball very often. His 41.4% strikeout percentage sits in the 98th percentile, per Prospect Savant. And unlike the other players on this list, we've seen this translate to the majors. Through two MLB outings, Lavender has three strikeouts and one walk -- his only baserunner allowed -- in 2 2/3 innings. For making a successful big-league debut after a strong July showing, he's our MiLB Pitcher of the Month. Honorable Mentions: Carlus Guzman (AA-Binghamton), Elwis Mijares (A-St. Lucie), Conner Ware (A-St. Lucie) View the full article

Daniel Dickinson homered and reached base five times in Wisconsin’s victory. Andrew Fischer’s 35th homer wasn’t enough for Biloxi. Brandon Sproat struggled for Nashville and Wilson lost a close contest. For the week, Wisconsin (4-2) was the sole Brewers’ affiliate to win their series, while Nashville (3-3) and Wilson (3-3) managed to earn draws. Biloxi (1-5) lost several close games. Transactions: INF/OF Ji Hwan Bae signed to a minor league contract and selected by MLB Brewers LHP Drew Rom (who’s been playing at AAA Nashville) designated for assignment by MLB Brewers LHP Thomas Pannone activated by AAA Nashville (which means he accepted the outright assignment instead of electing free agency after being designated for assignment) INF Freddy Zamora placed on AAA Nashville’s 7-day injured list RHP Bishop Letson activated from AA Biloxi’s 7-day injured list After Sunday’s contests, 1B Blake Burke also got the call to move up to AAA Nashville from AA Biloxi. Game Action: Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Memphis (Cardinals) 7, Nashville 3 Box Score Via a Sounds’ press release, game details: Sounds Drop Finale to Redbirds, Split Series in Memphis Starting RHP Brandon Sproat’s first minor league appearance since August 2025 was not the bounceback performance he was probably looking for, as he conceded six runs on eight hits over four innings. In all, he faced 23 batters, with seven of them hitting balls over 100 MPH and two drawing walks. Offensively, the team drew four walks over the first 4 2/3 innings before SS Eduardo Garcia (2-for-3) collected Nashville’s first hit. Garcia also produced the squad’s next hit with one out in the top of the 8th inning while still trailing 6-0. OF Sal Frelick’s first rehab hit, an OF Akil Baddoo walk and a 1B Luke Adams two-run double followed to narrow the deficit to 6-3, but OF Tyler Black was unable to keep the rally going or extend his seven-game hitting streak as he went down swinging on four pitches. Sounds’ Extras: The above blurbs account for the team’s only hits (4 vs. 12 for the Redbirds). 3B Brock Wilken also saw his 16-game on-base streak come to an end in an 0-for-3 game (no strikeouts) with a sacrifice fly. Well done to LHP Thomas Pannone and RHP Will Childers for combining on three innings of scoreless relief. Next week’s outlook: Nashville (56-58) hosts Pirates’ affiliate Indianapolis (56-58) this week in a six-game series which starts on Tuesday evening. Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Columbus (Braves) 9, Biloxi 7 Box Score The Shuckers’ battled back from 3-0 and 4-3 deficits but weren’t able to muster a third comeback after relinquishing the lead in the bottom of the 8th inning on the road. Even more important than the seven runs on ten hits was the healthy return-to-action for starting RHP Bishop Letson (3 IP, 4 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks) – his first game since July 19. He worked into the 4th inning, tossing 50 pitches and conceding an infield single and back-to-back homers in the 1st inning to go with a single and RBI triple to open the 4th frame. Trailing 3-0, OF Josh Adamczewski’s double to commence the 4th inning triggered a run of five consecutive Shuckers reaching base, highlighted by minor league home run leader 3B Andrew Fischer’s 35th blast of his amazing 2026 campaign, a two-run shot to tie the contest. RHP Edwin Jimenez (2 IP, 1 R, 1 K) registered three consecutive outs to strand the runner at 3rd base inherited from Letson, then Biloxi responded with a four-run fifth inning on four singles, the last by OF Damon Keith (2-for-4, double, 2 RBIs) for a 7-4 advantage. RHP Yorman Galindez (2 1/3 IP, 4 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 3 Ks) entered in the 6th inning to try to close out the game with a long relief effort, but back-to-back walks to open the bottom of the 8th inning led to three troublesome runs and a 9-7 deficit. Although #9 hitting 2B Jheremy Vargas had a 2-for-3 game, Manager Mike Guerrero tried to go for the big hit with one-on, one-out in the top of the 9th inning, but pinch hitter Marco Dinges grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the game. Shuckers’ Extras: Six Biloxi batters reached base at least twice on hits or walks, including solid games for Fischer (1-for-2, HR, 2 walks, 3 RBIs), Adamczewski (1-for-3, double, walk), DH Blake Burke (1-for-3, walk, RBI) and 1B Mike Boeve (2-for-4). RHP Stiven Cruz retired both batters he faced in relief of Galindez, which may be the confidence boost he needs after a recent rough stretch (18 earned runs allowed in prior 12 2/3 innings). Next week’s outlook: Biloxi returns home to battle Marlins’ affiliate Pensacola for six games, commencing on Tuesday. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wisconsin 9, Beloit (Marlins) 2 Box Score Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Rattlers Take Game and Series from Sky Carp The linked game report includes four highlight videos of Wisconsin’s big series-clinching road win on Sunday, which saw starting RHP Daniel Corniel cover five innings (2 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K) for the second time this year (on just 53 pitches this time) and earn his first win since August 2024. #9 batter C Edgardo Ordonez (2-for-4, double, 2 RBIs) delivered the key early hit (2-out, 2-run double in the 2nd inning) and 2B Daniel Dickinson (2-for-2, HR, 2 walks, HBP, 3 RBIs) homered as part of reaching base five times. DH Tayden Hall’s solo homer to open the 6th inning nearly hit a white truck parked beyond the fence as part of the team’s five-run outburst, in a frame that included an OF Braylon Payne bunt single, Dickinson RBI hit-by-pitch, 1B Eric Bitonti (2-for-4, RBI, 2 SBs) sacrifice fly and a run-scoring wild pitch. Timber Rattlers’ Extras: Handed an 8-2 advantage, LHP Wande Torres (3 IP, 0 R, 3 H – all singles, 1 BB, 5 Ks) and RHP Michael Fowler (1 IP, 0 R, 1 K) had the luxury of pounding the strike zone while dominating the final four innings. In a terrific sign of strong health, this was the first game in which 19-year-old Luis Pena has manned the shortstop position over the full nine innings since July 18. He delivered a 1-for-4 game with an RBI and a hit-by-pitch, while also turning a 6-3 double play to end the 6th inning. The start of the game was delayed 30 minutes due to rain. Next week’s outlook: Wisconsin remains on the road, heading three hours west of Beloit to battle Twins’ affiliate Cedar Rapids for six games starting Tuesday evening. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Hill City (Guardians) 8, Wilson 7 Box Score Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Warbirds Fall in Finale, Settle for Series Split - Warbirds Can't Overcome Five-Run Deficit Wilson and Hill City went punch-for-punch in this tight Sunday contest, with the Warbirds grabbing a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning and tying the contest 3-3 in the 2nd frame but finding themselves down 4-3 from the 3rd to the 7th innings. The first five Wilson batters of the game reached base via hit or walk, but a pick-off and a tough outfield catch on OF Jose Anderson’s sacrifice fly limited the team to just two runs scored in that initial frame. The Howlers responded with their first four batters of the game reaching base by hit, walk or hit-by-pitch against starting RHP Tyler Renz (3 2/3 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 4 Ks), who added a pickoff error but got some defensive help via OF Brailyn Antunez’s outfield assist (and 3B Juan Ortuno’s relay throw) back into the infield. RHP Ismael Yanez (1/3 IP, 1 K) stranded one baserunner for Renz, then RHP Diustin Mayorquin tossed two scoreless innings to keep the game 4-3 in the middle innings. The Warbirds first three batters of the 6th inning reached via hit or walk, and two more batters reached base in the 7th frame, but a caught stealing blunted the 6th inning opportunity and the team went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. RHP Eric Prado (1/3 IP, 4 R, 1 K) entered in the bottom of the 7th inning, walking six consecutive batters and falling behind 3-0 to the next hitter. He did manage to come back to strike out that last batter, handing over to RHP Thomas Conrad (1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 K) who put in solid work. Handed an 8-3 lead, Hill City’s next relief pitcher immediately tried to return Prado’s favor by walking the first four Warbirds he faced in the top of the 8th inning, with SS Brady Ebel (1-for-3, 2 walks, RBI) singling home two runs with two outs to claw back to within a run at 8-7. Ortuno (2-for-4, walk, SB) followed with a walk and a stolen base to apply maximum pressure, but Antunez struck out swinging to strand baserunners at 2nd and 3rd, constituting Wilson’s final threat. Warbirds’ Extras: C Rylan Mills drew three walks and each of OF Handelfry Encarnacion (2-for-5), Anderson (1-for-3, walk, RBI), 1B Pedro Ibarguen (1-for-3, walk, RBI, SB) and Antunez (two walks) reached base twice. Mills also threw out one of two attempted basestealers. Wilson out-hit their opponents 7-6 and both teams drew 11 walks. It’s impressive that the teams managed to complete the game in 2 hours, 46 minutes in spite of the free passes. Next week’s outlook: Wilson returns home for six games against Royals’ affiliate Columbia, commencing from Tuesday. We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Monday, the Dominican Summer League squads continue their quests to qualify for the DSL playoffs, with their respective games commencing at 10:00 AM CST. The Milwaukee Brewers also begin their series at the Padres at 8:40 PM CST. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

The four full-season affiliates of the San Diego Padres went 3-1 as they wrapped up their weekly series Sunday. The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas toppled Reno 7-4, the Double-A San Antonio Missions beat Springfield by the same 7-4 score, while the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps fell 8-2 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm walked off Ontario 5-4. Padres Minor-League Transactions San Diego Padres sent RHP Joe Musgrove on a rehab assignment to El Paso Chihuahuas. San Diego Padres optioned 3B Gage Workman to El Paso Chihuahuas. Joe Musgrove Shines, Ethan Salas Homers In Chihuahuas' Win Rehabbing Padres right-handed starter had a good 3⅓ innings in his second outing, while top prospect Ethan Salas hit his second Triple-A homer in the last three games as the El Paso Chihuahuas scored six times in the seventh inning for a 7-4 victory over the host Reno Aces. The Chihuahuas (47-66, 12-26 second half) won the final three games of the six-game series after losing nine straight. Musgrove, who has not pitched for the Padres since Game 2 of the 2024 NL Wild Card Series against Atlanta after having Tommy John surgery and then having a major setback after one outing in spring training, threw 53 pitches, including 42 strikes, with his four-seam fastball sitting at 94-95 mph. He topped out at 95.5 mph in the third inning and hit 94.5 mph in the fourth, his final inning. That is the velocity he held before being hurt. Musgrove gave up a leadoff homer to Kristian Robinson in the first inning, but finished by allowing a total of six hits while not issuing a walk and striking out two. Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, followed his first Triple-A homer Friday by smashing a two-run shot Sunday in his ninth game since being promoted from Double-A San Antonio. Salas hit a 1-1 changeup 440 feet to right-center that put the Chihuahuas up 7-3. That was also Salas' ninth homer this season, which matches the total from his debut season of 2023. The homer came during a six-run seventh, with Carlos Rodriguez's third triple of the series, this one with the bases loaded, put the Chihuahuas up 4-3. After a walk, Rodriguez would score on an errant pickoff attempt by the pitcher to make it 5-3, then Salas went deep to cap the inning. Salas is slashing .333/.419/.667 (12-for-36) in nine Triple-A games. Right-hander Jhony Brito followed Musgrove and allowed two runs over 2⅔ innings on three hits. EP1_0809.mp4 EP2_0809.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Dustin Harris, RF 3 1 0 0 2 0 Carlos Rodríguez, CF 5 1 2 3 0 1 Nick Solak, LF 3 1 0 0 2 1 Ethan Salas, C 5 1 2 2 0 1 Marcos Castañon, 2B 5 0 2 0 0 1 Will Wagner, 3B 4 0 1 0 0 2 Mason McCoy, SS 3 1 1 0 1 1 Nick Pratto, 1B 2 1 0 0 2 1 Blake Hunt, DH 3 1 1 1 0 2 Totals 33 7 9 6 7 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Joe Musgrove 3 1/3 6 1 1 0 2 1 Jhony Brito (W, 2-1) 2 2/3 3 2 2 0 0 0 Johan Moreno 1/3 0 0 0 2 1 0 Ethan Routzahn (H, 4) 1 2/3 3 1 1 0 2 0 J.P. France (S, 1) 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Totals 9 13 4 4 3 6 1 Big Sixth Inning Propels Missions To Series Win Carson Tucker and Jake Cunningham each had two-run singles in the sixth inning to put the host Double-A San Antonio Missions on top en route to a 7-4 victory over the Springfield Cardinals. The Missions (49-59, 18-21 second half) won the final three games against the Texas League North Division's first-place team. Brendan Durfee hit a two-run homer and joined Cunningham as having two of the Missions' seven hits. Durfee homered in the second inning to put the Missions up 2-1, with the Cardinals taking the lead with single runs in the third and fourth innings. The Missions tied it on a run-scoring wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth, then the Cardinals went back on top in the sixth before Tucker and Cunningham came through with the decisive hits. Missions right-handed starter Matthew Watson went 4⅓ innings, allowing three runs on eight hits, including a homer, and no walks with two strikeouts. Left-hander Igor Gil allowed a run while hitting a batter in one inning with two strikeouts, while right-handers Francis Pena (one inning), Bernard Jose (1⅔ innings) and Tucker Musgrove (one inning) didn't allow a run in 3⅔ innings. Musgrove, Padres Mission's No. 9 prospect, earned his first Double-A save and the third of his career. SA_0809.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker, SS 5 1 1 2 0 2 Tirso Ornelas, DH 4 0 0 0 1 2 Jake Cunningham, LF 3 0 2 2 1 1 Braedon Karpathios, RF 3 0 0 0 1 2 Ryan Jackson, 2B 4 1 0 0 0 2 Albert Fabian, 1B 3 2 1 0 1 1 Luis Verdugo, 3B 3 1 0 0 1 1 Kai Roberts, CF 3 1 1 0 1 1 Brendan Durfee, C 4 1 2 2 0 2 Totals 32 7 7 6 6 14 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Matthew Watson 4 1/3 8 3 3 0 2 1 Igor Gil 1 0 1 1 0 2 0 Francis Peña (W, 2-3) 1 2 0 0 2 0 0 Bernard Jose (H, 2) 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Tucker Musgrove (S, 1) 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Totals 9 10 4 4 3 6 1 TinCaps Silenced As Whitecaps Win With Early Push The host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps managed just four singles for the game while giving up six runs over the first four innings in an 8-2 loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps. The TinCaps (46-60, 19-21 second half) went 1-5 in the six-game series. Kerrington Cross had two hits and an RBI, while Alex McCoy, Padres Mission's No. 14 prospect, singled and scored twice for the TinCaps. TinCaps right-handed starter Abraham Parra gave up those six early runs (five earned) in three-plus innings, allowing five hits and four walks while striking out one. Right-hander Will Koger and left-hander Braian Salazar combined for five shutout innings, each allowing a hit, before right-hander Carlos Medina gave up a pair of runs while getting only two outs in the ninth before right-hander Will Vamette cleaned up with the final out. Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio, SS 4 0 1 0 0 1 Ryan Wideman, CF 1 0 0 0 0 1 Kasen Wells, CF 3 0 0 0 0 2 Alex McCoy, RF 3 2 1 0 0 0 Luke Cantwell, DH 2 0 0 0 1 1 Rosman Verdugo, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 0 Kerrington Cross, 1B 4 0 2 1 0 0 Bradley Frye, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 1 Yoiber Ocopio, C 3 0 0 0 0 0 Conner Westenburg, LF 3 0 0 0 0 2 Totals 31 2 4 1 1 8 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Abraham Parra (L, 5-6) 3 5 6 5 4 1 0 Will Koger 2 1/3 1 0 0 4 2 0 Braian Salazar 2 2/3 1 0 0 1 2 0 Carlos Medina 2/3 1 2 2 2 0 1 Will Varmette 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 9 8 8 7 11 5 1 Nu'u Contrades Comes Through In Pinch, Delivers Storm Walk-Off Win Pinch-hitter Nu'u Contrades capped his first week as a pro by singling home the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as the host Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm walked off the Ontario Tower Buzzers 5-4. After losing the first two games in the series, the Storm (58-50, 19-23 second half) won the final four. The Storm scored twice in the ninth with the only hit being the one by Contrades, the Padres' sixth-round draft choice, with two walks, a steal and an errant throw on a double steal bringing in the first run. Qrey Lott scored that run following his 19th and 20th steals. Dawson Willis hit a two-run homer as part of a two-hit day, while fourth-round pick Alex Conover also had two hits. Contrades' game-winner was a looper over the shortstop that easily scored Yimy Tovar. Storm right-handed starter Luis Maracara went three innings, allowing three hits on two hits and three walks while striking out five. Left-hander Joseph Herrera gave up one unearned run in two innings, right-hander Yoesmerli Beltre went 2⅓ shutout innings and right-hander Jordan Valenzuela 1⅔ shutout innings. LE1_0809.mp4 LE2_0809.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Dawson Willis, 3B 4 2 2 2 0 1 Alex Conover, CF 3 0 2 0 1 1 Ty Harvey, 1B 3 0 0 1 1 2 Jorge Quintana, SS 4 0 0 0 0 2 Jesmaylin Arias, RF 3 0 0 0 1 0 Qrey Lott, PR 0 1 0 0 0 0 Yimy Tovar, 2B 2 1 0 0 2 0 Truitt Madonna, DH 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jake Bold, C 3 0 0 0 1 2 Dylan Grego, LF 3 1 1 0 0 1 Nu'u Contrades, PH 1 0 1 1 0 0 Totals 30 5 6 4 6 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Luis Maracara 3 2 3 3 3 5 1 Joseph Herrera 2 2 1 0 1 2 0 Yoesmerli Beltre 2 1/3 2 0 0 1 1 0 Jordan Valenzuela (W, 2-0) 1 2/3 1 0 0 1 1 0 Totals 9 7 4 3 6 9 1 Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performances Ethan Salas: 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, K Kash Mayfield: Traded Miguel Mendez: Traded Ryan Wideman: 0-for-1, K Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Jorge Quintana: 0-for-4, 2 K Ty Harvey: 0-for-3, RBI, BB, 2 K Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Tucker Musgrove: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K, S Coleman Borthwick: In Arizona Lamar King Jr.: DNP Braedon Karpathios: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 1-for-3, HBP, 2 R Truitt Madonna: 0-for-4, K Jesus Castro: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Elliot Lascelles: In Arizona Winyer Chourio: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 0-for-4 View the full article

The Weekly Nutshell: The Twins swung a big trade on Monday, capping an active deadline stretch that saw three newcomers join the pitching staff. Unfortunately, Minnesota's play on the field was far less inspired. They were six outs away from getting swept in Kansas City before rallying to take a late lead in the finale. They followed a series-opening win in Milwaukee with back-to-back one-run losses, falling back to three games under .500 and losing ground in the postseason race. Since very briefly holding a winning record at the end of July, the Twins have stumbled badly, dropping six of their last eight. The offense is sputtering and the biggest stars are MIA. With 43 games remaining, the pressure is on for this club to get on track and reverse its downward trend. They are hoping the promotion of one of their top prospects can provide a helpful jolt. Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 8/3 through Sun, 8/9 *** Record Last Week: 2-4 (Overall: 58-61) Run Differential Last Week: -6 (Overall: -35) Standing: T-3rd Place in AL Central (3.5 GB); 1.5 games out of WC Latest Game Results Game 114 | KC 8, MIN 2: Royals Take Control From Start to Finish, Ryan Struggles Ryan: 5.1 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K Game 115 | KC 2, MIN 1: Offense Smothered by Cameron Again in 4th Straight Loss Twins offense: 2-29, 0 XBH, 1 BB, 10 K Game 116 | MIN 4, KC 3: Another Late-Game Comeback Steers Twins Clear of Sweep Twins bullpen: 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K Game 117 | MIN 8, MIL 6: Twins Rally Back from Early Deficit, Bullpen Hangs On Bell: 4-5, HR, 3 RBI Game 118 | MIL 4, MIN 3: Early Lead Disappears in Middle Innings, Hoffman Takes Loss Lewis: 2-4, 2 RBI Game 119 | MIL 4, MIN 3 (10): Brewers Take Game, Series Behind Key Defensive Plays Clemens: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI NEWS & NOTES The Twins made only one move on deadline day but it was a significant one, sending a three-prospect package headlined by Dasan Hill to the Blue Jays in exchange for veteran reliever Jeff Hoffman. The righty Hoffman joins A.J. Minter and Dean Kremer as outside reinforcements for a pitching staff that Jeremy Zoll and the front office bolstered semi-aggressively, as the Twins look to make a run from within this unspectacular American League field. Kendry Rojas was optioned and Cody Laweryson designated for assignment to make room for Hoffman, who immediately becomes the team's best reliever. The added rotation depth provided by Kremer's acquisition came in handy quickly when Joe Ryan landed on the injured list following another sub-par start in Kansas City on Tuesday. Openly exasperated with his physical limitations, Ryan was sent home for an exam and diagnosed with a mild glute strain, helping explain why his performance has taken a sharp downward turn of late. Zebby Matthews, optioned the previous week to make room for Kremer, returned to the Twins rotation before even making a start at Triple-A. The Twins didn't make any offensive additions at the deadline, but they sought a boost internally by promoting one of their top prospects in Kaelen Culpepper. The infielder was called up from Triple-A ahead of Friday's series opener in Milwaukee, with Tristan Gray optioned to the minors to make room. Culpepper started at shortstop and batted seventh in his debut. HIGHLIGHTS Culpepper started his MLB career with a bang, launching a solo home run in his second at-bat on Friday night to draw the Twins within one run in an eventual victory. On an 0-2 pitch, Culpepper took Brewers starter Shane Drohan deep to left-center for a 390-feet blast. Welcome to the big leagues, kid. I'm eager to see a lot more. Royce Lewis kicked things in Kansas City with a four-hit night, then went on to add a homer and two doubles over the remainder of the week, extending his hitting streak to 13 games before an 0-fer snapped it on Sunday. Lewis has notched six extra-base hits and driven in seven runs across eight games this month, providing a rare spark for a lineup that's otherwise struggling to find big hits. Josh Bell enjoyed a four-hit game of his own, on Friday night in Milwaukee, and homered twice during the week to break out of a prolonged power slump. Bell had gone a full month in between home runs before taking Royals reliever Steven Cruz deep on Tuesday. Hopefully he's about to get locked into another hot streak, because the team could really use it. The freshly reinforced bullpen continued to look like the strength of the roster, allowing six earned runs in 20 innings for a 2.70 ERA. Slim margins for error meant that Hoffman and Yoendrys Gómez were tagged with losses on Saturday and Sunday by allowing one run apiece, but they mostly looked good, as did the rest of the relief corps. Kody Funderburk threw 4 ⅔ scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and one walk; he's given up one run in his past 15 appearances. Tommy Nance made three shutout appearances and has a 1.74 ERA since being acquired. Andrew Morris didn't allow a run in his 2 ⅔ innings of work, lowering his ERA to 3.09 for the season. It makes sense that the Twins focused mainly on relief upgrades at the deadline, given their overall talent level there, but the bullpen has strongly outpaced the rotation and lineup over the past month-plus and that continued to be the case last week. The Twins are staying in a lot of close games thanks to this unit, which has consistently shown that if handed leads it can hold them. LOWLIGHTS Leads are tough to come by. The offense is struggling to get anything going, especially against opposing starters. Thursday's finale against the Royals marked the ninth consecutive time an opposing team held the Twins to two or fewer runs through the first six innings. They managed to score three in the eighth of that one to come back and avoid a sweep, but have become far too dependent on those types of dramatic late-game rallies to ever win a game. Kody Clemens has authored a few of those big game-changing knocks, and added another on Sunday with his game-tying two-run homer, but prior to that he was 2-for-22 on the week and his OBP has sunk to .287. Brooks Lee also homered on Sunday but was 1-for-14 coming into the game and his OPS is sagging back toward the 600s. Victor Caratini was 2-for-11 and hasn't homered since June. Alan Roden went 1-for-7 and is running a .527 OPS in his latest stint with the Twins. Minnesota's best hitters are either injured (Byron Buxton) or mildly slumping — Ryan Jeffers was 3-for-19 last week and Trevor Larnach 1-for-11. Save for the modest hot streaks from Lewis and Bell, no one's picking up the slack in a lineup that constantly shortcircuits. The timely-hitting magic that elevated the offense's results in the first half has predictably dried up, as demonstrated over the weekend (2-for-18 with RISP on Saturday and Sunday). It was profoundly frustrating to watch the Twins lineup get shut down by Randy Dobnak and Noah Cameron at Kauffman Stadium five days after they did the same at Target Field. These are not exceptional pitchers and you'd like to think Minnesota's hitters and coaches would come up with some sort of plan seeing them both in such short succession. Alas, the Twins had no answers, scoring just two runs in 13 innings against the Royals starters in a pair of losses to clinch the season series for KC. Four of six games in the past week were decided by one run, and six of the past eight. On the one hand, with margins being this tight, one could reasonably surmise the Twins were just a few missed swings or lucky breaks away from going 6-3 on this road trip instead of 3-6. On the other hand, they've been getting generally outplayed, and clutch late-game heroics have bailed them out several times. The Twins could have easily gone 0-6 against the Royals over the past two weeks on merit. That's tough stuff against a team pacing for 95 losses. Upgrades to the bullpen aren't going to be meaningful if the offense can't find some life and start building some leads here and there. TRENDING STORYLINE The Twins are a fringe playoff contender, tied with Cleveland for the eighth-best record in the AL. They are one of six teams within four games of a Wild Card spot. They've now fallen behind the Tigers in the Central standings. In order to have a shot at making the dance, they're going to win significantly more than they lose the rest of the way. Can they hang in there with their two best players sidelined indefinitely? Buxton received an injection in his ailing hip and there's no clear timeline in place for his return. Ryan's glute injury was deemed relatively minor but it was enough to land him on the IL so he'll miss a couple weeks at least, and who knows what kind of effectiveness level can be expected when he's back on the mound. The Twins are in a tough place, compelled to show patience and get both Buxton and Ryan as healthy as possible while also recognizing that the team's hopes for this season hang in the balance. Every game matters and the absence of Minnesota's two All-Stars is deeply felt. Culpepper's arrival will hopefully help awaken the Buxton-less lineup, but if the Twins really want to push their chips in, they need to find a way to get Walker Jenkins to the big leagues. Jenkins homered twice for the Saints on Thursday and is batting .357 this month. He's ready, and he's talented enough to make a real impact on Minnesota's fortunes. LOOKING AHEAD With their latest nine-game road trip in the books, the Twins return home with two three-game series slated for the coming week, although one of the "home games" (on Thursday) will actually take place in Iowa for the Field of Dreams Game. The Orioles should present a pretty even match-up for the Twins, with nearly identical records and run differentials. The difficulty level only goes up from there, with the Phillies (63-56) followed on the schedule by the Braves (71-47) and Padres (61-57). Can the Twins survive this gauntlet through some of the National League's finest teams? We'll find out. But first they need to take care of business against Baltimore. MONDAY, AUGUST 10: ORIOLES @ TWINS — LHP Trevor Rogers v. RHP Dean Kremer TUESDAY, AUGUST 11: ORIOLES @ TWINS — RHP Brandon Young v. RHP Bailey Ober WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12: ORIOLES @ TWINS — RHP Shane Baz v. RHP Zebby Matthews THURSDAY, AUGUST 13: PHILLIES @ TWINS — RHP Aaron Nola v. RHP Taj Bradley SATURDAY, AUGUST 15: PHILLIES @ TWINS — LHP Jesus Luzardo v. LHP Connor Prielipp SUNDAY, AUGUST 16: PHILLIES @ TWINS — RHP Andrew Painter v. RHP Dean Kremer View the full article

Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Sunday's show was hosted by Ely Sussman and featured panelists Kevin Barral and Alex Krutchik. The following topics were covered: Sandy Alcantara becomes franchise's all-time leader in innings pitched Griffin Conine solidifying himself as team's top slugger Kyle Stowers exits with left hamstring injury Call-up candidates assuming Stowers requires IL stint Predicting the next series against the Pittsburgh Pirates You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our next FOF LIVE episode will be on Thursday at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET following the Marlins-Pirates series finale. View the full article

Weekly Snapshot: Record Last Week: 5-2 (Overall: 74-44) Runs Scored Last Week: 30 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 24 Standing: 1st in NL Central *** Game 112 (8/03) | PIT 4, MIL 3 Game 113 (8/04) | MIL 4, PIT 2 Game 114 (8/05) | MIL 4, PIT 2 Game 115 (8/06) | MIL 5, PIT 2 Game 116 (8/07) | MIN 8, MIL 6 Game 117 (8/08) | MIL 4, MIN 3 Game 118 (8/09) | MIL 4, MIN 3 *** Game 112 | Pirates 4, Brewers 3 MIL Starter: Brandon Sproat (3.0 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 ER, 4 K) Top Performers: Garrett Stallings (3.0 IP, 2 H, BB, 0 ER, 4 K) Joey Ortiz (3 H, RBI) The Pirates continued their dominance over the Brewers by getting to Brandon Sproat in game one on Monday, scoring four runs off the young righty in what would be his last start in the major leagues before a demotion to AAA. Meanwhile, Bubba Chandler and the newly revamped Pirates bullpen were able to hold the Brewers to just three runs, and polish off a 4-3 Pirates win. Ortiz puts the Brewers on the board (+7.4 WP%) Game 113 | Brewers 4, Pirates 2 MIL Starter: Logan Henderson (6.0 IP, 4 H, BB, 2 ER, 8 K) Top Performers: Jackson Chourio (3 H, HR, 2 RBI) Andrew Vaughn (H, HR, RBI) Abner Uribe (1.0 IP, H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 3 K) Logan Henderson shut down the Buccos offense to even the series on Tuesday, while Jackson Chourio began what would be a very productive week by recording 3 hits en route to a 4-2 Brewer win. Andrew Vaughn Goes Deep (+12.5 WP%) Game 114 | Brewers 4, Pirates 2 MIL Starter: Kyle Harrison (5.0 IP, H, BB, 0 ER, 10 K) Top Performers: Christian Yelich (2 H, 2B, RBI) The Brewers doubled up on the 4-2 scoreline on Wednesday, this time with Kyle Harrison returning to the mound to outduel Paul Skenes. In fact, the only thing that could stop Harrison was cramping, as he exited the game early while warming up for the sixth inning, though he did so after striking out the final eight Pirates he faced. Kyle Harrison’s masterful return Game 115 | Brewers 5, Pirates 2 MIL Starter: Dustin May (6.0 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 ER, 5 K) Top Performers: Jackson Chourio (H, BB, HR, RBI) Gary Sanchez (2 H, HR, RBI) Dustin May's Brewers debut went according to plan, as behind him the Brewers secured their third straight victory over the Pirates, using home runs from Jackson Chourio and Gary Sanchez to win the series finale 5-2. El Kraken goes yard (+15.0 WP%) Game 116 | Twins 8, Brewers 6 MIL Starter: Shane Dorhan (5.0 IP, 9 H, 4 BB, 6 ER, 4 K) Top Performers: Brice Turang (2 H, BB, 2B, 2 RBI) Bryse Wilson (3.0 IP, H, 0 ER, 2 K) The Twins came to town on Friday and were all over Shane Drohan, who quickly coughed up an early Brewers lead in opposition to Twins hurler Zebby Matthews. The large deficit would be too much to overcome, as the Brewers dropped the opener 8-6. Brice Turang's 2-run double (+12.9 WP%) Game 117 | Brewers 4, Twins 3 MIL Starter: Robert Gasser (4.2 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 3 K) Top Performers: Brice Turang (3 H, 2B, 2 RBI) Andrew Vaughn (2 H, RBI) Brewers Bullpen (4.1 IP, 0 H, BB, 3 K) Another rough start from a Brewers starter followed on Saturday, but Robert Gasser was able to gut through 4.2 innings, only allowing 3 runs despite heavy traffic on the base paths. That set the stage for the offense to chip away while the Brewers bullpen shut down the Twins bats the rest of the way, with a go-ahead single off the bat of Andrew Vaughn in the 8th being the eventual difference maker in a 4-3 Brewers win. Vaughn puts the Brewers on top (+22.4 WP%) Game 118 | Brewers 4, Twins 3 MIL Starter: Jacob Misiorowski (6.0 IP, 4 H, BB, 3 ER, 9 K) Top Performers: Jake Bauers (2 H, 2 BB, HR, 2 RBI) Jackson Chourio (H, 2 BB, HR, RBI) It was a wild one on Sunday, with a suddenly shorthanded position player group and taxed bullpen finding a way to beat the Twins in extra innings to take the series 4-3. That was all behind a start from Jacob Misiorowski, who struck out nine over his six innings, but a pair of homers from the Twins set the score at 3 by the time he exited. That set the stage for both bullpens navigating a plethora of baserunners in the late innings, but eventually a looping line drive from Jake Bauers sent the Brewer faithful home happy in the 10th. Jake Bauers walks it off (+29.0 WP%) Transactions: 08/09/26 - Placed SS Cooper Pratt on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. 08/09/26 - Designated LHP Drew Rom for assignment. 08/09/26 - Signed free agent CF JiHwan Bae to a minor league contract. 08/09/26 - Selected the contract of CF Ji Hwan Bae from AAA Nashville. 08/08/26 - Designated RHP Bryse Wilson for assignment. 08/08/26 - Sent RF Sal Frelick on a rehab assignment to AAA Nashville. 08/08/26 - Selected the contract of RHP Lyon Richardson from Nashville Sounds. 08/06/26 - Sent LHP Thomas Pannone outright to Nashville Sounds. 08/06/26 - Sent RHP Carlos Rodriguez outright to Nashville Sounds. 08/05/26 - Activated LHP Kyle Harrison from the 15-day injured list. 08/05/26 - Optioned RHP Grant Anderson to Nashville Sounds. 08/04/26 - Activated RHP Dustin May. 08/04/26 - Activated RHP Antonio Senzatela. 08/04/26 - Optioned RHP Brandon Sproat to AAA Nashville. 08/04/26 - Optioned RHP Garrett Stallings to AAA Nashville. 08/03/26 - Designated RHP Carlos Rodriguez for assignment. 08/03/26 - Placed LHP JoJo Romero on the 15-day injured list. 08/03/26 - Acquired RHP Antonio Senzatela from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for LHP Mark Manfredi and SS Juan Martinez. 08/03/26 - Traded RHP Codi Heuer to the Baltimore Orioles for cash. 08/03/26 - Acquired RHP Dustin May and LHP JoJo Romero from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for OF Alexander Frias and OF Josiah Ragsdale. Looking Ahead: Monday, 8/10 - Brewers @ Padres - 8:40 PM CDT Tuesday, 8/11 - Brewers @ Padres - 8:40 PM CDT Wednesday, 8/12 - Brewers @ Padres - 3:10 PM CDT Thursday, 8/13 - Brewers @ Dodgers - 9:10 PM CDT Friday, 8/14 - Brewers @ Dodgers - 9:10 PM CDT Saturday, 8/15 - Brewers @ Dodgers - 6:15 PM CDT Sunday, 8/16 - Brewers @ Dodgers - 3:10 PM CDT View the full article

The Minnesota Twins entered Sunday afternoon’s matinee matchup against the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers with intentions of handing them their first home series loss since late June against the Chicago Cubs. While they fell short of that goal, Sunday’s get-away game held sentimental value for two young Twins. “Yeah, it’s going to be fun. Connor (Prielipp) and I were talking about it. It’s great,” Alan Roden told reporters Sunday morning. Roden was born in Middleton, Wisconsin, graduating from high school there before committing to play baseball at Creighton University in 2018. “(I was a fan of) Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun growing up. I was talking about the ‘08 season earlier. It was a lot of fun, you know, watching baseball as a kid. Fast forward a couple years, Eric Thames comes to mind—Chris Carter and Jesús Aguilar, too.” Sunday’s starting pitcher for Minnesota, Connor Prielipp, grew up less than two hours from Roden in Tomah, Wisconsin. “I actually faced Connor in high school. I think it was called regionals, it’s like playoffs. Tomah beat us. I did get a hit off him though. Make sure you tell him that.” remarked a smirking Roden. One season after beating Roden’s Middleton club in regionals, Prielipp won 2019 Gatorade Wisconsin Baseball Player of the Year Award, before committing to the University of Alabama. “I would guess (Connor is excited). You know, coming back and pitching close to his to hometown… I would imagine, you know, there’s gonna be some excitement for Connor,” said manager Derek Shelton. Despite surrendering a leadoff home run to Jackson Chourio, Prielipp kept pace with impending NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob Misiorowski, netting seven strikeouts and three earned runs over five innings pitched. Roden grounded out and struck out in two plate appearances against the best starting pitcher in baseball, an outcome one would be hard-pressed to critique much. We can’t all possess world-beating, left-handed swings like Brooks Lee and Kody Clemens. “It was awesome. Being a lifelong Brewers fan, it awesome to say I finally pitched here,” said Prielipp during his postgame interview. “But at the end of the day, I was ready to pitch.” Jake Bauers hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the tenth inning, propelling Milwaukee to a one-run victory over Minnesota. Despite the bitter ending, however, this will be a day to remember for the two Wisconsinites. View the full article

TRANSACTIONS No moves were made on Sunday. Saints Sentinel St. Paul 3, Louisville 11 Box Score Aaron Rozek: 3 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 4 K HR: Kala’i Rosario (2), Ben Ross (12) Multi-hit games: None The Saints were thumped on Sunday. A day after beating the Bats solidly, the Saints saw their fortunes reversed, as Aaron Rozek surrendered six runs in three innings, and their lineup did little to resist the veteran Kent Emanuel across his six excellent frames. Every St. Paul pitcher allowed at least one run on Sunday. Two homers marked the only runs of the day for the Saints: a fifth inning smash by Kala’i Rosario that closely resembled a torpedo launch, and an eighth inning blast by Ben Ross that cleared the bullpens and the berm before bouncing majestically into the awaiting hands of a victorious fan. Shortstop Leo Balcazar ranks as the 16th-best prospect in the Cincinnati Reds’ system. He singled twice and walked in five trips to the plate. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 6, NW Arkansas 3 Box Score Preston Johnson: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K HR: Kyle DeBarge (12), Caden Kendle (4), Garrett Spain (18) Multi-hit games: Caden Kendle (3-for-5, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI), Garrett Spain (2-for-4, HR, 2B, R, RBI, BB) The Wind Surge rallied late to win on Sunday. The teams dealt each other two blank frames before Wichita struck for the first run of the ballgame. Staring out at two men on base, Caden Kendle shot a single up the middle, easily scoring Jay Thomason who was stealing on the play, though the trailing Kyle DeBarge—who began his adventure on first—was thrown out with relative ease. He made up for the play with a solo homer in his next at-bat, sending a hanging 0-2 offering over the left-center wall. Unfortunately, the lead quickly evaporated. Sam Armstrong relieved Preston Johnson, and he found the hitters Johnson easily quelled to be in a much more vigorous mood. A walk, a hit by pitch, and a three-run homer flipped the game on its head. Wichita stood paralyzed by the rally for two innings, striking out four times between the sixth and seventh in what seemed like a meager slide that would carry the team into a loss. But it didn’t. With no buildup, Caden Kendle blasted a solo homer in the eighth to tie the game. Sensing an altered mood, Garrett Spain backed up his buddy, and smacked a homer of his own to give the Wind Surge a lead. And they expanded on it. Jake Rucker doubled, Graham Brown walked, and Jorel Ortega cracked a double into the left-center gap to safely deliver both home. Kyle Bischoff slammed the door with two scoreless innings. NW Arkansas outfielder Carson Roccaforte is the 16th-best prospect in the Royals system, according to MLB.com. He went 0-for-3 with a walk. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 1, South Bend 13 Box Score Cesar Lares: 2 2/3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K HR: Jacob McCombs (7) Multi-hit games: None The Kernels had their clock cleaned on Sunday. What a strange idiom. Apparently it arrived somewhere in the late 1800s, shot up in popularity after the turn of the century, immediately died down, and slowly crept back into vernacular in the 2000s. And no one seems to know where it originated. Fascinating. Anyways, matters were grim. Cedar Rapids struggled in all three phases, committing three errors, allowing nine earned runs, and accruing just one run in eight innings before the game mercifully ended when even mother nature determined it necessary to scrub the match from the record books. Multiple Kernels catchers took a beating. Eduardo Tait’s injury forced him out of the game; Luis Hernandez’s portended the game-ending rain. Cedar Rapids’ lone run was a lead-off blast by Jacob McCombs. They only advanced a runner to second three more times, and no Kernel touched third the rest of the day. Rehabbing prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez played right field and singled and walked twice in four trips to the plate. Iowa first baseman Josiah Hartshorn is the 60th-best prospect in MLB. He homered, doubled, and walked in five plate appearances. Mussel Matters Fort Myers 5, Bradenton 3 Box Score Callan Fang: 3 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Yovanny Duran (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI) The Mighty Mussels snuck in a win on Sunday. It was a bad day to stand in the batter’s box against Callan Fang. The righty was on his game, twisting Bradenton hitters into the ground with his low 90s heat and collection of breakers. He allowed one hit—a 41.6 MPH nubber that drove into the ground and died before any fielder could reach it. He struck out nine. That bested his career-high mark by four. An excellent game for the 2025 13th-rounder out of Harvard. The teams were at an impasse for five innings, exchanging zeroes like trading cards as hitters found practicing their craft impossible for some time. Perhaps an ejection was the spark the game needed. Mighty Mussels outfielder Bryce Fowler was picked off at second base—or so said the umpire—and he disagreed with the call, earning a ticket for “anywhere but here” as he was ushered out of the game. That sparked a three-run rally, with Yovanny Duran singling in one and Colby Turner delivering two home. Bradenton struck for two in the bottom of the frame, and Fort Myers responded in the eighth with two of their own thanks to a botched fielding effort by pitcher Tony Gonzalez simply summed up as a “fielder’s choice.” A mistake is a choice, so says the box score. One more Marauders’ run pushed the score to its end game, which is where it stood until one out in the bottom of the ninth, when rain descended upon the field and netted the final two outs for Fort Myers. Rehabber Nick Yorke singled and walked in four plate appearances for Bradenton. No member of Pittsburgh’s top 30 prospect list played in Sunday’s game. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Callan Fang Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Caden Kendle PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #2 – Vahn Lackey (Fort Myers) - 1-5 2 K #4 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-2, 2 BB #7 – Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4 #11 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 1-4, K MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS DSL Tigers 2 @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM) - TBD View the full article

Still looking for a bit of an upgrade on their bench, the San Diego Padres are taking a look at outfielder Austin Hays. According to multiple reports, the 31-year-old has signed a contract with the Padres. Hays was designated for assignment and then released Friday by the Chicago White Sox. Hays has a $6 million salary for this year, but the Padres will only be responsible for a prorated portion of the MLB minimum, making this a very low-risk move. Infielder Gage Workman, just acquired from the Detroit Tigers along with right-hander Casey Mize, was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. Hays, a right-handed hitter, is slashing .233/.250/.326 in 12 games this season. He has been on the injured list twice this season, first on the 10-day IL for a right hamstring strain (April 7-27), then the 60-day IL with a left calf strain (May 4-Tuesday). In his nine-year career, Hays has a slash line of .262/.312/.433 and has hit 15 or more homers four times, topping out at 22 in 2021. View the full article

Box Score Starting Pitcher: Connor Prielipp: 5+ IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (96 Pitches, 61 Strikes, 63.5%) Home Runs: Brooks Lee (17), Kody Clemens (20) Bottom 3 WPA: Austin Martin (-0.23), Royce Lewis (-0.22), Ryan Kreidler (-0.20) Win Probability Chart (Via BaseballSavant): The Twins wasted a chance to take the series against the best-in-baseball Brewers on Saturday, as Milwaukee rallied to make today's game a rubber match. Unfortunately, the Twins would be tasked with beating the best pitcher in baseball, Jacob Misiorowski, who was as advertised. "The Miz" threw almost entirely fastballs the first time through the lineup, and the Twins couldn't catch up, as Misiorowski was able to locate at the top of the zone with 104 MPH cheese. The only Twins hitter to reach was Brooks Lee, who singled off Misiorowski's leg in the second. Meanwhile the Twins turned to Connor Prielipp for the unenviable task of beating the best team and the best pitcher. It started rough, as he fell behind Jackson Chourio 3-1 before throwing a fastball right where Chourio wanted it, as he took Prielipp opposite field for a leadoff home run, 387 feet. To Prielipp's credit, he really settled down after that. dotting his slider and fastball where Brewers hitters couldn't do damage, striking out seven through his first four innings, allowing just the one run. After looking helpless through the first four innings against Misiorowski, Lee got his (and the team's) second hit in the fifth, a solo home run 401 feet out to right field. Victor Caratini somehow ended his long 0-fer with a single but the Twins were unable to score him from second base. His pitch count in the mid 70's, Prielipp was not as crisp in the fifth, allowing an opposite field home run to Jake Bauers to lead off the inning. It was a sinker that caught too much of the plate, and Prielipp knew it immediately. He also allowed a fat sinker to Gary Sanchez for a double, and then with two outs, threw a middle-middle slider to the light -hitting David Hamilton on an 0-2 pitch, which Hamilton rocketed to the gap in right center field, scoring Sanchez to extend the lead to two. Misiorowski emphasized his breaking stuff much more the third time through the lineup, notably dotting two sliders on the black to start Royce Lewis 0-2 in the sixth. Lewis fought but ended up waving at a fastball at his eyes for his third strikeout of the game. It certainly looked like a shutdown inning for Misiorowski at that point, but Josh Bell drew a walk, and Kody Clemens got a mistake fastball low in the zone and smacked it out to the bullpen in right to tie the game. Somehow. Lee almost took Misiorowski deep a second time in the next at-bat, but Luis Lara made an incredible catch at the wall in right field to steal an extra-base hit and keep the game tied at three. Prielipp was allowed to start the sixth inning at 93 Pitches, which seemed a bit curious but he was facing a lefty in Turang. With the count 3-2 after Turang laid off some nasty sliders. The final pitch Prielipp threw was a slider called a ball that hit the zone with Caratini deciding not to challenge for some reason. Tommy Nance then came on and allowed a single to pinch hitter Garrett Mitchell. William Contreras then chopped to third and with Turang caught in no-man's land, Lee inexplicably decided to throw to first, allowing Turang and Mitchell to advance. Nance then got a pop-up from Bauers, and managed to strike out Lara to end the threat. The seventh began with Aaron Ashby relieving Misiorowski. The relief was palpable, as Luke Keaschall hit a ball to the hole at shortstop, where Turang was playing out of position after third baseman Andrew Vaughn was pinch-hit for in the sixth, prompting Hamilton to move to third and Turang to short. Turang skipped his throw and Bauers couldn't corral it, allowing Keaschall to reach second. Caratini then lined a ball down the line with some weird spin that caused Hamilton to boot it, putting runners on first and second with no one out. Austin Martin then pinch-hit and failed to get the bunt down, striking out on three pitches. Ryan Kreidler then struck out, as well, leaving the inning to Ryan Jeffers, hitting for Larnach. He drew a walk but Lewis struck out for the fourth time to leave the bases loaded. After A.J. Minter threw a scoreless seventh, the Twins went to work against righty Abner Uribe and his 99 MPH turbo sinker. With one out, Uribe walked Clemens, and then with Lee at the plate and Clemens running on a 3-2 pitch, Uribe got a comebacker and tried to get the force at second. The throw was late, and bad, and everyone was safe. Keaschall then chopped to short and somehow beat the double play relay, and Caratini walked to load the bases. Martin then bounced out to end the inning and potentially squander the Twins' chance to win the game. Minter stayed on to retire Mitchell to start the bottom of the eighth, then gave way to Andrew Morris, who walked Bauers but otherwise got the job done. After going down quickly against Trevor Megill in the ninth, Morris stayed on to face Sanchez, walking him on four pitches. That prompted Derek Shelton to turn to Kody Funderburk to face Jihwan Bae and Hamilton. Bae bunted pinch-runner Christian Yelich to second, Funderburk struck out Hamilton and intentionally walked Chourio to face Turang, a gambit that paid off in the seventh with Minter pitching. It worked again, as Funderburk got Turang swinging at a fastball on the outside corner to send the game to extras. The Twins looked like they would score the cherished two runs in the top of the tenth. With Lewis on second, Clemens seemed to get a hold of another one, launching a ball deep to right field. Lara lept and made perhaps a better catch than his grab in the fifth, preserving the tie for the second time. Lee then struck out to end the inning. Yoendrys Gomez got the first out by striking out William Contreras, but ahead 1-2 on Bauers, he threw a changeup on the outside corner, and Bauers served it into left field for a walk-off single. Stuff I'm Tracking: - Caratini threw out two runners, despite his well below average arm. He nabbed Turang in the fourth, and got Bauers trying to sneak into third in the second. The goal was definitely to run on Caratini, so credit goes to Prielipp for controlling the running game enough for Caratini's lobs to be in time. - Kaelen Culpepper had about as rough of a debut as one could have considering he homered on Friday. But having him as a right-handed bat is nice to have off the bench, with him, Martin and Jeffers available to pinch hit against a lefty in today's game. - Martin needs to practice his bunting if he's going to slug .310. Not sure about his place on this team- he's a low heartbeat guy playing a role that demands great situational awareness and grit. I could see the Twins cutting bait with him and he latches on with the Yankees and finally plays to his potential, similar to Aaron Hicks once upon a time. - It's crazy how Trevor Megill is closing games for the best team in baseball. I still remember the surly righty put into a long relief role with the Twins and trying to develop command of his breaking ball at the big league level. You can't argue with the results, as Megill has posted a 2.82 ERA and a 30.6% strikeout rate since joining Milwaukee. -Sal Frelick is hurt, and has a reputation as one of the best right fielders in baseball. They back him up with Lara, which must be nice. What’s Next: The Twins welcome the Baltimore Orioles to town for a three game set starting Monday. Dean Kremer (1-4, 5.93 ERA) throws against his former team and lefty Trevor Rogers (7-7, 4.20 ERA). Baltimore sold at the deadline despite having roughly the same playoff odds as the Twins, sending franchise catcher Adley Rustchman to the rival Red Sox and leadoff hitter Taylor Ward to the Mariners. Postgame Interviews: Bullpen Usage Chart: WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT Funderburk 0 20 0 21 15 56 Hoffman 11 0 25 15 0 51 Nance 7 0 24 0 11 42 Morris 0 13 13 0 14 40 Gomez 0 18 12 0 9 39 Minter 12 0 3 0 16 31 Adams 0 0 0 15 0 15 Rogers 0 0 0 0 0 0 View the full article

The Chicago Cubs just went to battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers this week, and after being one of the more aggressive teams at this year’s trade deadline, their behavior begs the question: how close is Chicago to competing with the Dodgers to be the best team in the National League? Let’s dive into the Cubs’ post-trade-deadline makeup. Aggressive At The Deadline As things stand, the North Siders are well above .500 and have a stranglehold on the top spot in the National League Wild Card. The Cubs will likely have to face either the current division leaders in the Milwaukee Brewers or the Dodgers at some point in the playoff bracket, but the back-to-back World Series champions are the ultimate threat. Chicago went into the deadline swinging, acquiring starting pitchers Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman as well as a nasty reliever in Ryan Zeferjahn. They also got Tyrone Taylor, a remarkable defender and speedy baserunner, for some extra support in the outfield. Star Power Baseball is a team game, and there’s no refuting that. Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani were on the same team for years, and yet the Los Angeles Angels never even sniffed the World Series (let alone the playoffs). With that being said, having a superstar who other teams have to plan around helps. Ohtani took over the NLCS against the Brewers last year, helping elevate the options around him. Pete Crow-Armstrong is a candidate for the National League MVP award this year. He just had a 3-for-5 performance here he hit two home runs and drove four runs in to clinch a sweep against Los Angeles. He’s also above 7 WAR with two months of baseball to go before the playoffs. The Cubs’ center fielder is four homers shy of 30 on the season, and he's already reached 30 steals for the second consecutive year. This is somebody who can impact the game in all facets, as he’s in the top 10 percentile for fielding range (100th), arm value (97th percentile) and arm strength (90th percentile) while also posting impressive marks with his bat speed (81st percentile), hard-hit rate (88th percentile) and a much-improved walk percentage (84th percentile). An Improved Rotation The Cubs operated with some urgency at the deadline, and Gausman and Holmes are key additions for a couple of reasons. Gausman has a winning pedigree, as the veteran right-handed pitcher was on a Blue Jays squad that was mere outs from a title last year. The 35-year-old uses a three-pitch mix to generate an elite 34.4 percent chase rate (87th percentile), and he’s giving up a free pass just 6.7 percent of the time. Holmes, on the other hand, is one of the best groundball pitchers in baseball. The former Mets’ starter has earned a 55.3 percent ground ball rate, good enough for the 95th percentile. Put the best fielding team in the big leagues (.989 fielding percentage, T-1st) behind him, and the reliever-turned-starter should feel right at home. Playoff Experience While the Cubs didn’t win the ultimate prize in 2025, they did push the top-seeded Brewers to Game 5 in the NLDS. Every player on last year’s roster now has experience winning a series (the Wild Card Round over the Padres) and playing in a winner-take-all, emotional battle with the team’s bitter rivals. That counts for something as the team gets set to embark on another October journey. Add to that knowledge the fact that two of the team’s starting position players in Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman have won a World Series title before, and you have a group that could be primed for a deep run. View the full article

MIAMI, Fla. — With the Miami Marlins well on their way to securing a victory on Sunday, the vibes suddenly shifted after an injury to first baseman Kyle Stowers. Stowers extended the club's lead to 10-2 with a hit in the fifth inning, but after taking a turn around first base, he ran back to the bag and grimaced before briefly grabbing his left hamstring. Visibly frustrated, he gingerly walked off the field. The Marlins announced it as left hamstring discomfort. He will undergo further tests before the club decides whether to place him on the injured list, manager Clayton McCullough said postgame. Stowers missed most of spring training and the first three weeks of the regular season this year with a strain in his right hamstring. After initially struggling in his return, the 2025 All-Star posted a .897 OPS and 11 home runs in 44 games since June 15. He enjoyed a terrific series against the Angels, going 6-for-11 with two walks. Should Stowers land on the IL, the Marlins could call up Jonathon Long, who came from the Chicago Cubs in the Braxton Garrett trade at the deadline last week. He has been splitting time between first base and left field during his brief stint with Triple-A Jacksonville. He entered Sunday with a respectable 21.5% strikeout rate, .820 OPS, and a .351 BABIP in 103 games in Triple-A this year. Long does not have any prior MLB experience. Deyvison De Los Santos is another call-up candidate who is already on Miami's 40-man roster. During his third season in the International League, the 23-year-old seems to be trending in the right direction, recording his best OPS (.782) and strikeout rate (18.5%) since getting to Jacksonville. He homered again on Sunday shortly after the Stowers injury occurred. Agustín Ramírez could take some of the reps at first if Stowers misses time. Coincidentally, Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix just confirmed to the media last week that the longtime catcher is "trying to add versatility" by relearning a position he previously played from 2021-24 in the minors. Leo Jiménez is another name to watch considering that he was the choice to take over for Stowers on Sunday. However, Jiménez lacks the offensive upside of the aforementioned alternatives (.215/.310/.289 slash line in 53 games). The Marlins don't play again until 6:40 pm Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, so they can thoroughly assess the extent of Stowers' injury and carefully review their options before proceeding. View the full article

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies): 4-1 Season Record: 60-48 Saturday was a tale of two debuts and an electric performance at the plate as Worcester dominated in a 19-0 rout. Gage Ziehl made his first start in Triple-A and exceeded expectations. Ziehl turned in five and ⅔ innings of shutout, two-hit ball as he racked up eight strikeouts. He paved the way for the offensive onslaught before being replaced by Devin Sweet. Sweet finished the sixth inning and took the seventh as well. Sweet allowed one hit, issued one walk, and sat one batter down on strikes. Tyler Samaniego pitched through an uneventful eighth inning, walking one and striking out another. Nathan Hickey, the WooSox regular catcher, took the ninth inning of the blowout and hurled a perfect inning of work. It was a masterclass from the WooSox staff, who allowed just five baserunners all game. Adley Rutschman made his Red Sox organizational debut as Mikey Romero achieved a feat no Worcester player has achieved before him. In an abbreviated five-inning rehab appearance, Rutschman went 1-for-2 and drew two walks. His first hit as a Red Sox? An RBI double to the corner in right field that scored two. Romy Gonzales got the scoring started early, driving in Rutschman with a single in the first inning. Allan Castro kept it going, scoring Romero on a soft liner to center. Gonzales came around to score on a wild pitch before Tsung-Che Cheng scored Castro and Kristian Campbell on a single to right field. In the second, Romero recorded his second hit of the evening. He hit a towering home run to right-center that drove home Nate Eaton. Romero went an astounding 6-for-6 as he drove in two runs in a historic afternoon, becoming the first player in WooSox history to record six hits in a game. In the fourth, Cheng was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, advancing Romero home. The next batter, Braiden Ward, was hit as well, and Castro scored. Rutschman’s double scored Cheng and Vinny Capra before Eaton scored Ward and Rutschman, giving Worcester a 13-run lead. Campbell’s fifth homer of the year scored Castro and tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning. In the sixth, Castro drove in Eaton on a sac fly, and in the seventh, Jason Delay drove in Capra the same way. In the eighth, Campbell scored Romero via a groundout before Castro scored as Ward was hit by another pitch. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 2-3 Season Record: 56-50 Portland was on the other side of a rout, losing 14-0 in a disappointing game all-around. Mike Sansone got the start on Saturday night and looked good through four innings. However, it all fell apart in the fifth as Sansone let up four runs. He exited the game after allowing six earned runs on nine hits, issuing one walk and punching out three. Steven Brooks, who was recently assigned to Portland, made his first appearance with the Sea Dogs, but it was one to forget. Brooks allowed three runs on five hits in his debut before being replaced by Erik Rivera in the eighth inning. Rivera struggled in just ⅔ of an inning, allowing three runs on no hits as he walked two. Second baseman Ahbram Liendo was called in to finish the game as Portland waved the white flag. Liendo allowed two runs on two hits in his ⅓ of an inning-long appearance before finally getting the last out of Saturday’s disaster. Portland was nearly nonexistent at the plate, generating just six baserunners as they were shut out. Singles from Nate Baez, Matt Turner, Jack Winnay, and Nelly Tayler as well as a double from Ronald Rosario made up all the action on Saturday as the Sea Dogs fell without a whimper. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Hudson Valley Renegades (New York Yankees): 2-3 Season Record: 47-57 A dismal day from the dish and a shaky outing on the rubber left Greenville complacent as they fell 8-2. Dylan Brown struggled in the first few frames of his five-inning start, but smoothed things out in the final two innings. Brown lost his seventh game of the year as he allowed five runs on nine hits despite notching nine strikeouts. Shea Sprague entered in relief but struggled as well. He allowed two more runs (one unearned) on four hits as Hudson Valley started to run away with the ballgame. Sprague struck out five and issued two walks in two and ⅔ innings. Matt McShane took the final one and ⅓ frames of Saturday’s contest, allowing one more run on four hits as he struck out two amid a game to forget for the Drive’s staff. Greenville wasn’t silent at the dish, but they struggled heavily when it came to driving runs home. Yophery Rodriguez and Stanley Tucker recorded two hits apiece, and Isaiah Jackson drew two walks. Greenville struggled with runners in scoring position, going an abysmal 0-for-15 when it mattered the most and stranding eight runners. Single-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): 4-1 Season Record: 47-59 An excellent bullpen performance and a three-hit outing from Louis Andujar helped Salem to a 6-2 victory. Leighton Finley turned in a solid start on Saturday night, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out five as he lowered his ERA to 4.87 and won his sixth game of the season. Caden Vire was the first pitcher called from the bullpen, and he didn’t disappoint. He allowed two hits and issued two walks through one and ⅓ innings before Nicolas De La Cruz entered. De La Cruz finished the seventh and completed the eighth without much trouble. He issued three walks and struck out two but preserved the win for Salem. Harry Blum sealed the victory for good with his ninth-inning performance. He issued one walk and struck out another as Salem won its second consecutive game. Andujar led the way for the RidgeYaks with three hits as Andrews Opata drove in two. Andruw Musett got Salem on the board in the second inning with a single to center field as Andujar scored. Musett then scored via a balk as Salem took a one-run lead. Andujar drove in Franklin Primera on a double to left field in the third inning. Opata drove in Adonys Guzman and Andujar on a single later in the inning as Salem extended its lead. A double steal by Henry Godbout and Starlyn Nunez in the fourth inning put an exclamation point on Salem’s win as Godbout stole home. View the full article

On his Instagram account, Twins outfielder Kyler Fedko announced that his season has come to an end. He recently tore his ACL and had surgery in the Twin Cities. Fedko was the Twins 12th round draft pick in 2021 out of the University of Connecticut. He had a breakout season in 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A. In 130 games, he hit .258/.368/.487 (.855) with 25 doubles, 28 homers and 38 stolen bases. He has played all three outfield spots and even quite a bit of time at first base. In 75 games this year for St. Paul, he hit .274/.362/.545 (.907) with 17 doubles, 17 homers and 10 stolen bases. In mid-June, the Twins DFAd James Outman, Fedko was given an opportunity for the role. It isn't an easy role. Maybe one start every 10 games, late inning defense and pinch running. Fedko made some nice plays defensively and his baserunning literally led to a couple of wins. he got 16 at-bats and was not able to get a hit. In 19 plate appearances, he walked twice and had a sacrifice RBI. He was optioned to the Saints on July 10th. Last Sunday (8/2), he was 1-for-4 with a walk, his 17th double and two RBI in a game. In the bottom of the ninth, he moved from center to left field. With two outs, the Storm Chaser batter slapped a ball down the left-field line. Fedko ran toward the ball. As he started slowing down to grab the ball in the corner, he went down. The camera angle did not allow viewers to see what happened or a replay or anything. Ben Ross ran over to the ball from center and threw it in. Kaelen Culpepper raced out from shortstop, and Walker Jenkins rushed over from right field. Brian Dinkelman and a trainer hurried. Fortunately, there is an opening in left field. A couple of field maintenance vehicles came out before an amped-up golf cart backed up to Fedko and drove him off the field. Fedko is a man of deep faith, something that will certainly help him through the long process. Join us in wishing Kyler Fedko a successful recovery. View the full article

The first health obstacle has jumped into Cooper Pratt's MLB career. The rookie shortstop was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring Sunday by the Milwaukee Brewers, who signed infielder-outfielder Ji Hwan Bae to a minor-league contract and called him up to the majors. Left-handed reliever Drew Rom was designated for assignment. It was not immediately clear when Pratt was injured as he played all nine innings of Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins, although manager Pat Murphy said Pratt did have an MRI on the hammy. Pratt is slashing .272/.352/.368 with two homers, 17 RBIs and 10 steals in his first 44 MLB games since making his debut in June. Hamstring injuries can often be slow to heal, depending on their severity. Bae was recently released from Triple-A by the New York Mets, having put up a .257/.360/.368 slash line with five homers, 32 RBIs and 36 steals in 91 games. He last appeared in the majors in 2025 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and has a career slash line of .223/.294/.293 in 163 games over four MLB seasons, all with the Pirates. He has split his time this year between second base and the outfield and has just three games of MLB experience at shortstop. That means that David Hamilton, who started at shortstop Sunday, and Joey Ortiz, who was the Opening Day shortstop and the starter until Pratt was called up, will replace Pratt. However, Ortiz is battling neck tightness that forced him out of Saturday's game and kept him out of Sunday's lineup. Top infielder prospect Jett Williams, who is at Triple-A Nashville, is battling wrist soreness and was just sent to Arizona. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins had a productive trade deadline. After weeks of speculation about whether they would buy or sell, the front office ultimately made three additions over the final weekend before the deadline. They bolstered the rotation with Dean Kremer and strengthened the bullpen with A.J. Minter and Jeff Hoffman before the clock struck 5 p.m. While opinions varied on each move, the overall consensus was positive. Twins Daily's Cody Christie graded the club's trades between a B- and a B+, and most national analysts landed in a similar range. Still, every trade deadline leaves behind a handful of deals that make you stop and wonder. Some trades immediately spark the reaction of, "That's all it took?" Others look even better a few days later after you have time to compare the prices teams paid across the league. Looking back, there are at least three deals the Twins probably wish they had been the team making instead. Kevin Gausman - Starting Pitcher The Chicago Cubs acquired the veteran right-hander from Toronto for infield prospect Ty Southisene, the Blue Jays' No. 17 prospect, and outfielder Brett Bateman, their No. 20 prospect. Considering Gausman's résumé, it was a surprisingly modest return. Yes, Gausman has struggled this season, posting a 4.38 ERA, and he's only a rental with two months of team control remaining. But this is also a two-time All-Star who finished third in American League Cy Young voting as recently as 2023. His underlying metrics still point toward a pitcher capable of performing much better than his ERA suggests. The return is what makes this trade so intriguing from a Twins perspective. The Cubs only had to part with their No. 17 and No. 20 prospects despite owning MLB.com's No. 23-ranked farm system. According to FanGraphs, those prospects would rank below players like Bruin Agbayani and John Klein in the Twins organization. Minnesota ultimately paid a steeper price to acquire Dean Kremer. Kremer brings another season of club control, which certainly adds value, but if the goal was simply maximizing the 2026 postseason push, it's hard not to wonder if Gausman would have been the better target at a lower acquisition cost. Taylor Ward - Outfielder Another missed opportunity came in the market for right-handed hitting. The Mariners acquired Taylor Ward from Baltimore for reliever Alex Hoppe, who owns a 5.79 ERA, along with pitching prospects Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling, neither of whom ranked among Seattle's top 30 prospects. That feels like a deal the Twins should have been all over. Minnesota entered the deadline with one glaring offensive need: another right-handed bat capable of punishing left-handed pitching. Ward checks that box while also providing the versatility to handle center field when needed. He's exactly the type of player who would've fit the roster without requiring a major overhaul. Considering the Mariners didn't have to surrender a premium (or even good) prospect to get him, it's difficult not to look back and wonder why the Twins weren't able to put together a similar package. Ward is also a rental, but for that price, he would've addressed one of Minnesota's biggest weaknesses without significantly impacting the organization's long-term outlook. The final deal that stands out happened inside the division. Foster Griffin - Starting Pitcher The Cleveland Guardians acquired left-hander Foster Griffin from Washington in exchange for Will Dion, Josh Hartle, Kendeglys Virguez and Nick Mitchell. Hartle was Cleveland's highest-ranked prospect in the deal at No. 25, meaning the Guardians landed an All-Star without giving up anyone inside the top 24 of their system. Griffin has one of the more unique stories in baseball. After leaving for Japan in 2023, he spent three seasons dominating overseas before returning to Major League Baseball with the Nationals this year. All he has done since returning is post a 3.06 ERA with a WHIP barely over 1.00 while earning his first All-Star selection. Perhaps even more enticing are the underlying metrics, which suggest the 31-year-old could be even better moving forward. He offers more upside than Kremer while costing Cleveland less prospect capital to acquire. Making matters worse for the Twins, Griffin is now headed to Cleveland. The Guardians have built a reputation for getting the most out of pitchers, and it's hard not to imagine Griffin taking another step forward in their development system. None of this is meant to criticize what the Twins accomplished at the deadline. Their front office addressed multiple needs and deserves credit for being aggressive enough to improve the roster for the stretch run. But hindsight is part of every trade deadline. Once the dust settles and every deal can be compared side by side, there are always a few moves that leave you wondering what could have been. Looking back at the prices teams paid for Kevin Gausman, Taylor Ward and Foster Griffin, it's hard not to think the Twins had opportunities to come away with an even stronger deadline than the one they already had. Do you agree that these are the three trades the Twins should have made? Are there any other deadline deals you wish Minnesota had jumped into? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View the full article

Jefferson Rojas needed a few days, but he has now delivered his first big moment as a Mets prospect. The top-100 infielder lashed a go-ahead, two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth inning Saturday to push Double-A Binghamton to a come-from-behind 6-4 victory over Hartford. The hit completed a 3-for-4, three-RBI night. Rojas was 1-for-11 in his first three games with the club after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline for Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor. Rojas played third base and batted third, behind two other newcomers: shortstop Mitch Voit (promoted from High-A Brooklyn) and second baseman Emilien Pitre (acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in the Freddy Peralta trade). The three combined for seven hits and four runs scored to go with Rojas’ RBIs. Another recent infield arrival, Billy Amick (acquired from the Minnesota Twins), hit a two-run homer, his fourth dinger in six games. Add in holdovers Jacob Reimer and Marco Vargas, both ranked in Grand Central Mets’ soon-to-be-updated Top 20, and the Ponies have some serious horsepower on the dirt. Elsewhere in the organization: We’re switching up the usual order to highlight Mets DSL Blue’s 5-0, seven-inning no-hitter against DSL Giants Black. Josbel Torrez (three innings) and Esteban Mejia (four innings) combined on it. It wasn’t the cleanest no-no; the two issued three walks and hit a batter between them, and another batter reached on an error. It still counts. The Mets took the lead with three runs in the top of the fifth. Royner Bravo hit a two-run triple, and Michalle Mercedes drove in Bravo with another triple. The Mets added on in the seventh. Jesus Minaya hit a solo home run and Frank Moreno hit an RBI single. Syracuse out-slugged Columbus 13-7. Ronny Mauricio went 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, five RBIs and four runs scored. Jose Ramos homered twice. Brooklyn lost a doubleheader at Wilmington, 6-5 and 4-0. Sammy Stafura and Aidan Smith combined for five hits, four runs and three RBIs in Game 1. Brooklyn had three hits in Game 2. St. Lucie split a doubleheader with Daytona, winning the opener 3-1 and losing the nightcap 15-7. Julio Zayas provided the offense in Game 1 with a three-run home run in the fourth inning. He ended his night as a mop-up reliever in Game 2. Mets DSL Orange edged the DSL Angels 3-2. Cesar Acosta’s RBI single in the fifth proved to be the game-winning hit. Mets Transactions New York Mets claimed 3B Gabriel Arias off waivers from Cleveland Guardians. New York Mets activated 3B Gabriel Arias. New York Mets optioned 1B Eric Wagaman to Syracuse Mets. Mauricio, Ramos Power Syracuse Rout Mauricio and Ramos were at the center of the Mets' offense for most of the night. In the first inning, Mauricio hit a laser to right for a solo home run and a 1-0 Mets lead. Four St. Lucie pitchers combined on a seven-hit effort. Starter Nathan Hall struck out three over 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Caden Wooster followed and went 1 2/3 innings. He allowed Daytona's only run, on a solo home run in the third. Ernesto Mercedes threw two scoreless innings and became the pitcher of record after Zayas' homer. Miguel Mejias recorded the final five outs for the save. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 3 0 1 0 0 0 Aiden Robbins 2 1 1 0 1 0 John Smith III 3 1 1 0 0 0 Julio Zayas 3 1 1 3 0 0 Yovanny Rodriguez 3 0 0 0 0 1 Vladi Gomez 3 0 0 0 0 0 Wyatt Vincent 2 0 1 0 0 0 Reed Stallman 2 0 0 0 0 0 Dylan Carey 1 0 0 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nathan Hall 1 2/3 2 0 0 1 3 0 Caden Wooster 1 2/3 1 1 1 3 3 1 Ernesto Mercedes 2 4 0 0 1 3 0 Miguel Mejias 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Mets' Comebacks Go To Waste In Game 2 This was a 6-6 game after four innings. Kuhio Aloy's two-run homer in the bottom of the third pulled St. Lucie even. Daytona finally pulled away with three runs in the fifth, four runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh. Those last two runs were scored against Zayas, who was called upon to pitch for the second time in three days. St. Lucie battled back in each of the of the first three innings to lead or tie. In the first, Ryan Tayman's RBI groundout and a throwing error put the Mets up 2-1. In the second, Simon Juan homered for a 3-2 lead. In the third, Yovanny Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly before Aloy tied the game with his homer. Starter Jonathan Jimenez lasted just 1 1/3 innings, He was charged with two runs (one earned) on three hits. Tyler McLoughlin, Wilmer Lugo and Luis Sotillo combined to give up 11 runs on seven hits and eight walks out of the 'pen. Player AB R H RBI BB K Bohan Adderley 4 1 1 0 0 1 Vladi Gomez 2 2 1 0 2 0 Ryan Tayman 4 0 1 1 0 1 Julio Zayas 3 1 0 0 1 2 Yovanny Rodriguez 2 0 1 1 0 0 Reed Stallman 1 0 0 0 0 0 Kuhio Aloy 4 1 1 2 0 1 Simon Juan 3 2 2 1 0 1 Kooper Schulte 3 0 1 1 0 2 Dylan Carey 3 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonathan Jimenez 1 1/3 3 2 1 1 1 0 Tyler McLoughlin 2 2/3 5 4 4 2 2 1 Wilmer Lugo 2/3 1 3 3 4 0 0 Luis Sotillo 1 1 4 4 2 1 1 Julio Zayas 1 1/3 4 2 2 0 0 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jonah Tong: DNP Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: DNP Elian Pena: 1-for-3 Nick Morabito: DNP Jacob Reimer: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K Mitch Voit: 2-for-3, 2 R, BB, K Jonathan Santucci: DNP Zac Thornton: MLB Chris Suero: 1-for-2, 2B, R, BB, K Will Watson: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Eli Serrano III: DNP Randy Guzman: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Ryan Lambert: DNP Antonio Jimenez: 0-for-5, 2 K R.J. Gordon: DNP Jonathan Pintaro: 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR Marco Vargas: DNP View the full article

Chicago Cubs Transactions Chicago Cubs activated RHP Clay Holmes from the 60-day injured list. Chicago Cubs optioned LHP Braxton Garrett to Iowa Cubs. Triple-A Iowa Cubs: Kevin Alcántara Homers In Iowa's 16-3 Loss At Indianapolis Iowa took the lead first. Justin Dean walked to open the game, moved up on a single by Owen Ayers and a walk to Kevin Alcántara, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Chas McCormick. Indianapolis erased that in the second, batting around and scoring nine runs on a two-run double by Jack Brannigan, RBI singles by Joshua Palacios, Cameron Barstad, and Mitch Jebb, an RBI double by Billy Cook, and a two-run single by Dominic Fletcher. Two Iowa throwing errors extended the inning. Alcántara answered with a solo home run in the third, his 18th of the season, and finished 1-for-2 with two walks and a run driven in. Hayden Cantrelle tripled home a run in the fourth and went 1-for-4. Owen Ayers had one of Iowa's four hits, going 1-for-5, and Owen Miller went 1-for-4. Iowa drew six walks and was hit twice, but struck out nine times and stranded 14 runners. Will Sanders started and took the loss, allowing five hits, seven runs, seven earned, with three walks and one strikeout over 1 2/3 innings. Collin Snider allowed two hits and two runs in 1/3 of an inning. Antoine Kelly walked two and allowed two runs, and Evan Taylor allowed one hit over 1 1/3 innings. Daniel Palencia struck out one and walked one over one inning. Grant Kipp allowed five hits and five runs across 2 1/3 innings, including a two-run home run to Barstad. Hayden Cantrelle finished the game with 2/3 of an inning. Iowa committed four errors, and three of Indianapolis' 16 runs were unearned. Iowa Cubs Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin Dean 3 1 0 0 2 2 Owen Ayers 5 0 1 0 0 0 Kevin Alcántara 2 1 1 1 2 0 Owen Miller 4 0 1 0 0 1 Chas McCormick 1 0 0 1 1 1 Grant Kipp 1 0 0 0 0 1 Ben Cowles 3 0 0 0 1 1 Greg Jones 1 0 0 0 0 1 Ed Howard 2 1 0 0 0 0 Ethan Hearn 3 0 0 0 0 2 Hayden Cantrelle 4 0 1 1 0 0 Totals 29 3 4 3 6 9 Iowa Cubs Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Will Sanders 1 2/3 5 7 7 3 1 0 Collin Snider 1/3 2 2 1 1 0 0 Antoine Kelly 2/3 1 2 0 2 2 0 Evan Taylor 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 1 0 Daniel Palencia 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Grant Kipp 2 1/3 5 5 5 3 3 1 Hayden Cantrelle 2/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 8 15 16 13 10 8 1 Double-A Knoxville Smokies: Ariel Armas Drives In Four As Knoxville Beats Chattanooga 9-4 Knoxville scored in seven of nine innings and collected 20 hits. Ariel Armas led the way, going 4-for-6 with a home run, a double, and four runs driven in. He homered in the second, doubled home a run in the third, singled home a run in the fourth, and singled home another in the sixth. Kane Kepley went 2-for-4 with two walks and three runs driven in, including a two-run home run in the fourth and a run-scoring double in the seventh. Alex Madera went 3-for-4 with a run driven in and two runs scored with some great defensive plays. Dom Krupinski went 3-for-5 with a double. Carter Trice went 2-for-6 with a double and two runs scored. Andy Garriola went 2-for-4 with two walks and a solo home run in the ninth, his 20th of the season. Drew Bowser added two hits. Brooks Caple started and threw four scoreless innings, allowing no hits, walking two, and striking out seven. Jackson Brockett earned the win with three hits, three runs, three earned, three walks, and four strikeouts over three innings, with all three runs coming in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk to Carlos Sanchez and a two-run double by Ruben Ibarra. Tyler Ras closed with two innings, allowing one hit and one run on a solo home run by Carter Graham, with no walks and two strikeouts. Knoxville Smokies Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley 4 1 2 3 2 0 Andy Garriola 4 2 2 1 2 0 Miguel Useche 5 0 1 0 1 0 Carter Trice 6 2 2 0 0 1 Dom Krupinski 5 1 3 0 1 2 Ariel Armas 6 1 4 4 0 0 Drew Bowser 5 0 2 0 0 2 Alex Madera 4 2 3 1 0 1 Karson Simas 4 0 1 0 0 2 Totals 43 9 20 9 6 8 Knoxville Smokies Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brooks Caple 4 0 0 0 2 7 0 Jackson Brockett 3 3 3 3 3 4 0 Tyler Ras 2 1 1 1 0 2 1 Totals 9 4 4 4 5 13 1 High-A South Bend Cubs: South Bend Shut Out 7-0 By Cedar Rapids South Bend managed four hits and two walks and never scored. Angel Cepeda went 1-for-4 as the leadoff man. Kade Snell went 1-for-4 with a double. Josiah Hartshorn went 1-for-4, and Michael Hallquist went 1-for-4. Michael Carico and Justin Stransky each drew a walk. The Cubs struck out eight times and did not put a runner across in any inning. Pierce Coppola started and took the loss, allowing five hits, two runs, one earned, with one walk and four strikeouts over four innings. Cedar Rapids scratched a run across in the second on a run-scoring groundout by Byron Chourio, and Quinn McDaniel homered in the fourth. Nate Williams allowed four hits and five earned runs over 3 1/3 innings with no walks and three strikeouts. Chourio hit a three-run home run off him in the sixth, and Jose Salas doubled home a run and Luis Hernandez added a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Yoendris Gonzalez finished with 1 2/3 innings, two hits, no runs, no walks, and three strikeouts. South Bend Cubs Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Angel Cepeda 4 0 1 0 0 1 Kade Snell 4 0 1 0 0 1 Josiah Hartshorn 4 0 1 0 0 1 Jose Escobar 4 0 0 0 0 0 Alexey Lumpuy 4 0 0 0 0 2 Michael Hallquist 4 0 1 0 0 1 Michael Carico 2 0 0 0 1 1 Geuri Lubo 3 0 0 0 0 1 Justin Stransky 2 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 31 0 4 0 2 8 South Bend Cubs Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Pierce Coppola 4 5 2 1 1 4 1 Nate Williams 3 1/3 4 5 5 0 3 1 Yoendris Gonzalez 1 2/3 2 0 0 0 3 0 Totals 9 11 7 6 1 10 2 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans: Myrtle Beach Falls 4-3 In 10 Innings At Hickory Myrtle Beach struck out 17 times, took a one-run lead in the 10th, and lost on a walk-off. Alexey Lumpuy led off and went 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, and two runs scored. His solo home run in the third, his seventh, put the Pelicans ahead 2-1. Alexis Hernandez went 1-for-3 with a hit by pitch and a run driven in. Ethan Conrad went 1-for-5, Derik Alcantara went 1-for-4, and Edward Vargas went 1-for-4 with a run scored. Eli Lovich went 0-for-4 with a sacrifice fly that drove in the game's first run, and Fernando Cruz went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. In the 10th, Alexis Hernandez lifted a sacrifice fly that scored zombie runner Edward Vargas for a 3-2 lead. Hickory answered with a run-scoring double by Marco Argudin and a run-scoring groundout by Pablo Guerrero to end it with one out. Noah Edders started and allowed four hits and one earned run over four innings, with no walks and four strikeouts. Emilio Ramos followed with three innings, four hits, one earned run, one walk, and five strikeouts, with the run coming on a solo home run by Yolfran Castillo. Edwardo Melendez took the loss, allowing two hits and two unearned runs over 2 1/3 innings with one walk and three strikeouts. Myrtle Beach Pelicans Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexey Lumpuy 4 2 2 1 1 1 Alexis Hernandez 3 0 1 1 0 1 Ethan Conrad 5 0 1 0 0 1 Eli Lovich 4 0 0 1 0 3 Derniche Valdez 3 0 0 0 2 2 Derik Alcantara 4 0 1 0 0 2 Fernando Cruz 4 0 0 0 0 4 Jose Silva 3 0 0 0 1 1 Edward Vargas 4 1 1 0 0 2 Totals 34 3 6 3 4 17 Myrtle Beach Pelicans Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Noah Edders 4 4 1 1 0 4 0 Emilio Ramos 3 4 1 1 1 5 1 Edwardo Melendez 2 1/3 2 2 0 1 3 0 Totals 9 1/3 10 4 2 2 12 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: DNP Pedro Ramirez: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: 1-for-4, K Kevin Alcantara: 1-for-2, HR, 2 BB, RBI Ethan Conrad: 1-for-5, K Kane Kepley: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 BB, 3 RBI Owen Ayers: 1-for-5 Jonathon Long: DNP Kaleb Wing: DNP James Triantos: DNP Brooks Caple: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K Mason McGwire: DNP Ty Southisene: DNP Will Sanders: 1 2/3 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K Juan Cabada: DNP Eli Lovich: 0-for-4, RBI, 3 K Ariel Armas: 4-for-6, HR, 2B, 4 RBI Jostin Florentino: DNP Grant Kipp: 2 1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0-for-1, K View the full article

While the San Diego Padres' offense finally began to find its footing in July, several of the organization's best offensive performances came in the minors. Despite this being labeled one of the lower-tier farm systems in the league, multiple hitters strengthened their cases to become future reinforcements as the team looks to climb back into the National League wild-card picture. Ranking Padres' Best Minor League Hitters In July #3 Ethan Salas (Double-A San Antonio Missions | Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas) After an oblique injury limited him in June, Salas bounced back into form with an elite July. He hit .344/.449/.469 with a .918 OPS, earning a late-month promotion to Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. While Salas has long been known for his power, July showcased other areas of his game. Despite not hitting a home run for the second consecutive month, after hitting seven through the first two months of the season, he continued to make himself valuable. Salas has already stolen a career-high 14 bases this season, and he wasted little time adjusting to the increase in talent at Triple-A, going 3-4 with a triple in his debut. Through his first five games with El Paso, he hit .333 with six hits and five RBIs, showcasing that he can adapt quickly to tougher competition. #2 Blake Hunt (Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas) Following a brief stint with the major league club near the end of June, Hunt returned to El Paso and picked up where he left off. In July, he hit .321/.403/.643 with a 1.046 OPS, while recording 18 hits, 12 runs, 15 RBIs and even showcased some speed by hitting his first triple of the season. But his stellar month was highlighted by his power, in which he led the team with five home runs. Hunt’s biggest stretch came during the team's four-game series against the Las Vegas Aviators, where he hit three home runs, including a multi-home run game in the series finale. His combination of power and consistent run production made him one of the hottest hitters in the organization during July and strengthened him as one of the Padres' top catching depth options. #1 Nick Solak (Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas) After renegotiating a minor-league contract with the Padres, the veteran showcased why he can still be an asset for the major-league roster. In July, he slashed .333/.363/.609 with a .972 OPS. while leading El Paso with 29 hits, 18 runs, 10 doubles and 18 RBIs. His four home runs ranked second on the team behind Hunt. Solak has consistently produced throughout the season at Triple-A, and July was another reminder of his potential offensive value. While his brief stint with the Padres resulted in just one hit in seven at-bats, there were some encouraging signs beneath the surface. As opposed to his usual pull-heavy approach, Solak showcased a more balanced spray profile, hitting the ball 37.5% to the left, 37.5% to the center and 25.0% to the right field. While the sample size was small, this all-fields approach could help him take better advantage of his limited opportunities the next time he is called up. View the full article