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MIAMI, FL — Following the Major League Baseball trade deadline, the Miami Marlins recalled catcher Agustín Ramírez from Triple-A Jacksonville. As president of baseball operations Peter Bendix explained, Ramírez will be filling a similar role to the one that Liam Hicks previously had. That means occasionally playing first base in addition to catching. The Marlins acquired Ramírez from the New York Yankees in July 2024 in hopes that he would turn into their everyday catcher. After plenty of run behind the plate, he just has not been able to improve enough to meet those expectations. Ramírez made 17 MLB starts at catcher earlier this season. In that span, he committed four errors, allowed 19 stolen bases, three passed balls and only threw out two runners (9.5% caught stealing rate). On top of that, he wasn't producing much with his bat, slashing .230/.318/.345/.663 with two home runs and 14 RBI. When the Marlins called up Joe Mack on May 4, Ramírez was sent down to Triple-A as the corresponding move. "Things also weren't going the way I wanted to offensively and they sent me down to go work on my defense where I would have more of an opportunity to just get better," Ramírez told Fish On First. In his stint with the Jumbo Shrimp, Ramírez slashed .254/.332/.427/.759 with seven home runs, 29 RBI, 17 stolen bases and a 101 wRC+. Defensively, it really didn't get much better, with nine passed balls, 15 errors and 72 stolen bases allowed (15.3 CS%). Since he's been called back up, Ramírez has appeared in only two out of five Marlins games. He is 3-for-8 with one walk and three strikeouts, starting once as their designated hitter. He has caught two innings off the bench. "I am super happy to be back," Ramírez said. "Here is where I want to be and the team is doing a good job, in the race for the playoffs. Just here to help the team win in whatever way I can." Marlins manager Clayton McCullough called Ramírez "a work in progress" when it comes to first base. He's been practicing before games. There is still not a set date for when he will debut at the position. "I honestly feel great there since I have played there before," Ramírez said. He made 27 total appearances at first from 2021-24 as a member of the Yankees organization. Ramírez added: "I feel like I can move better and feel more athletic, which is why I say that I feel better (at first) because you gotta throw at different angles, move to different corners and you are always in this rhythm that you are waiting for the ball to be hit your way. You always have to be on your feet at first." Mack will continue to serve as the Marlins catcher for the vast majority of their games. The club is also keeping veteran Brian Navarreto on the active roster, signaling that Ramírez will see very limited action behind the plate. Kyle Stowers has been Miami's everyday choice at first base lately, but he can shift over to the corner outfield spots if necessary. Whether it be at catcher, first base or DH, expect Ramírez to be in the lineup when the Marlins are facing left-handed starting pitchers. View the full article

In this week's episode, Nick breaks down the major prospects the team traded away in the Adley Rutschman deal, such as Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, and Enddy Azocar. He also discusses the promotions of Jason Gilman, Gage Ziehl, and Devin Futrell, along with other moves made across the organization following the trade deadline. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-talk-sox-podcast/id1783204104 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qPrPXEngu0CxgTmlf0ynm Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-talk-sox-podcast-244591331/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/4tmd121v Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talksox View the full article

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jesus Sanchez only has eight home runs this year, and on the surface, some may not see him as a power hitter. Look under the hood, and you'll see someone with a spectacular bat speed, barrel percentage, hard-hit rate, and more. In this video, we use the bat speed king, Junior Caminero, for a case study comparison to explain what Sanchez needs to do to unlock his true potential. View the full article

In 2013, the Twins used their fourth-round draft pick to select Stephen Gonsalves. Not to be confused with one of the paranormal investigators on Ghost Hunters. This Gonsalves was a 6-6 left-handed pitcher from San Diego's Cathedral Catholic High School. He was an All-American who represented USA baseball in several competitions. After signing with the Twins, he had 39 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings split between the GCL and Elizabethton. While many prospects start each season at a new level. Gonsalves seemingly was always on the opposite schedule. He would earn a mid-season promotion to a new level. While at times it may have felt like a slow-play, it seemed to work. He continued to put up numbers up and down the minor league system. From 2013-2019, Gonsalves was frequently written about on the pages of Twins Daily. At year's end, he was always up for consideration for Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. In 2014, he was Honorable Mention: Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels (4-3, 3.02 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 65.2 IP, 54 H, 21 BB, 70 K) In 2015, he finished second to Jose Berrios (who also won in 2014): Cedar Rapids Kernels/Fort Myers Miracle: 24 GS, 13-3, 2.01 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 134.1 IP, 95 H’s, 53 BB’s, 132 K’s. In 2016, he was the Starting Pitcher of the Year: Ft. Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts: 24 GS, 13-5, 2.06 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 140.0 IP, 86 H, 57 BB, 155 K. In 2017, he was again named the Starting Pitcher of the Year: Chattanooga Lookouts/Rochester Red Wings 3.27 ERA, 110.0 IP (19 starts), 9.7 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, 1.136 WHIP In mid-August of 2018, Gonsalves got The Call.. His first two games were on the road. I was able to attend his first Target Field start. Before the game, media is not allowed to talk to the day's starting pitcher. He was sitting at his locker, headphones in., listening to music. He looked up once and saw me in a group talking to another player. A nod of acknowledgement was plenty. During the game, I talked to his parents for a little while. They were so proud. His mom said, I wish I could go to the clubhouse after the game and give him a big hug. His dad looked at me and said, "Well, you can do that for us, right?" Eh? After the game, I was part of the media scrum chatting with Gonsalves about his start at his locker. When that was done, I shook his hand and told him about the hug comment. I chuckled, and then he said, "Ah, come on Seth, bring it in." So, we did an awkward bro-hug. Gonsalves was always willing to do a podcast interview or a story quote. He enjoyed being at the ballpark, and I think he always appreciated those who took the time to promote the minor leaguers, and interview minor leaguers, and make them people instead of just stat lines and box scores. He appreciated the opportunity and the fans that cheered him on. One year after he was named minor league starting pitcher of the year, we invited him and Mitch Garver to come to the Twins Daily Winter Meltdown. They showed up with their significant others. We didn't promote that they had shown up, but there were people who went up to them, and they understood the importance of the fans and being fans. Gonsalves was a Top 100 prospect before his debut. He pitched in the Arizona Fall League. He's gone through Tommy John surgery. Almost literally, he has gone through everything that a ballplayer can go through He got seven appearances with the Twins in 2018. Then he didn't get back to the big leagues until 2021 when he pitched in three late-season games for the Red Sox. That was his last big-league game. Along the Twins, he spent time in the Red Sox, Cubs and Rockies organizations. He also spent time the last few years playing in Mexico. If you look at his minor league baseball reference page, you'll see that Gonsalves ended his career with 20 MLB strikeouts. He accumulated 871 strikeouts in the minor leagues. And, he had seven strikeouts in the Fall League. And in Mexico, he ended with 103 strikeouts. Add them up, and he ended his career with 1,001 strikeouts. One final story that my brother reminded me of when I mentioned that Gonsalves had retired. We talked about how he just got it, he understood the role of the fans, and he wanted them to have a positive experience. One year at the Diamond Awards, my brother and I spent a little time chatting with the Gonsalves family. My brother is an outdoorsman and enjoyed talking to Stephen about spear fishing in the ocean when he was younger. At one point, a couple came up to Gonsalves and excitedly asked if they could get their picture taken with him. Moments later, the couple got their picture, thanked him and walked back to a nearby group. My brother asked him, "What's that like?" Gonsalves responded, "That is pretty cool. It never really gets old." At that point, they heard the couple who just had their photo taken with the lanky lefty telling their group, "Oh, this is so great. Where else could we go and get our picture taken with Max Kepler." Gonsalves put his head down, smiled and shook his head. Stephen, congratulations on the career, the good and the not-so good, and all the milestones. To the next phase, raising the three kids with your lovely bride. View the full article

Juan Soto has undoubtedly been the New York Mets' best hitter all season, but after winning hitter of the month honors for June 2026, someone else took the crown for the month of July. It was a close race between the three hitters mentioned below, but Francisco Lindor ultimately came away with the prize. The Mets offense throughout the 2026 season thus far has been pretty underwhelming and they currently rank 28th overall in fWAR (7.6) ahead of only the Cincinnati Reds (7.1) and Colorado Rockies (6.9). Still, the team's batters took a big step forward during the month of July which propelled them up to the 11th-best offense in the league for the month, according to FanGraphs. Ranking Mets' Best Hitters In July No. 3 Francisco Alvarez, C There were numerous players who could’ve been selected here for the third spot, but Francisco Alvarez had the slight edge over Soto, Carson Benge, Jared Young, and A.J. Ewing. He managed a .267 batting average last month to go along with four extra-base hits that included three home runs. His performance in July wasn’t quite as spectacular as Lindor or Taylor, but he did have a respectable stretch of 74 plate appearances. Alvarez did a good job getting on base at a .405 clip, which was largely as a result of him drawing walks at an excellent 17.6% rate. He’s always shown the ability to walk and get on-base at an average pace but he took it to another level last month. Alvarez’ .267 batting average for the month was pretty good for his expectations, as he is a career .235 hitter. He had the second highest average on balls in play with a .351 clip that only trailed Benge with a .381 mark. His 139 wRC+ ranked third on the Mets for batters with at least 50 plate appearances, only trailing the two names below. No. 2 Tyrone Taylor, OF Taylor almost took the crown for the month of July and it could be argued that there wasn’t much of a difference between his performance and Lindor’s. The only variance is that he only made 50 plate appearances and his overall results weren’t quite as impressive. Over Taylor’s smaller sample, he hit for a .326 batting average which led the team, and also collected 10 extra-base hits. He hit six home runs, lined four doubles, and drove in 12 runs. Taylor displayed the most pure-power, hence his .512 isolated power and .837 slugging percentage -- both marks led all Mets hitters in July. He stayed disciplined at the plate over the course of the month where he drew walks 12% of the time, which was encouraging to see since over his career that’s not been the case with a 5.3% mark. Taylor’s strikeouts were a smidge high at a 24% clip. His two-and-a-half year tenure with the Mets ended on a good note, as he was traded to the Chicago Cubs at the deadline along with right-hander Clay Holmes. Out of all major-league hitters with at least 50 plate appearances for the month of July, Taylor led the group with an incredible 235 wRC+. No. 1 Francisco Lindor, SS Lindor earns this honor after leading the club with 107 plate appearances. His .258 batting average wasn’t the best on the squad, but he did mash six home runs while driving in 17 runs in the process. The biggest part of Lindor’s success in July was the power he displayed on offense when he collected 10 extra-base hits including three doubles and one triple. This resulted in a .505 slugging percentage for the month which was higher than his .420 mark for the season. His .247 isolated power topped his season and career marks. Lindor’s approach and discipline at the plate remained the same quality that we’ve seen from him since he debuted in Cleveland back in 2015. Lindor drew walks 12.1% of the time while maintaining an excellent 18.7% strikeout rate. Overall he had a great all-around offensive performance in July, leading to a 140 wRC+. If he keeps this up, the Mets should be right back in the thick of the hunt in 2027. View the full article

What is Royce Lewis ’ role on the Minnesota Twins this year? It’s a valid question, and conversations about whether he’ll live up to his full potential are just as valid. The thing with Lewis is, he’s showing flashes of greatness this year, and what he's accomplished in the last couple of weeks is a perfect example of that. Let’s dive into Lewis’ background, his advanced analytics, and most importantly, what his true ceiling is. A 1st Overall Pick Lewis was the first overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. The Twins selected him right out of high school, aiming to land a well-rounded prep product who could blossom into being the cornerstone of their organization. While that title has gravitated more towards Byron Buxton in past years, Lewis’ journey to the present day has been an intriguing one. He immediately showed an ability to harness a power-speed combo, stealing as many as 28 bases in 2018 (across Low-A Cedar Rapids and High-A Fort Myers) and having an OPS that peaked above .800 on multiple occasions. Injuries Galore The unfortunate headline for Lewis’ major league career, so far, has been his lack of availability. Injuries have plagued the now 27-year-old since the moment he made his big league debut in 2022, where he appeared in 12 contests. From that point forward, Lewis appeared in 58 big-league games in 2023, 82 games in 2024, a career-best 106 contests in 2025, and now he’s on 82 games and counting for the 2026 campaign. The former first overall pick has dealt with a pair of torn ACLs, hamstring strains, a strained oblique, and a variety of other knee issues along the way. Even with those issues, an 82-game sample size where Lewis slugged 16 home runs in 2024 shows he has potential to be a real game changer for Minnesota. Underlying Metrics Show Promise Even in 2026, after being sidelined for a variety of reasons, the corner infielder is on a heater. Lewis has reached base safely in 18 straight contests. During this on-base streak, he's slashing .308/.378/.554 for a .932 OPS. Lewis is also 11-for-24 in the month of August. Much of this success starts with one of the most important attributes in hitting: bat speed. Lewis’ bat speed glides in at an average of 75.1 miles per hour, good enough to nestle him in the 85th percentile. Hard-hit metrics like exit velocity, hard-hit rate, slugging percentage and more all become more attainable with great bat speed. Just look at someone like Junior Caminero, who lives in the top one percent of hitters with bat speed and continues to slug homers at a remarkable rate. Another metric that can benefit from an above-average bat speed is barrel percentage, and Lewis is barreling up the baseball 12.8 percent of the time (84th percentile). The Twins infielder has also spiked his exit velocity to an above-average mark of 90.2 miles per hour (67th percentile) and also boasts an above-average hard-hit rate of 43.4 percent (63rd percentile). One of his greatest improvements this year has been the plate discipline, as the 27-year-old is drawing a free pass 9.3 percent of the time (a career-best). What’s There To Work On? Lewis still has a lot of work to do, especially in the plate discipline department. His 24.3 percent strikeout rate is something I’m sure the Twins would love to cut down on, and if he can do so, his power numbers could rival that of Buxton. Lewis doesn’t have the bat speed quite up the alley of the aforementioned Caminero, but his analytics imply he could be a successful power hitter in this league if he stays on the field and learns to adjust to offspeed pitches, an offering he’s hitting just .111 against this year. Overall, this 18-game stretch is one of the most promising mile-markers of Lewis' career. The former first overall pick hasn't had the start he's been looking for, but with a better track record for health and improved plate discipline, the raw power metrics still support an argument that he can be a real difference-maker in this league. View the full article

In the hours before the trade deadline, rumors swirled around a trade that would send Angels shortstop Zack Neto to the Minnesota Twins. That didn't happen. Thanks to Bob Nightengale at the Star Tribune, we now know that price included top prospect Walker Jenkins among other names. Neto was considered a highly valued piece at the trade deadline. Though Neto has had a relative down year, he has had three consecutive 20-home run seasons and will likely make 20 steals (also his third season in a row). While the defense grades below average, Neto could have likely had defensive versatility for the Twins. But asking for Jenkins was almost certainly a bridge too far for the team. There was certainly a case for trading Kaelen Culpepper - using Neto as a bridge to quickly rising prospect Marek Houston - but the young outfielder Jenkins remains a centerpiece for Minnesota's future. As Nightengale reported, talks never got too far in part due to Jenkins' inclusion. Jenkins is currently batting .297 / .388 / .493 and was likely due for a callup if Trevor Larnach had been traded. With Larnach staying put, it is unclear when to expect the Twins' top prospect to be roaming Target Field. View the full article

The cruel reality of life at the end of a bullpen has bitten Bryse Wilson. The right-hander was designated for assignment Saturday by the Milwaukee Brewers, who selected the contract of right-hander Lyon Richardson from Triple-A Nashville. Also, right fielder Sal Frelick was sent on a rehab assignment to Nashville as he comes back from a strained right shoulder. Wilson was a bullpen-saver in Friday's 8-6 loss to open a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins. He went three shutout innings, allowing a hit and no walks, striking out two. It was his sixth appearance for the Crew, who signed Wilson after he had been DFA'd by the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs. In those six games, Wilson went 13⅔ innings with a 2.63 ERA, no walks and 10 strikeouts. The Brewers' bullpen has been used heavily in recent days and the need was for a fresh arm. That brings in Richardson, who was signed to a minor-league deal in June after being DFA'd and released by the Cincinnati Reds. Richardson has appeared in 41 games for the Reds in the last four seasons, including two this year, with a 6.29 FIP (6.67 ERA) with a 14.6% walk rate and 17.2% strikeout rate. Richardson is likely just a safety net as he can go multiple innings. The Brewers are awaiting the returns of right-hander Joel Kuhnel (right rotator cuff tendinopathy), left-hander JoJo Romero (appendectomy) and left-hander Rob Zastryzny (left upper trap strain) from the injured list. Kuhnel is on a rehab assignment, while Romero was acquired Monday from the St. Louis Cardinals. Also, right-hander Grant Anderson was sent down to Triple-A on Wednesday and can't return to the Brewers until 10 days pass unless he is an injury replacement. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs made arguably their largest splash a few hours before the deadline, acquiring right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes in a package deal that also included outfielder Tyrone Taylor. It’s no secret that Chicago’s pitching staff (especially the rotation) has been decimated with injuries, but Holmes’ pitching was quite literally made for this team. Let’s break down who Holmes is and why this acquisition fits like a glove. Clay Holmes' Updated Cubs Scouting Report Clay Holmes is a 33-year-old right-handed pitcher and entered the deadline as one of the most sought-after rental arms in baseball. He was originally a ninth-round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft when the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him right out of high school. Holmes is in his ninth season, and he’s generated a career record of 40-34 with a 3.53 earned run average while striking out 534 hitters in 555.2 innings pitched. The Cubs will be his fourth team, as the veteran right-handed pitcher threw for the Pirates and New York Yankees before a brief stint under Carlos Mendoza (and Andy Green) in Queens. Transitioning Out Of The 'Pen Many aspiring pitchers who lack command end up going to the bullpen. The thought process is that their stuff will play for a few hitters as a change of tempo, but it’s not strong enough to be sustainable for multiple innings. Holmes actually transitioned in the other direction. He was primarily a bullpen arm from the 2018 season (his debut year) until 2024. In Holmes’ final year as a bullpen arm, he was the Yankees’ closer, logging 30 saves across 60 innings of work with a 3.14 ERA. The Mets then added Holmes to their rotation after signing him in free agency, and in his first real big-league opportunity, he immediately impressed. The team’s newest starter went 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA, striking out 129 hitters in 165.2 innings. Holmes’ 2026 So Far This makes 2026 his second season as a starter, and the newest Cub has seemingly picked up right where he left off. The 6-foot-5, 245 pound hurler is 4-4 with a 2.39 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP across nine starts. He just logged a High-A rehab start with the Brooklyn Cyclones last week, as the nine-year MLB veteran is coming back from a fractured right fibula injury that he sustained in May. Before that injury, Holmes was averaging just a tough below six innings per outing and looked steady yet again as a reliable member of the Mets’ rotation. Chase ‘Em Out Of Town! The North Siders' newest starter touts a five-pitch arsenal, leading the way with a 94 mile per hour sinker. Almost everything he throws moves laterally, and the sinker sits right around 18 inches of arm-side carry from a 41-degree release angle. One of his best attributes is the fact he can force mistakes out of the zone. The righty had a 32.9 percent chase rate (75th percentile, per Baseball Savant) before his injury. Holmes is also a master at mitigating solid contact, holding opposing hitters to just a 5.3 percent barrel rate (82nd percentile). The Cubs-ian Attribute What’s his best attribute, though? It’s far and away the fact that Holmes generates a sky-high ground ball rate of 55.3 percent (95th percentile), thanks to that heavy sinker. The Cubs are tied for the best fielding percentage in baseball at .989, and with Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner and Alex Bregman having five Gold Gloves between them, Holmes will be well protected by the infield behind him. There's no infield defense as good as this one, and Holmes will benefit as a result. The Cubs will hope to have other members of their rotation, like Justin Steele and Edward Cabrera, return. Before it’s time to build for 2027, though, this team gets to try out a steady arm who has quickly turned into one of the better starters in the game. He buries the ball in the ground and lets the defense get to work; could you conjure up a better marriage? View the full article

On Friday night, the Savannah Bananas came to Target Field with their fun-filled brand of Banana Ball. As they always do, they incorporated some friends into their game. Joe Mauer came to welcome the Bananas to town and throw out the ceremonial first pitch. In the seventh inning, Brian Dozier was introduced to the crowd over about 39,000. He acknowledged them, and they gave him a long and loud ovation. Dozier ultimately struck out on a fifth-pitch fastball, but he smiled and waved to the crowd. The Bananas will play at 8:00 pm on Saturday night and 3:00 pm on Sunday at Target Field. If you go to any of the games and want to share pictures and stories here. View the full article

The Detroit Tigers may have helped shape the Minnesota Twins' offseason plans without even picking up the phone. Last Saturday night's blockbuster sent Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers, ending one of the biggest trade sagas of the summer. While the Twins were never expected to be involved, the deal established an important benchmark for another American League ace: Joe Ryan. Minnesota wasn't expected to move Ryan before Monday's trade deadline, nor should they have. The Twins spent the deadline reinforcing their roster by adding three relievers (Jeff Hoffman , Tommy Nance, A.J. Minter) and a back-end starter (Dean Kremer). Those moves signal a front office focused on making the postseason, not taking a step backward. Trading a two-time All-Star who anchored the rotation would undermine everything they have done to improve the club. Unfortunately, Ryan's recent performance only strengthened the argument for waiting. After another outstanding first half, Ryan struggled in his first three starts after the All-Star break and then was put on the IL with a mild glute strain. He also has a well-documented history of posting weaker numbers after the break. In the first half, Ryan has pitched like one of baseball's elite starters, posting a 3.17 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and allowing opponents just a .632 OPS. After the All-Star break, those numbers have slipped considerably, with a 5.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and a .779 OPS allowed. It's easy to understand why rival clubs would try to discount his value if he were made available today. That doesn't mean his long-term value has disappeared. If anything, the Skubal trade offers a glimpse into what the Twins could reasonably expect this winter, if Ryan finishes the season healthy, resets over the offseason, and allows interested clubs to evaluate his complete body of work instead of a stretch of second-half struggles. The Dodgers sent Detroit outfielder Zyhir Hope (MLB Pipeline's No. 25 prospect), right-hander River Ryan (No. 68), and right-hander Brady Smith, the organization's No. 17 prospect before the trade. While that package may have felt lighter than expected for one of baseball's best pitchers, it also reflected today's market for frontline starters on expiring contracts. Teams have become increasingly hesitant to surrender overwhelming prospect hauls, even for elite talent. But Skubal's return still featured multiple premium prospects, and it provides a useful starting point for evaluating pitchers with similar value. Ryan's value could still change significantly over the final two months of the season. He'll likely need to show that his recent struggles are merely a temporary setback rather than a larger concern. Unlike Skubal, who will make only a handful of starts for the Dodgers before reaching free agency, Ryan could enter the offseason with his value trending back toward its peak. Minnesota could also follow the blueprint that clubs like the Brewers have used in recent years by dealing a frontline starter during the winter, when more teams have the financial flexibility and prospect capital to engage. One potential complication is the looming threat of a player lockout, which could freeze transactions and create a shortened offseason, leaving less time for a blockbuster deal to develop. Minnesota has consistently viewed Ryan as a foundational piece of its rotation, and nothing about the organization's recent actions suggests that opinion has changed. A healthy Ryan gives the Twins a far better chance to contend. This winter, however, the conversation could look very different. With a full offseason for clubs to assess their rotations, greater financial flexibility across the league, and a healthier version of Ryan entering another year of control, the Twins would be negotiating from a position of strength rather than urgency. The Skubal trade may ultimately serve less as a missed opportunity and more as an early indicator of the type of return Minnesota could pursue if it ever decides the timing is right. For now, the Twins' priority is chasing a playoff berth, hopefully with a recovered Ryan leading their rotation in September and October. If trade discussions ever become serious, this offseason appears to be when his market will reach its peak. Did the Skubal trade establish a realistic benchmark for Ryan, or would Minnesota need an even bigger return to justify dealing a two-time All-Star? View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates): Tied, 2-2 Season Record: 45–64-1 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds): Smokies lead, 3-1 Season Record: 57–49 High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Cedar Rapids Kernels (Minnesota Twins): Tied, 2-2 Season Record: 62–40 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): Fireflies lead, 3-1 Season Record: 41–63 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 45–64-1 Series Opponent: Indianapolis Indians (54-58-1) Series Standing: Tied, 2-2 Aug. 7: The Iowa Cubs evened their series at the Indianapolis Indians with a 9-3 win on Friday night at Victory Field. Jordan Nwogu (1-for-4) opened the scoring in the game with a two-run single in the second but the Indians would rally with three in the third to take a 3-2 lead. Chas McCormick (2-for-4) tied it in the fourth with a solo home run, his 10th of the season. The Cubs erupted with five runs in the seventh to take a commanding 8-3 lead late. BJ Murray (1-for-3) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Owen Ayers (2-for-4) followed with an RBI-single. Owen Miller (2-for-5) also singled home a run and Murray would eventually come around to score on a wild pitch. Ben Cowles (2-for-4) capped the inning with an RBI-single of his own. Cowles then tallied his second RBI of the night in the ninth with a sacrifice fly to make it 9-3. Kohl Franklin got the start on the mound for Iowa, allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits over three innings of work, walking two and striking out three. Paul Campbell picked up the win in relief, improving to 2-5 on the season, tossing three scoreless innings while giving up just one hit, walking two and whiffing four. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 57–49 Series Opponent: Chattanooga Lookouts (50–56) Series Standing: Lead, 3-1 Aug. 7: The Knoxville Smokies were routed by the Chattanooga Lookouts, 13-4, on Friday night at Erlanger Park. The Lookouts scored twice in their first trip to the plate and would make it 6-0 after five with a run in third and three more in the fifth. The Smokies cut the lead in half with three in the sixth, with Carter Trice (1-for-3) drawing a walk with the bases loaded, Edgar Alvarez (0-for-3) picking up an RBI on a ground out and Ariel Armas (0-for-3) scoring on an error. Chattanooga hit back with six runs in the home half of the frame to go up 12-3. The hosts added a run in the eighth and Drew Bowser (1-for-3) homered for Knoxville in the ninth, his third of the season, to make it 13-4. Luis Martinez-Gomez got the start on the mound for the Smokies and took the loss, falling to 0-3 on the season. Martinez-Gomez allowed six runs, four earned, on five hits over 4 2/3 innings of work, walking three and striking out five. The Knoxville offense was held to just three hits in the ballgame but two of those went for extra bases. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 62–40 Series Opponent: Cedar Rapids Kernels (40–64) Series Standing: Tied, 2-2 Aug. 7: The South Bend Cubs fell to the Cedar Rapids Kernels, 15-2, on Friday night at Four Winds Field. The Kernels broke the deadlock with two runs in the fifth but the Cubs answered right back with two runs of their own to make it 2-2. Michael Halquist (0-for-2) scored on an error and Jose Escobar (1-for-4) picked up an RBI-single. Cedar Rapids would respond with four runs in the sixth and then blow the game wide open with nine runs in the ninth to make it 15-2. Alfredo Romero got the start on the mound for South Bend and took no decision. Romero allowed two runs on four hits over five innings of work, walked two and struck out four. The Cubs offense was held to just four hits on the night, with none going for extra bases. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 41–63 Series Opponent: Columbia Fireflies (54–50) Series Standing: Trail, 3-1 Aug. 7: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans split their doubleheader at the Columbia Fireflies, dropping the opener, 6-5, before winning the nightcap, 14-3. Game 1: The Pelicans were walked off by the Fireflies in the opener of the doubleheader, 6-5, in seven innings. Columbia scored once in the first and later made it 4-0 after scoring three in the second. Myrtle Beach rallied for three in the third, with Jose Silva (1-for-2) driving in a run with a triple, followed by an RBI-single from Jan Luis Reyes (2-for-3) and an RBI-double from Jhoander Irigoyen (1-for-4). Ethan Conrad (1-for-4) gave the Pelicans the lead with a two-run single in the fourth but the Fireflies tied the game in the fifth with a run. Myrtle Beach would go down in order in the seventh and Columbia would load the bases, all on walks, to put the winning run 90 feet away with no outs. The hosts would get a sacrifice fly to earn the walk-off win. Daniel Avitia got the start for the Pelicans and took no decision. Avitia allowed four runs on five hits over three innings of work, walked two and struck out five. Game 2: Myrtle Beach erupted for 14 runs on 13 hits to split its doubleheader at Columbia with a 14-3 victory. Caden Sorrell (2-for-4), the Cubs’ second-round draft pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, led off the game with a home run for his first-career long ball. Derniche Valdez (3-for-5) followed with a two-run blast four batters later to make it 3-0. Columbia grabbed one of those runs back in the home half of the opening frame before the Pelicans extended their lead with two runs in the fourth, thanks to Ivan Cespedes’ (1-for-3) two-run shot. Myrtle Beach made it 8-1 in the fifth thanks to a run-scoring double from Valdez, Eli Lovich (3-for-5) scoring on a wild pitch and Fernando Cruz (1-for-3) bringing in a run on a sacrifice fly. The Fireflies pushed two across in the sixth but the Pelicans hit back with six more in the seventh to make it 14-3. Reyes, Sorrell and Alexis Hernandez (0-for-3) each drew walks with the bases loaded and Reyes would eventually come around to score on a wild pitch. Ethan Conrad (2-for-4) picked up an RBI with a single and Lovich capped the big inning with an RBI-groundout. Noah Edders got the start on the mound for Myrtle Beach and took no decision. Edders allowed one run on three hits over three innings of work, walked five and struck out three. Cubs 10th-round pick in the 2026 MLB Draft Luke Alwood made his professional debut in relief and earned the win after tossing two scoreless frames, yielding one hit and striking out five. View the full article

Julio Zayas is experiencing a mini-hot streak at the plate, a stretch that has him also hitting the long ball. Zayas hit his second home run in three games, a two-run, walk-off drive in the bottom of the ninth inning, to power Single-A St. Lucie to a 2-0 victory over Daytona on Friday. The 20-year-old first baseman/catcher has hit safely in all four of his games this month, and is 8-for-17 in that stretch. The run has raised his season slash line to .256/.356/.381 (.744 OPS) in 343 plate appearances. He now has eight home runs on the season. He's in his fourth pro season since signing with the Mets out of the Dominican Republic in 2023, but his first for a full-season affiliate. He spent his first season in the DSL and then the next two in the FCL, before graduating to St. Lucie this year. He's looking strong heading into the final month of the season. Elsewhere in the organization: Syracuse held off Columbus 6-5. The Mets broke a tie in the sixth when D’Andre Smith swiped third on the front end of a double steal and continued home as the catcher’s throw sailed into center field. Binghamton blanked Hartford 1-0 one night after scoring 23 runs. Kevin Parada drove in the run with a double in the bottom of the eighth. Noah Hall struck out 10 over six innings. Brooklyn’s game at Wilmington was postponed because of rain. The teams will make it up Saturday as part of a doubleheader beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET. DSL Mets Blue fell 8-6 to DSL Blue Jays Red. Mauricio Nunez allowed no hits and an unearned run in 2 1/3 innings of relief. DSL Mets Orange downed the DSL Rangers 3-2. Jodarlin Perez struck out four in three scoreless innings of relief. New York Mets Transactions New York Mets sent RHP Bryce Conley outright to Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Syracuse Scampers Past Columbus The Mets pushed across the eventual winning run without a hit. Smith walked and stole second, and then Shawn Ross walked. With Jose Ramos at the plate, the two pulled off a double steal. The throw went to second to get the back runner. Ross, the ball and the second baseman arrived at about the same time, and the throw ended up in center field. Smith scored from third to put the Mets up 6-5. Ramos gave the Mets a 5-3 lead in the fourth inning with a bases-clearing double. The Clippers tied the game with two runs in the top of the sixth. Christopher Morel hit his 10th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the second that put Syracuse in front 2-1. Morel played second base for the second time with the Mets as he keeps his utility skills sharp. Jonathan Santucci scuffled in his second Triple-A start. The left-hander was charged with four runs (three earned) on four hits over 5 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out six. Dan Hammer earned the win despite giving up a run in 1 2/3 innings and allowing the runner he inherited from Santucci to score. Dylan Ross earned the save with a scoreless ninth. Player AB R H RBI BB K Vidal Bruján, 3B 3 0 2 0 0 0 Nick Morabito, LF 4 0 0 0 0 1 MJ Melendez, DH 3 0 0 0 1 0 Ronny Mauricio, SS 4 1 2 0 0 2 Christopher Morel, 2B 3 2 1 2 0 1 Nick Lorusso, 1B 3 1 0 0 1 2 D'Andre Smith, CF 3 2 2 0 1 0 Shawn Ross, C 3 0 0 0 1 2 Jose Ramos, RF 4 0 1 3 0 1 Totals 30 6 8 5 4 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonathan Santucci 5 1/3 4 4 3 4 6 1 Dan Hammer (W, 1-1) 1 2/3 2 1 1 0 1 0 Zach Franklin (H, 3) 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Dylan Ross (S, 3) 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 9 7 5 4 5 8 1 Hall Shuts It Down For Binghamton As so often happens in baseball, the Rumble Ponies failed to save some runs for Friday after tallying close to two dozen on Thursday. Fortunately for them, Hall was dominant on the hill. He allowed two hits and walked three as he kept the Yard Goats off the board. The breakthrough happened quickly. John Bay led off the Rumble Ponies' eighth with a single and then scored when the next batter, Parada, doubled to the gap in right-center field. Three Binghamton relievers combined to finish the shutout. Garrett Stratton pitched the seventh, Carlos Guzman handled the eighth, and Saul Garcia worked the ninth. Guzman earned the win and Garcia got the save. Rumble Ponies pitchers recorded 13 strikeouts in all while allowing just four hits. Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit, DH 2 0 0 0 1 1 Marco Vargas, SS 4 0 1 0 0 2 Émilien Pitre, 3B 3 0 0 0 0 1 Jefferson Rojas, 2B 3 0 0 0 0 1 Jacob Reimer, 1B 3 0 0 0 0 1 John Bay, CF 3 1 1 0 0 1 Kevin Parada, C 3 0 1 1 0 0 JT Benson, RF 2 0 0 0 0 0 Yohairo Cuevas, LF 2 0 0 0 0 0 Corey Collins, LF 1 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 26 1 3 1 1 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Noah Hall 6 2 0 0 3 10 0 Garrett Stratton 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Carlos Guzman (W, 3-1) 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Saul Garcia (S, 4) 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Totals 9 4 0 0 4 13 0 Zayas Goes Deep For St. Lucie Winner Zayas hit a no-doubter to dead center after Ryan Tayman was hit by a pitch with two out. Ethan Lanthier started and went the first three innings. He allowed two hits and a walk and struck out three. Christian Rodriguez followed as the piggyback reliever. He worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out four. Zack Mack finished the shutout with 1 2/3 hitless innings. He walked none and struck out one. Zayas' homer made him a winner. Zayas had two of St. Lucie's five hits. He singled in the second to go with the homer. Wyatt Vincent, Yovanny Rodriguez, and Bohan Adderley had the other Mets hits. Player AB R H RBI BB K Vladi Gomez, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 3 Wyatt Vincent, LF 4 0 1 0 0 1 Ryan Tayman, C 3 1 0 0 0 0 Julio Zayas, 1B 4 1 2 2 0 0 Yovanny Rodriguez, DH 3 0 1 0 0 1 Simon Juan, RF 3 0 0 0 0 0 Bohan Adderley, CF 3 0 1 0 0 0 Dylan Carey, SS 3 0 0 0 0 1 Kooper Schulte, 2B 3 0 0 0 0 2 Totals 30 2 5 2 0 8 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ethan Lanthier 3 2 0 0 1 3 0 Christian Rodriguez 4 1/3 4 0 0 1 4 0 Zack Mack (W, 6-2) 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 9 6 0 0 2 8 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jonah Tong: DNP Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: DNP Elian Pena: DNP Nick Morabito: 0-for-4, 1 K Jacob Reimer: 0-for-3, 1 K Mitch Voit: 0-for-2, BB, 1 K Jonathan Santucci: 5 1/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, HR Zac Thornton: MLB Chris Suero: DNP Will Watson: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Eli Serrano III: DNP Randy Guzman: DNP Dylan Ross: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, S Ryan Lambert: DNP Antonio Jimenez: DNP R.J. Gordon: DNP Jonathan Pintaro: DNP Marco Vargas: 1-for-4, 2 K View the full article

There is no doubt the San Diego Padres have some potential in their minor-league arms. But due to the trades that have sapped prospects over the last few seasons, as well as just this past week, the Padres need to do more work than other franchises to mine that talent and develop those hidden gems into prospective major-league pitchers. That is certainly the case with our batch of July honorees, which range from top-of-the-chain names to a few diamonds in the rough. Ranking Padres' Best Minor-League Pitchers In July Honorable Mention: Adler Cecil, LHP, Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm July stats: 0-1, 2.70 ERA, 5 games (4 starts), 20 IP, 14 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 11 BB, 32 K, .189 opponent average OK, so we are cheating a little bit here because the 21-year-old left-handed starter made all but one appearance in the Arizona Complex League. The 6-foot-4, 160-pounder is a fun story as he attended Temecula Valley High School, just a quick drive down I-15 from Lake Elsinore. Adler did make his final start of July on the road for the Storm against the Stockton Ports. Adler went 4⅓ shutout innings, yielding just a hit while walking three and striking out five. Cecil has been brought along slowly this year following Tommy John surgery that cost him all of 2025. When he made his debut in 2024 after being a 19th-round draft choice the year before, he never went more than two innings in 18 games, getting knocked around a bit to a 7.54 ERA. He has come back to flash some of that potential that got him a $175,000 bonus to skip junior college. He struck out 70 in 41⅓ innings in the Arizona Complex League, where he had a 4.79 ERA in 13 games (nine starts). He had a pair of 10-strikeout games in the ACL, one in five innings, the other in four. One of those games was in July, when he led the Padres' system with 32 strikeouts. Honorable Mention: Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm July stats: 1-1, 3.47 ERA, 5 games (all starts), 23⅓ IP, 22 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 19 BB, 21 K, .262 opponent average The 2025 first-round draft choice had a nice July, showing more of the potential the Padres saw in the 19-year-old while also still flashing some of the bumps that need to be smoothed out. After getting rocked for six runs in his first July start, the left-hander put together the best four-start stretch of his very young career, not allowing more than a run in any of those outings, including five shutout innings July 17 vs. the Ontario Tower Buzzers in which he walked three and struck out six and gave up three hits. Perhaps something clicked or a mechanical flaw was refined, but that is definitely something to build upon as the Storm enter the final full month of the regular season (Schoolcraft will get at least one bonus start with Lake Elsinore already clinching a postseason berth via the first-half South Division title in the California League). Walks remain a bugaboo, however. In his final start of last month, he issued six free passes while only allowing four hits and a run in four innings with four punchouts. No. 3: Jesus Castro, RHP, Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm July stats: 1-1, 2.65 ERA, 4 games (all starts), 17 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 16 K, .172 opponent average One blip on the radar foiled what otherwise was a tremendous July for the 19-year-old right-handed starter. That glitch was five runs in five innings on July 7 vs. the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Other than that? Padres Mission's No. 16 prospect dominated, going 12 innings in three starts, allowing zero runs, two hits and five walks with 13 strikeouts. All five walks came in a single start, July 21 vs. the Visalia Rawhide. He had a 2.65 ERA, an amazing 0.882 WHIP last month and a 65% swinging-strike rate. But he saved his best start of the month for his final outing. It was one of the best put forth by any Padres minor-leaguer this year. On Tuesday against the Stockton Ports, Castro went a career-high seven innings, only giving up one hit and no runs with no walks and seven strikeouts. This was the fourth start that Castro struck out at least seven this year, topping out with a career-high 12 on June 10. It was also the seventh time Castro did not allow a run in his 17 starts, which has put his season ERA at 3.31. Castro isn't on the California League leaderboard because he doesn't have enough innings, but he does have those 17 starts, which only two of the four qualifiers do have. His ERA would be ahead of the league leader's 3.71. No. 2: Bryan Balzer, RHP, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps July stats: 1-0, 1.08 ERA, 4 games (3 starts), 16⅔ IP, 11 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 19 K, .180 opponent average All prospects don't progress at the same rate, which is one of the keys in how clubs handle their young players. For the 21-year-old right-handed starter, he spent 1½ seasons at Low-A Lake Elsinore before finally earning a promotion to High-A Fort Wayne at the end of June. The jump in level has brought on the best month of Balzer's young career, which started with the Japanese pitcher signing in January 2023 and not pitching until 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. After a bumpy TinCaps debut on June 27, Balzer has put up a 1.08 ERA in four July starts, pitching 16⅔ innings, allowing four runs (two earned) with five walks and 19 strikeouts. That 1.08 ERA was tops in the Padres' system for July. While he had an eight-strikeout game over five innings on July 11, he didn't allow a run in his last two starts of the month, going three innings in an abbreviated appearance July 18 as teams returned from the All-Star break, then five innings July 25. In each, he allowed one hit, combining for three walks and five strikeouts. Those strikeout numbers (22.8% for the season) will probably pop a little more the rest of the season as his confidence grows, as will the walk rate (9.1%) improve. No. 1: Josh Mallitz, RHP, Double-A San Antonio Missions July stats: 1-0, 3.07 ERA, 8 games (all relief), 1 save (2 chances), 14⅔ IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 4 BB, 14 K, .160 opponent average OK, sure, the right-handed reliever gave up five earned runs in eighth appearances in July. Not that spectacular. But those five earned runs came in back-to-back games. In the other six? Zero runs in five and one unearned run in the other. As someone who typically goes two or even three innings, that is pretty remarkable. Mallitz has been found money for the Padres. He was an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi who signed in 2024. The 24-year-old has spent the entire season with the Missions after hitting three levels in 2025 (Arizona Complex League, High-A Fort Wayne, Double-A San Antonio). His walk rate is up this year at a still-solid 9.5% after being at 5.9% last year, while his strikeout rate is a bit better at 26.6% (25.7% in 2025). He had a .160 opponent average in July and .199 for the season, so he excels at limiting contact. Mallitz has certainly raised his profile since joining the Padres. He pitched for Israel in the World Baseball Classic, appearing in two games, not allowing a hit with a walk and a strikeout. There's real talent in this arm and a potential future Friar. View the full article

Trevor Larnach has quietly been one of the Minnesota Twins' best hitters over the course of the 2026 season. He's currently slashing .281/.370/.449 across 347 plate appearances, good for an .819 OPS and a 129 OPS+. He's become Derek Shelton's primary leadoff hitter, consistently getting on base while providing quality at-bats at the top of the lineup. After taking plenty of criticism from Twins Territory this past offseason—some of it admittedly coming from me—Larnach has done nothing but prove people wrong. Despite all of that, I still think the Twins made a mistake by keeping him at this year's trade deadline. Going Oppo is two stories on Twins Daily with different opinions running simultaneously. Read the other side here. To be clear, this has nothing to do with Larnach as a player. It's about the position the organization has put itself in. The Twins made it abundantly clear leading up to the deadline that they intended to move Larnach. In fact, they did everything but finalize it. A deal was reportedly in place to send him to the Houston Astros before it ultimately fell apart. Astros’ owner Jim Crane backed out at the last minute, and as a result, Larnach is staying in Minnesota. That sounds like a good thing on the surface. After all, why would you complain about keeping one of your best hitters? Because the Twins had already shown their hand. Now, assuming they revisit trade discussions this offseason or next summer, they'll be trying to move a player who's one step closer to free agency. Instead of selling a controllable outfielder, they'll be marketing an expiring contract. Whether that's this winter or next July, Larnach's trade value almost certainly won't be as high as it was just 24 hours before the deadline. But that's not even the biggest issue. The Twins have one of the deepest collections of left-handed hitting corner outfield talent in baseball–it's almost an embarrassment of riches. At the top of that list are the organization's No. 1 prospect, Walker Jenkins, and No. 4 prospect, Emmanuel Rodriguez. Both have made it abundantly clear this season that they're ready for the major leagues, yet neither has a clear path to consistent playing time. For as similar as their situations seem, they're actually a little different. Rodriguez is already 23 years old and occupies a spot on the Twins' 40-man roster. After spending time on the injured list, he recently began a rehab assignment and should be back in the St. Paul Saints' lineup very soon. Once he's healthy, though, what happens? Unless another outfielder gets hurt, there simply isn't playing time waiting for him in the majors. Instead, the Twins are left with one of their best prospects sitting in Triple-A; not because he isn't ready, but because there's nowhere to play him. That's not an ideal situation for either the player or the organization. Jenkins' situation is a little easier to justify. He's two years younger than Rodriguez and isn't yet on the 40-man roster, giving the Twins significantly more flexibility. Despite playing center field regularly with the Saints, he was not called up to play center field when Byron Buxton was recently placed on the IL. Considering the uncertainty surrounding the 2027 season and the long-term picture, that's not necessarily the wrong approach. There's no need to rush a player who could become a franchise cornerstone. At the same time, Jenkins has done just about everything you could ask. In fact, he's now the only top-seven selection from the 2023 MLB Draft who hasn't made his major league debut. You could even argue that, based purely on his all-around skill set, he's more MLB-ready than Rodriguez. It doesn't really matter, though, because just like Rodriguez, Jenkins is stuck in Triple-A despite continuing to prove he belongs at the next level. That's the roster crunch the Twins have created. Again, none of this is meant to diminish what Larnach has accomplished this season. If anything, it's the opposite. He's played well enough to significantly increase his value, and he's cemented himself as a key piece of the team for the remainder of 2026. The problem is that the Twins already decided he wasn't part of their long-term plans. They tried to trade him. When that deal fell through, they were left holding a player who now blocks the organization's next wave of outfield talent while simultaneously becoming harder to maximize in a future trade. Will Larnach help the Twins more than Jenkins or Rodriguez over the final two months of this season? Probably. But looking beyond 2026, the Twins may have backed themselves into a corner. They've got two elite outfield prospects knocking on the door, a veteran they already attempted to move, and fewer opportunities to maximize his trade value than they had just days ago. The Twins were buyers at this year's trade deadline, and they made several moves to improve their pitching staff. Those additions could absolutely pay dividends down the stretch. Still, if we're looking back at everything Minnesota did (or didn't do) at the deadline, I'd argue their biggest mistake wasn't one of the trades they made; it was the one they couldn't finish. View the full article

Consider this a well-earned correction, or public apology, to Trevor Larnach for earlier criticism of his long-term outlook that definitely did not age particularly well in previous articles. That's a credit to the strides he's made on both sides of the ball. Right up until 6:00 pm of the MLB trade deadline, the speculation and the biggest move the Minnesota Twins made may have been the one they didn't. While speculation swirled around Larnach's name and the possibility of acquiring a controllable infielder such as Zach Neto, the Twins ultimately chose continuity over another roster shakeup. Based on Larnach's continued development throughout the 2026 season, that decision looks increasingly like one rooted in both patience, sound baseball evaluation, and a push for the postseason. Going Oppo is two stories on Twins Daily with different opinions running simultaneously. Read the other side here. Larnach's evolution has been one of the most encouraging developments for Minnesota. Earlier in his career, Larnach often profiled as an all-or-nothing power hitter whose strikeouts could neutralize his offensive value. In 2026, that profile has changed. His more efficient wrist angle at contact, his hitting sequence- from his pre-pitch load to his swing path and finish through contact- all have made him a nearly flawless hitter with timing. Before the trade deadline, he was hitting .291 with a .380 on-base percentage and an .829 OPS. Those numbers alone justify keeping him in the middle of the lineup, but the underlying metrics suggest this isn't simply a player riding a temporary hot streak. Baseball Savant shows Larnach’s breakout is backed by sustainable improvements: he ranks in the 70th percentile in expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA), 73rd percentile in expected batting average, 77th percentile in strikeout rate, and an impressive 89th percentile in hard-hit rate. His improved command of the strike zone has lowered his strikeout rate while allowing his natural power to play more consistently. Larnach doesn’t focus on the home runs, but they are a by-product of his patience at the plate. He's working deep counts, and when he's not hitting homers, he's producing quality at-bats, hitting into gaps and getting on base. Other teams clearly saw that value and expressing interest. Heading into the deadline, Larnach was reported by Matthew Leach as saying, “It’s definitely not ordinary,” Larnach said. “I don’t take it into the field at all. I don’t take it personal, but at the end of the day, there’s a lot of noise outside the field that I try to stay away from … and just let whatever happens take its place.” Larnach's talent, confidence, reverence for the game, and performance worried fans that he may become a bigger trade target, but the Twins ultimately recognized his value and kept him. Keeping Larnach was a better choice for this trade deadline than, say, rumored trades for Anaheim Angel Zach Neto. Neto is an outstanding young player who could have replaced players like Tristian Gray or Josh Bell, who have had less than productive games in the past few weeks, and solidified the Twins' infield for years to come. However, acquiring a controllable talent like Neto almost certainly would have required Minnesota to part with one of its own ascending top prospects. Trade deadlines are often judged by the players who arrive or depart, but sometimes the smartest move is recognizing what you already have and building around those players. Larnach remains a platoon player, but he is also a power bat. His traditional production is impressive, but the advanced metrics suggest there's even more room for growth. If that trend continues and he helps the Twins find their way into the postseason, the Twins may ultimately look back on standing pat with Larnach, not making a blockbuster trade for a position player, as one of the organization's best decisions of the 2026 trade deadline. View the full article

There was a scary moment in the Timber Rattlers game as RHP Quinton Low took a 106 MPH liner directly off his face, somehow exiting on his own power, but it was initially a bloody sight. We are hopeful we'll learn he'll be OK. Transactions: N/A Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes (unavailable) Final: Nashville 5, Memphis (Cardinals) 3 Box Score and Game Log Via the Sounds, game details, and we encourage readers to always review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Quero Lifts Sounds Past Redbirds with First Career Grand Slam Packed report as always, with multiple notes on Quero, RHP's Jack Seppings and Blake Holub, and INF/OF Eric Brown, Jr. (seeing action solely in center field since his recent AAA call-up). Many will immediately question the removal of RH starter Brett Wichrowski after two perfect innings (28 pitches, 16 strikes, one K). The Brewers seem to be playing Wichrowski's July 24th activation from the injured list after a month-long absence pretty well. There have been four appearances thus far, and in his most recent two, both starts, the 23-year-old (24 next week) has thrown five hitless innings with one walk and four strikeouts. RF Akil Baddoo, playing right field and batting cleanup, walked twice and scored a run. You folks know I enjoy word play, so for me, Akil's primary contribution Friday night was how the Sounds incorporated him into their X post announcing the starting lineup. We've seen it before. A player, in this case reliever Grant Anderson, who rightly feels his demotion was unjustified, struggles in his first appearance. The game summary and box score/game log links provide additional details. Blake Holub turns 28 in October, yet the Brewers control him for another season, he does not qualify for minor league free agency this fall. His performance in many systems would justify a 40-man roster spot, so even at a "veteran" age, the Brewers have a Rule 5 protection decision to make on Holub (a reminder we're tracking everything on that front here - waiting to see if Thomas Pannone accepts his outright assignment, but yes, the linked lists should be up to date). Catch up with the latest Biloxi pre-game audio interview archives - Brewers Infield Coordinator Andrew Romine is the most recent interviewee Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Columbus (Braves) 4, Biloxi 2 Box Score and Game Log Coley Makes Catch of the Year Candidate, Shuckers Doubled by Clingstones - Biloxi Falls Short for Third Straight Contest to Columbus First off, Andrew Romine is one of the very best interviews in the Brewers organization. Whether it's the chat linked above, or Jeff Hem's Nashville chat with Romine from June 1st, the player insights we get are so very insightful. Enjoy the brief Jesús Made comments from Biloxi. As for the game, wasn't this powerhouse Biloxi squad supposed to go undefeated the rest of the way? Kidding aside, the vaunted Shuckers lineup managed just four hits, here are the two that went for extra bases: Oh yes, the catch, with young Max Gifford (Javik Blake's assistant) doing a fine job on the call - to fully put the call in perspective, the prior two batters had homered off Manuel Rodriguez, you can see those here and here. Learn the true definition of a "clingstone" here - not always a peach, but my goodness, when Columbus breaks out the all-peach uniforms, count me as impressed. Columbus' insurance run came in the 8th, with the RBI single off of RHP Peyton Niksch seen here. Rodriguez didn't walk anyone which allowed him to get through six frames on 88 pitches, but he's now served up an untenable 28 home runs in 104 innings. Blake Burke's two singles were the only base knocks beyond the Boeve and Guilarte highlights above. Burke singled on a liner to center leading off the 4th but was immediately caught stealing just prior to an Andrew Fischer walk, and that inning fizzled. Burke is now 28-for-35 in steal attempts, so right on the cusp of the acceptable 80% line. Audio interview from earlier Friday: Via the "Wisconsin Sports Daily Show" with Steve "Sparky" Fifer: Voice of the Timber Rattlers Chris Mehring Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link) Final: Wisconsin 11, Beloit (Marlins) 5 Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers, game details: Rattlers Get Offensive in Beloit - Wisconsin pounds out fourteen hits in 11-5 win over Sky Carp RHP Quinton Low's line in the box score only includes one official batter and two pitches. The game summary informs us: "There was a scary moment in the bottom of the eighth inning. Quinton Low took over on the mound for the Timber Rattlers. Max Williams, the lead-off batter in the inning, lined the second pitch at 106 MPH off the bat off Low’s face. The ball deflected to Hall at first for a 1-3 putout while Lowe was on his hands and knees on the first base side of the mound. Wisconsin’s training staff raced to the mound to check on Low, who was eventually able to make it back to his feet and walk off the field on his own." For those with an MiLB TV archive subscription, go to the 03:46:50 hour/minute mark here for the Sky Carp announcer's immediate "oh, no!" reaction. The blood gushing from Low's nose (we believe nose) was hard to watch before the trainer's towel was applied. Scary as it sounds, but all things considered, and we don't know the extent of any injuries, a direct hit to almost anything else - eye, mouth, skull, could seemingly have been worse. Our best to Quinton. Luis Pena, Luis Castillo and Yannic Walther all get their rightly video highlight due in the linked game summary. Other videos available include this Tayden Hall sacrifice fly, another sacrifice fly, this one from Luiyin Alastre, and these clips shared last night by the T-Rats on 'X': See, a Sky Carp is a goose, it's the night of opponent team name insights. RHP Josh Knoth's start was serviceable, three days prior to his 21st birthday. (5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 88 pitches). LHP Bjorn Johnson, just 21 himself, allowed two unearned runs in his two innings. Only thing missing here are Chris Mehring's calls - still, we'll take 'em: Don't read too much into Pena being replaced defensively to begin the bottom of the 8th, it's just the Luis Pena world we live in for most of 2026, it seems. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Hill City (Guardians) 2, Wilson 0 Box Score and Game Log Warbirds Shutout on Friday Night - Wilson Manages Only Three Hits in Loss Nice work by 20-year-old LH starter Joey Broughton - 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 60 pitches (42 strikes). This two-hour, two-minute blink-and-you'll-miss-it contest featured only two video clips across the entirety of the interwebs. There was an RBI single off Broughton for the game's first run, but quickly followed by a 4-3 GIDP that did score the 2nd run of the inning but allowed Broughton to limit the damage. RHP Jarrette Bonet followed up by facing only two over the minimum in three scoreless innings despite allowing a single and three walks. One Howler baserunner was caught stealing by catcher Rylan Mills, and another was picked off by Bonet. Shortstop Brady Ebel was the only Warbird to reach twice (double, walk, OBP .418), while CF Brailyn Antunez was 0-for-4 with three K's, the first time in ten games with Wilson in which he failed to get a hit. Hiw Wilson OPS tumbles to "just" 1.442, The one place where you wouldn't expect roster skimping is at low-A. The only two bench players for Manager Eddy Morgan Friday were backup catchers Eric Martinez and Kevin Garcia. That's it. Versatile Pedro Ibarguen was the designated hitter and could cover multiple positions in a pinch, but that is crazy lean for that level and really shows how much the 165-man stateside roster limit is coming into play. Even so, have to expect we'll see bodies from Maryvale by Tuesday. Final: DSL Brewers Blue 5, DSL Red Sox Red 4, seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log Trailing 2-1 heading to the bottom of the 4th, Blue put up a four-spot, and the game log will show you that productive outs and some two-out efforts provided just enough cushion in the end. This game log was an example of an entertaining "read" without having to pore over one of those infamous 15-14 DSL game logs. For example, Blue relievers gave up single runs in the final two innings on a wild pitch and a balk respectively but held on for the W. Jesus Vasquez moved to 6-2 on the season, could have done without the four walks and wild pitch. This had been posted by the Brewers earlier Friday: Fun 17-year-old 3B Leanders Matos drove in two runs without an official plate appearance, OPS at 1.072. Diego Frontado (18 years old next month) was the DH for this one - single, walk, run scored. Final: DSL Brewers Gold 11, DSL Pirates Gold 5, seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log Five-run 4th and four-run 7th in this road contest for the Gold Team of our organization of choice. Moneys finished a triple shy of a cycle but added a walk as well while in the DH spot. Shortstop Santiago Garcia, having turned 17 years old in May, has played in 33 of Gold's 46 games and has been solid each month of the season while also improving along the way (splits). Like Moneys, Garcia had a huge game here (minus an error, his 10th as he's seen action across the infield left of first base). Garcia singled three times, walked, and was successful on all three stolen base attempts, now 14-for-16 in that regard. RHP's Marcos Veras (a 6'3" 17-year-old) and 19-year-old Dalvin Bodre (listed at 5'9", but signed in February 24th so likely a bit taller now) each had serviceable mound efforts. Bodre missed all of 2025. Yet another six-pack on Saturday, traditional start times, early in the Dominican and summer games under the early evening lights for the full-season clubs, all four of those squads continuing road series. As always, thanks for making us part of your day! 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 2026 MLB trade deadline is now in the rearview mirror. This deadline will be memorialized by the Dodgers acquisition of two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and what this means for the future of baseball. There was plenty of action around the rest of the league though, especially amongst the NL Central, where the three buyers, the Brewers, Cubs and Pirates, combined for 12 trades. To nobody’s surprise, the Cubs made four additions to their pitching staff, the clear weakness of the team. They made the most significant upgrades to their rotation, adding Kevin Gausman from the Blue Jays and Clay Holmes from the Mets. They also added Ryan Zeferjahn, one of the best relief arms on the market, from the Angels. They plucked the change-of-scenery, bounce-back candidate Braxton Garrett from the Marlins as well, although his role is a bit more ambiguous. The front office’s mission was to add two starters and a reliever, and they did just that. The starting rotation could evolve into another strength of this team over the next two months, but it remains to be seen how much one reliever addition will benefit the bullpen, whose 4.65 xERA ranks 26th in baseball. Speaking of bullpen additions, their divisional competitors made some significant upgrades as well. The Brewers, who were already fourth in team bullpen xERA at the time of the deadline, acquired the Rockies’ best relief arm in former starter Antonio Senzatela, as well as southpaw groundball specialist JoJo Romero from the Cardinals. The Pirates, who also have a bullpen xERA in the bottom third of the league, but still better than the Cubs, completely overhauled their pen. They added one of the best relievers on the market in Luke Weaver from the Mets. They also brought in two former closers in Kirby Yates from the Angels and Camilo Doval from the Yankees. If that wasn’t enough, they added one of the Marlins’ more dependable arms in Lake Bachar. Here is the outlook for each of these teams’ bullpens post-deadline, as we look at how these new arms will fit in with the incumbents. Ranking NL Central's Best Bullpens After Trade Deadline Brewers The Brewers already had a trifecta of relievers already with an xERA under 3.00. Closer Trevor Megill and flamethrower Abner Uribe have allowed three home runs all season, and all three have come from Uribe. Yes, Megill, despite a rocky start to the season, has not allowed a home run. Shane Drohan, a rookie lefty acquired in the Caleb Durbin trade, has enjoyed a breakout season with a 2.39 xERA while limiting walks and hard contact. He has bounced between the rotation and the bullpen this season. He has been used exclusively as a starter of late, but the return of Kyle Harrison may send him back to the 'pen. Fellow southpaw Aaron Ashby is still one of the most consistent left-handed relievers in the game, and has an elite K/9 at just above 12. Their “lower leverage” arms in Grant Anderson, DL Hall, and Chad Patrick would be amongst their best if they were on almost any other team across the league. That speaks to the depth of this unit, and it just got deeper with the additions of Senzatela and Romero. The unit with the third highest fWAR in baseball is likely to continue to dominate late in games. For what it's worth, their starters have the lowest xERA in baseball. This is why they are in contention for the best record in the league for the second straight season, and have the third highest odds to win the World Series. Pirates Likewise, it is a great time to be a fan of Pennsylvania sports. The city of Philadelphia now has LeBron James, and Pittsburgh acquired Luke Weaver and friends. After adding four new relievers, the Pirates are looking to make their first legitimate push for the postseason in a decade. Even though they are below .500 Paul Skenes has not been Paul Skenes this season, with an ERA in the high-threes and a fastball sitting in the mid-90s, but the Buccos are going for it anyway while adding three controllable arms (four if you count Brandon Eisert, who was traded for before the draft, but in the minors currently) and Kirby Yates. The bullpen already had a knack for missing bats, with Yohan Ramirez, Gregory Soto, Mason Montgomery and Evan Sisk all having a K/9 over 10. In fact, the 'pen as a whole is fifth in baseball in that stat, but they are also fifth in BB/9. Weaver (who may slot into the closer role) and Bachar should provide quality innings while issuing less walks than guys like Ramirez, who has been their most-used reliever to this point. Another name to highlight here is Carmen Mlodzinski, who was bumped from the rotation after the return of Jared Jones. He has impressed to the tune of a sparkling 2.15 ERA as a reliever, but his xERA over 4.00 helps explain why GM Ben Cherington felt pressure to add more right-handers. Overall, this is probably the most improved bullpen in baseball. We will see how far it takes them, but baseball is definitely better when the Pirates are trying. Cubs Finally, we have the Cubs, who added one definitive reliever in Ryan Zeferjahn, and one possible reliever in Braxton Garrett. We should have clarity soon on how Craig Counsell chooses to deploy Garrett, but if he can become the next broken starter turned relief ace, it would be a huge win for Hoyer and Carter Hawkins. The Cubs have searched all season to find a high-leverage right-handed reliever to fill the void left by Brad Keller. Ben Brown looked to be the answer, but due to the myriads of injuries, he was needed in the rotation, where hopefully he will continue to shine after returning from his own neck injury. Zeferjahn fills this role and more. With a 33% strikeout rate, and a walk rate just under 14%, he should become that anchor in the back end that the Cubs were hoping Daniel Palencia would be. Speaking of Palencia, who has been hampered by injuries all season, he can step into a more complementary role. Jacob Webb has been a solid low-cost addition, and newly acquired Tyler Ferguson has a 3.52 xERA in 15 games. Although he has been nothing short of awful, the return of Phil Maton will at least provide a bit more depth, and Hunter Harvey might return before all is said and done. As a whole, the right-handed part of the bullpen is something to feel good about. The main critique of the Cubs’ deadline approach is the failure to land a lefty reliever. We saw Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter, the aforementioned JoJo Romero, Caleb Ferguson, Erik Miller, and Brent Suter all find new homes. The fact that the Cubs will be relying on Ryan Rolison, Hoby Milner, and Caleb Thielbar as their go-to lefties for the rest of the season should rightfully make fans nervous. None of these guys are bad, but a contending team with a properly built bullpen would consider these guys a fine second- or third-tier lefty. So, is there hope that Braxton Garrett becomes a high-leverage option? Or are they counting on a bullpen role for Justin Steele? The Cubs made a great move for Zeferjahn, regardless of how you feel about Moises Ballesteros, but the bullpen makeover seems like an assignment that wasn’t quite completed, leaving them looking up at their division counterparts. View the full article

The New York Mets went through with their projected fire sale before Monday’s trade deadline, offloading multiple players and netting some interesting pieces for the future. One of those transactions saw them flip starting pitcher Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor in exchange for Cubs’ infield prospect Jefferson Rojas. The Mets made some questionable deals, such as the Luke Weaver trade, but getting Rojas in exchange for a 33-year-old injured pitcher and a part-time outfielder was a coup. What exactly are they getting in the 21-year-old infield prospect? Jefferson Rojas Is Equipped To Be An All-Around Star With Mets The Dominican shortstop, who has mostly played third base this season, is slashing a cool .270/.339/.461 with 15 home runs and 17 stolen bases in Double-A, walking 9.0 percent of the time with a 16.4 percent strikeout rate. His wRC+ is a solid 114, which is quite strong for a 21-year-old in Double-A. The 15 round-trippers already represent a career-best for him, and that’s not all: he also has 19 doubles and a triple. Evidently, Rojas has some power, and he is still young enough to think that he could add more beef to his frame and get a bit more power. Rojas hits lots of line drives (22.6 percent), which is excellent for his batting average prospects, and he has been hitting fewer ground balls, too. Little by little, he is learning to hit the ball hard in the air. MLB Pipeline had this to say about his defensive home, speed, and athletic tools: “Rojas has average speed with good instincts and picks his spots to steal bases. There's some question about his long-term position after he split time between shortstop and second base last year before seeing the majority of his action at third base in 2026. He's an average defender with quick hands and a solid arm capable of making throws from a variety of angles.” It looks like he could be a shortstop early in his career, with a move to third base at some point likely in the cards. He won’t be a liability with a glove on his hand, and he might even become an above-average defender if he slides to second or third. Rojas is athletic but isn’t quite a burner on the bases. Despite this, he has shown he can be an effective, smart baserunner who could steal 15-20 bases per year at peak. The potential for him to become a perennial 20-20 threat from a premium position is there. Rojas went from the Cubs, where he was the second-best prospect behind outfielder Josiah Hartshorn, to the Mets, where he is the clear-cut top guy ahead of Jonah Tong, Jonathan Santucci, and Elian Peña, among others. The Mets are not going to rush him this year, but it will be interesting to see if they challenge him with a move to Triple-A at some point in 2026. In any case, Rojas looks like a future regular on the left side of New York’s infield, or possibly second base. There is a good chance Rojas makes his MLB debut at some point in 2027, probably in the second half if all goes well. Holmes has been excellent in Queens, and Taylor has had his moments, but it’s easy to see why the Mets are being lauded for getting this trade across the finish line. View the full article

As the calendar turned to July and the Boston Red Sox boarded a plane heading west to Anaheim, fresh off a series loss at home to the Washington Nationals where they were outscored 18-3 in the final two games, it felt like everyone was ready to pull the plug. The Sox found themselves 11 games under .500, 14.5 games back in the AL East, and 6.5 games out of the third Wild Card spot needing to jump six teams to even sniff a postseason berth. The task seemed daunting and borderline impossible to say the least, but as the age-old saying goes; the rest is history. All Boston proceeded to do since was go on one of, if not the best, runs the club and MLB have ever seen; one that included a 15-game win streak, an .840 win percentage which was the best for a month in franchise history. They became the first team in MLB history to enter a calendar month 10+ games under .500 and leave it 7+ games over .500 via ESPN’s Sarah Langs. Likewise, they became the first team in MLB history to in one month win 20+ games, have a 15+ game winning streak, have 10+ comeback victories, sweep a 9+ game road trip, and have a .900+ road win percentage via OptaStats on X. For a more in-depth look at what has led to the Red Sox’s historic turnaround, let’s dive in to how the offense, rotation, and bullpen graded out for July. Grading Every Red Sox Player In July Offense For months, it’s been well documented that if the Red Sox were to make any noise this season, let alone turn this thing around, it was going to have to be the offense that, outside of Wilyer Abreu, Willson Contreras, and Ceddanne Rafaela, needed to start pulling its weight. July saw just that, as Boston’s offense finished within the top-10 league wide in AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, wRC+, BABIP, BB%, Runs, Home Runs, Hits, Doubles, WAR, and AVG with RISP w/2 Outs. In other words, it was by far the team's best performance of the season. Perhaps the most surprising, and arguably refreshing, of all of the top-10 finishing stats came from the change in approach at the plate. The Sox ended July first in all of baseball in Sac Bunts with 13, an astonishing note when you realize they had 11 for the entire season prior to. This new “Next Man Up” approach and mentality the team took on not only allowed for the likes of Willson Contreras (1.117 OPS, 208 wRC+, 5 HR, 14 RBI) and Ceddanne Rafaela (.303/.321/.523/.844, 5 HR, 19 RBI) to continue their stellar seasons, but also allowed for the emergence of heroes new and old. If you were to pick an offensive MVP for the month and had to exclude Contreras and Rafaela, the favorite has to be Andruw Monasterio, who has had some hiccups in the field filling in as the full-time shortstop after Tsung-Che Cheng was optioned back to Worcester. And yet, he continued to come up with clutch hit after clutch hit in July, slashing .338/.413/.631/.1.044 with 12 of his 22 hits going for extra bases while also driving in 11. Some love should be thrown Cheng’s way as well while highlighting standout performances, as he managed to accumulate a .740 OPS and 115 wRC+ in just nine games while also making a few game saving plays at short during Boston’s historic 15-game win streak. July also saw Caleb Durbin continue to put his early season struggles behind him as he has quickly become one of the Red Sox's most well-rounded players, finishing the month with an .802 OPS, three homers, and nine runs batted in while factoring in stellar defense at third. Masataka Yoshida once again has started to make his usual second half push after slashing .300/.364/.450/.814 with two home runs and nine runs batted in, providing some stability to the top of Boston’s lineup. And even newcomer Jahmai Jones, whose addition seemed to be heavily questioned when he was brought in from the Tigers, has provided an immediate spark, homering in his first at-bat as a Red Sox en route to a 1.467 OPS and 244 wRC+ to go along with two home runs and five RBI in just nine games. As we move into August, the hope is the offense can continue to succeed with this more small-ball approach. Losing Curtis Mead to a fractured wrist after just two at-bats certainly doesn't help, though Adley Rutschman should provide a huge jolt when healthy. Getting Wilyer Abreu (90 wRC+) and Jarren Duran (40 wRC+) back on track wouldn’t hurt either. In what was a stunning and unprecedented turnaround that nobody could have foreseen happening, Boston’s offense gets its best grade of the season thus far, a well-deserved A-. Position Players Name March / April May June July Wilyer Abreu A+ B C+ C Tsung-Che Cheng N/A N/A C A+ Willson Contreras A A+ B A+ Jarren Duran F A D- D+ Caleb Durbin D+ D A+ A- Nate Eaton N/A N/A C+ F Romy González N/A N/A C D Brett Harris N/A N/A N/A C Jahmai Jones N/A N/A N/A A+ Andruw Monasterio C D+ D A+ Carlos Narváez C- C- F D- Ceddanne Rafaela B A A- A+ Anthony Seigler N/A N/A A+ C Nick Sogard N/A B- N/A C Connor Wong B- B A C Masataka Yoshida B- C+ D A- Rotation If you were to tell me early this season the Red Sox were going to go on an epic win streak that helped save their season and turn them into one of the most dangerous teams in baseball, there's no doubt I would have guessed the rotation had done its best Superman impression. And yet, while this turn through the rotation wasn’t bad by any means, it wasn’t as dominant as we’ve seen in past stretches either, leading to somewhat of a mixed bag of results. Boston’s best starter by far for July may have been its least likeliest, as rookie Jake Bennett burst onto the scene to the tune of a 4-1 record, 2.20 ERA, and .208 average against over a team high 32.2 innings pitched. The same cannot be said about fellow rookie Payton Tolle however, as although his strikeout numbers were still impressive, leading the rotation with a 32.7 K% in 23.2 innings, a six-run blow up over three innings versus the Nationals, a four-run outing over 5.2 against the Orioles, and a shortened 3.2 innings outing against the Mets stemming from an innings limit left Tolle with an uncharacteristically high 4.94 ERA for the month. As for the veterans, Sox fans got their long-awaited look at Patrick Sandoval for the first time, who put up a respectable 3.32 ERA over four starts, but is clearly being eased back into things given his just 19 innings of work. Ranger Suarez was limited to just three starts and 11.1 innings due to a groin strain, finishing with a below-average 4.76 ERA but elite 1.33 FIP. Then there’s the 36-year old Sonny Gray who may be starting to show his age a bit. While his first three starts of July against the Angels, Mets and Rays were excellent, posting a 1.50 ERA while allowing just three earned runs and 14 hits over 18 innings, his final two against the Blue Jays and Athletics were anything but. In those starts, Gray posted a 6.75 ERA over 12 innings, allowing 17 hits and nine earned runs. Add in three rough appearances for Eduardo Rivera (9.45 ERA on 6.2 IP) and the numbers don’t look as great as they have prior on paper. It will be interesting to see how the Red Sox handle the rotation going forward with some clear signs of possible fatigue starting to set in. For now though, the rotation still grades out at a respectable B+. Pitchers Name March / April May June July Jake Bennett N/A C A A+ Sonny Gray C+ A+ A+ B+ Eduardo Rivera A+ N/A N/A F Patrick Sandoval N/A N/A N/A B Ranger Suarez B+ B- A+ B- Payton Tolle B A+ B+ B- Bullpen Much like the offense, I was hard-pressed to find anything the Red Sox bullpen really struggled with for July, leading to top-10 finishes league wide in every statistical category except for strikeouts, where they finished 11th. Of those standout categories were the ones the Sox's 'pen lead all of baseball in, including a 1.75 ERA, 2.94 FIP, 89.2 LOB%, 13 Saves, and 2.1 WAR. The story starts with the fact that the Red Sox have assembled a four-headed behemoth of Tyron Guerrero, Justin Slaten, Garrett Whitlock, and Aroldis Chapman that all spell certain doom for any team having to face them in the later innings. While Guerrero (0.87 ERA, .211 AVG, 5.0 BB%), Whitlock (0.73 ERA, .147 AVG, 0.0 BB%) and Chapman (0.75 ERA, .209 AVG, 34.7 K%) all picked up where their dominance left off in June, the biggest boost to the pen came in Slaten once again finding his nasty side, racking up a 1.08 ERA and .161 average against in 8.1 innings after posting marks of 9.00 and .415 in nine innings in June. July also not only saw the returns to form of Jovani Moran (2.38 ERA, .154 AVG, 11.1 IP) and Greg Weissert, who outside of one three-run blow up versus Toronto managed to have nine scoreless appearances out of his 11 for the month, but the return of Brayan Bello to the big-league club. This time fully working as a reliever, Bello picked up right where he left off in terms of confusing fans and overpowering hitters tossing 13.2 innings out of the 'pen to the results of a 1-0 record, 0.66 ERA and .191 average against in three appearances. While there may be some signs of possible fatigue or slippage in the rotation, the same cannot be said about Boston’s bullpen that only seems to be growing stronger as the season moves forward. With all parties quite literally firing on all cylinders, the Sox's pen earns its best grade of the season by far with a resounding A+. Pitchers Name March / April May June July Brayan Bello F B+ F A+ Aroldis Chapman A A+ D A+ Danny Coulombe F F- A- C Alec Gamboa N/A A A A Tyron Guerrero N/A C A+ A+ Jovani Morán A C+ B A Tyler Samaniego A C- B N/A Justin Slaten A- B+ D A+ Ryan Watson F B- B+ B- Greg Weissert D- C- C A- Garrett Whitlock B+ B A+ A+ View the full article

When David Hamilton returned from the injured list amid hot streaks by Joey Ortiz and Cooper Pratt, Pat Murphy said the intention was to find playing time for all three, hinting that the Brewers would handle the left side of the infield with more nuance than a straight platoon between Hamilton and Ortiz at third base. However, since Hamilton's activation, he's started 10 of Milwaukee's 11 games against a right-handed starter. Ortiz, meanwhile, has drawn just one start at third base against a right-hander. His other two starts against righties have come at Pratt's expense at shortstop. It's the latest sign that the Brewers as an organization remain bullish on the athletic Hamilton's potential, even as he's made very few strides in harnessing that athleticism for more than a couple of plays or at-bats at a time. Earlier in the week, Murphy shed more light on how the Brewers are handling Ortiz. As they have with Andrew Vaughn, they're shielding him from right-handed arsenals with more horizontal movement. "It's a type of righty," Murphy said. "There are righties that have [a] great two-seam, great sweepers. You don't play Joey as much against them." Those east-west pitches, Murphy explained, can exploit recurring issues with Ortiz's front side as he strides toward the pitcher. After he gets busted inside with a two-seamer, he opens up early to cheat to it, leaving him unable to stay on a breaking ball moving away from him. "If you're one of those hitters where wherever the pitcher's going, your eyes go there and don't respond to the other side [of the plate], it's more that than it is [your swing]," Murphy said. "So the swing decisions are affected more when a guy's bearing in on you … You have to be way, way convicted on what you're going to do with that. But in Joey's case, he had that habit for a long time of just his front side going, because he wanted so much to get to how he was being attacked, and it didn't serve him." Statistically, that doesn't bear out cleanly. In 2026, Ortiz has fared a bit better against right-handed sinkers than right-handed four-seamers, and he's been passable against sweepers. In a much larger sample for his career, though, Ortiz has done his best work against more vertical right-handed pitches like four-seamers and curveballs, while struggling against sinkers, short sliders, and sweepers. The Brewers urge their hitters to take pitches they would struggle to hit before they get to two strikes. For Ortiz, that means keeping his focal point toward the outer third of the plate. His swing length is a bit longer (7.5 feet, according to Statcast) than the league average (7.3 feet), and his hands can sometimes lag behind the rest of his body when he opens up. Staying on pitches middle or away can help keep everything in sync. "Now he's understanding, 'I got to take that and rely on what I can [hit] out over,'" Murphy said. "Or when [the pitcher] mistakes the two-seamer [over the middle], it's staying closed and staying linear, so he can handle everything else." Bat tracking data reveals Ortiz's inconsistency in keeping himself closed on sweepers. His overall rate of early swings and flails away from the ball are both around the league average, but he's more prone to extreme flails and very early swings than the average right-handed hitter against a righty sweeper. Ortiz's last two starts against right-handers have come against Tyler Mahle and Bubba Chandler, both of whom lean mostly on four-seam fastballs without much arm-side run. That could change if he becomes more consistent against side-to-side right-handers, but as long as the Brewers continue to believe in Hamilton and the rest of the infield remains healthy, adhering to arsenal matchups will remain the playbook. View the full article

Jesús Sánchez is one of the most interesting players in baseball because he’s quietly one of the most violent hitters in the game. The Toronto Blue Jays’ outfielder checks off a lot of boxes, and with the right adjustments, he could turn from a promising talent into one of the best power hitters in MLB. Stats updated prior to first pitch on August 7. Jesús Sánchez’s Background Sánchez is a seven-year MLB veteran, and up until 2025, he spent every one of those seasons with the Miami Marlins. The 28-year-old outfielder has gained a reputation as a slugger, being someone who is willing to sacrifice his walk and strikeout numbers for more power. This is his first season with the Jays, and so far, the corner fielder is slashing .268/.310/.434 with eight homers and 32 runs batted in. Sánchez has only played in 78 games, yet he finds himself fourth on the team in long balls behind only Kazuma Okamoto (24), George Springer (12) and Ernie Clement (9). Toronto could desperately use a power surge from someone, and Sánchez has the profile to play that role. A Model of Consistency For one, he’s been consistent. Between 2021 and '25, Sánchez hit anywhere from 13 to 18 home runs each season. This includes a 13-homer season with the Marlins in which he played just 98 games; he was on pace for 21 long balls over 162 games that year (this would’ve been a career best). The real question is this: Does Sánchez have what it takes to take that next step? His advanced analytics certainly imply that he can be the bruiser in a lineup. Violent Underlying Metrics Looking under the hood at his 2026 stats, this is someone who can lay into a baseball. The veteran outfielder has a 46.3 percent hard-hit rate, putting him in the 79th percentile among all major leaguers. This is a remarkable sign for a team that is watching Vladimir Guerrero Jr. struggle mightily with just six homers in 108 contests. He’s also barrelling the ball up at an extremely high rate of 11.4 percent, good enough for the 74th percentile. His 73.7 mph bat speed is also well above the league average. Yet, through just about half a season’s worth of games, Sánchez has left the ballpark only eight times. Why is that? Let’s bring in one of the best bashers in the game, Junior Caminero, for a case study comparison. Caminero is the bat speed king, sending his barrel across the plate at a rapid 79.8 miles per hour (100th percentile). His 50.7 percent hard-hit rate (92nd percentile) is also one of the best in baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays’ third baseman has some marginal advantages on Sánchez, but are they enough to give him a 25 home run advantage over the Jays outfielder? Not on their own. What Needs To Change? What does Sánchez need to do to be closer to Caminero’s side of the home run spectrum? It’s not a launch angle issue, as Caminero is actually hitting the ball lower on average (9.4) than the Jays outfielder (10.7). The sea parts in the plate discipline category. Sánchez strikes out 22.2 percent of the time, while Caminero’s mark is just 18.3 percent. Sánchez only walks in 4.4 percent of plate appearances, while Caminero draws a free pass 12.2 percent of the time. While pitchers may respect Caminero’s power more, and therefore are more careful around the zone, it’s a symbiotic relationship. The Rays’ slugger simply gets into more hitter-friendly counts, meaning he’s more likely to see a ball over the plate. Sánchez is ultra aggressive, and with that being in his scouting report, opposing pitchers can stay away from his bat more. Even when he makes contact, it may not be on the quality of pitches that Caminero, the more patient between the two hitters, sees. Sánchez's out-of-zone swing percentage is 38.5 percent (9th percentile), so pitchers have no real incentive to lay a ball over the plate. If he can become more selective at the plate, he’ll have a better chance to put that violent swing to work. View the full article

You won't find too many photos of players in big-league uniforms in the Twins Minor League Reports. We are thankful for the photographers in the various minor-league cities who help us get photos of the minor leaguers in their minor league uniforms. However, once in a while it's good to remember what goal each and every minor league baseball player aspires to, and that's to get to the big leagues. On Friday, Kaelen Culpepper got that opportunity. He found out the night before. Let his family know so they could make arrangements to get to Milwaukee. He met the team in Milwaukee and found himself in the Twins lineup, playing shortstop and batting seventh. And in his second at-bat, he crushed a ball for his first hit, his first home run, his first run scored, and his first RBI. TRANSACTIONS There were several transactions throughout the organization. The Twins placed RHP Joe Ryan on the injured list and recalled RHP Zebby Matthews. The big news was that the Twins called up shortstop Kaelen Culpepper to make his big-league debut. To make room on the 26-man roster, infielder Tristan Gray was optioned to St. Paul. To make room for Culpepper on the 40-man roster, RHP Taylor Rashi was DFAd. Just days after being DFAd and subsequently released, the Twins brought RHP Cody Laweryson back on a minor-league contract and assigned him to the Saints. He’s on the Injured List with a right shoulder impingement. Down in Ft. Myers, RHP Jake Covey joined the Mussels from the FCL Twins roster. To make room, RHP Dylan Questad was released. The 21-year-old from Waukesha was the Twins fifth-round pick in 2023 from Waterford High School. In the 2024 FCL, he posted a 10-48 ERA . In 2025 at Fort Myers, he went 4-7 with a 6.87 ERA. He then went to the AFL and had a 15.19 ERA in 5 1/3 innings. He pitched to a 11.81 ERA over 15 games with the Mussels. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 4, Louisville 1 Box Score There wasn’t much offense at CHS Field on Friday night. The Saints had just five hits in the game, but they had a couple of really big hits. The Bats, well, they did even less. The Saints got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the fourth inning. With Matt Wallner on base, Aaron Sabato drilled his 21st home run to make it 2-0. Two innings later, Ben Ross was on base when Wallner drilled his 21st Saints home run of the season and gave the Saints a 4-0 lead. Meanwhile, the Saints pitchers were nearly unhittable, literally. Kendry Rojas made the start for St. Paul and faced just nine batters over three perfect innings. He had five strikeouts. Ricky Castro came in to start the fourth inning. With one out, he issued a walk but quickly got out of that inning. That was the lone baserunner over three scoreless innings. You see what was going on. However, in the top of the seventh, Castro gave up a leadoff, line-drive single. It was immediately followed by another single. Castro then coaxed a double play that scored a run, but it was followed by a strikeout and the threat ended. Next up was Jack Anderson. He gave up a two-out single in the eighth inning and a two-out walk in the top of the ninth inning, but he gave up no runs and held the team’s 4-1 win for the final two innings. Wallner was 2-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch. He hit his 21st home run and stole his sixth base. He now has 60 RBI. Sabato hit his 21st homer and he’s got 64 RBI. Cody Morissette had the only other extra base hit, his 12th double. Noah Cardenas reached twice, on a single and a walk. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 3, NW Arkansas 6 (8 innings) Box Score The Surge jumped to an early lead but immediately gave it back. The Royals affiliate added two more and then the rains came. It was called with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, giving the Naturals the 6-3 win. Andrew Cossetti led off the top of the second inning with a walk. With one out, Kyle DeBARge singled him to second. With two outs, Jake Rucker drilled his sixth Surge homer of the season to give Wichita a 3-0 lead. Riley Quick was on the mound for the Surge. Given the early lead, Quick gave up a single and a walk. However, he got a strikeout and an infield pop out without runners advancing. However, he followed that with a second walk. Then came a two-out, two-run single. Even then, the Surge still had the lead. However, the next play involved both a fielding error and a throwing error which let one more run score and kept the inning going. One more single and the Surge found themselves down 4-3. To his credit, Quick was able to complete four innings. Two of the four runs ere unearned. He gave up four hits, walked two and had two strikeouts. Paulshawn Pasqualotto came on and was charged with two runs on three hits and a walk over two innings. He had three strikeouts. William Fleming struck out two batters in a scoreless seventh inning. Kyle Bischoff got two outs in the eighth inning before the rains came and the game was called. The Surge had six hits and two walks. Cossetti had both walks. Marek Houston hit his 10th double, and Brandon Winokur hit his first Double-A double. Cedar Rapids 15, Peoria 2 Box Score I know what you’re thinking. Same thing I was thinking. Did JP Smith hit another home run today? Well, we will get to that. In his first Midwest League start, Merit Jones tossed four shutout innings. He gave up two hits, walked three and had four strikeouts. The Kernels got on the board first in the top of the fifth when Yasser Mercedes drove in Jose Salas on a double. Emmanuel Rodriguez drove in Mercedes with a single to give the Kernels a 2-0 lead. Ross Dunn came in for the bottom of the fifth inning. He hit a batter, got a fly out, walked a batter, got a line out. The Cubs scored their first run on a Dunn throwing error. He then gave up an RBI single that tied the score at 2-2. Michael Ross came in and got the final out. The Kernels came back right away in the top of the sixth inning. With two on and two outs, Jose Salas hit his fifth home run since returning to the Kernels. Later in the inning, Rodriguez walked with the bases loaded to make it 6-2 Kernels. Teams like adding some insurance runs in the late innings. JP Smith led off the top of the ninth inning with a walk. With one out, Quinn McDaniel walked. Salas drove in a run with a double. With two outs, McDaniel scored the team’s eighth run on a wild pitch. Ricardo Pena and Yasser Mercedes walked to load the bases. After a pitching change, Rodriguez had another bases-loaded RBI walk. Eduardo Tait followed with a single to drive in the 10th run. That brought JP Smith to the plate, and brings us back to our question at the beginning of this section. To this point, the answer was No. But then… Following the Smith grand slam, Jayson Bass followed with his first Kernels home run. Michael Ross came up big. He worked the final 4 1/3 innings and gave up no runs, just one hit, just one walk, and he had four strikeouts. The Kernels had 15 runs on 12 hits, two hit batters, and 11 walks. JP Smith was 2-for-4 with two walks and his third home run. It was his third straight game with a homer and three homers in four Kernels games. Yasser Mercedes went 2-for-3, walked twice, was hit by a pitch, and hit his 17th double. Emmanuel Rodriguez was 1-for-3 with two walks and was hit by a pitch. Jose Salas was 2-for-4 with a walk, his second double, and his fifth home run. Ricardo Pena was 1-for-3 with two walks. Eduardo Tait went 2-for-6 with his 21st double. MIGHTY MATTERS Game 1: Fort Myers 6, Bradenton 4 Box Score I’ve never claimed to be cool. However, in the Mussels game, I found this strange, even if it really isn’t. Fort Myers scored zero runs in the top of the first. Bradenton scored one run in the bottom of the first. Fort Myers scored two runs in the top of the fourth, and then Bradenton scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Mussels scored four runs in the top of the fifth. Apparently, neither team wanted to put a five on the scoreboard, so the Mussels won 6-4. Matt Barr made the start in Game 1. In three innings, he gave up four runs (2 earned) on four hits and two walks. He struck out two batters. Matthew Dalquist worked the final four innings without giving up any more runs. He gave up two hits, walked one, and he had three strikeouts. In the top of the fourth inning, Luis Fragoza led off with a single. With one out, Quentin Young came up and crushed a first-pitch home run. The ball left his bat at a 30-degree angle and at 115.8 mph and traveled 412 feet from home plate. Down 4-2, the Mussels came to the plate in the top of the fifth. With one out, Bryce Fowler walked. Isaiah Lane tripled to drive in Fowler. Carson Tinney walked. With two outs, Yovanny Duran came to the plate and hit his first Florida State League home run to give his team a 6-4 lead. He took a 2-2 sinker above the strike zone and lined it at 99.6 mph 382 feet. Lane went 2-for-4 and it was his second triple. Tinney walked twice. Fragoza and Fowler each had a single and a walk. Game 2: Fort Myers 3, Bradenton 7 Box Score There weren’t any obvious strange, random number sequences in the Game 2 summary, and frankly, it wasn’t as good of a game for the Mussels. Through 3 1/2 innings, they held a 3-1 lead, but the Marauders scored the final six runs in this game. The third Mussels run came in the top of the fourth inning when Aidan Teel stole second and Merphy Hernandez stole home. The Mussels took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second when Merphy Hernandez drove in Ramiro Dominguez and Irvin Nunez with a single. The Mussels scored their three runs on six hits and four walks. Teel was 0-for-1, but he walked three times. Dominguez was 2-for-3 with his 22nd double. He also had two stolen bases and has 21 on the season. Hernandez was 2-for-3.He stole three bases and has 33 on the season. Cristian Hernandez started and gave up an unearned run on one hit and two walks. He had five strikeouts. Adam Falinski gave up one run on four hits over 1 2/3 innings. Melvin Rodriguez went 1 1/3 innings and gave up five runs (4 earned) on five hits. Brent Francisco got the final two outs. PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter(s) of the Day Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids): 2-for-4, BB, 2B(2), HR(6), 3 R, 4 RBI, K Pitcher(s) of the Day Kendry Rojas (St. Paul): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 39 pitches, 27 strikes (69.2%) Merit Jones (Cedar Rapids): 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K, 63 pitches, 34 strikes (54.0%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. Help us update the Top 20 prospects list now that the trade deadline is passed. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 0-for-4, K (batted first, played CF) #2 - C Vahn Lackey (Fort Myers) - Game 2: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K (batted second, played catcher) #3 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (Minnesota) - 1-for-4, HR(1), R, RBI (batted seventh, played SS) #4 - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul) - Rehab in Cedar Rapids: 1-for-3, 2 BB, HBP, R, 3 RBI (batted second, LF) #5 - SS Marek Houston (Wichita) - 1-for-4, 2B(10), K (batted first, played SS) #6 - RHP Riley Quick (Wichita) - 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 52 pitches, 31 strikes, 59.5% #7 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-6, 2B(21), R, RBI, 2 K (batted third, catcher) #8 - LHP Kendry Rojas (St. Paul) - 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 39 pitches, 27 strikes, 69.2% #10 - OF Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 0-for-4 (Batted fifth, played LF) . #13 - C Carson Tinney (Fort Myers) - Game 1: 0-for-2, 2 BB, R, K (batted third, DH) #14 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 0-for-4, K (batted second, DH) #15 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - 1-for-4, 2B(1), 2 K (batted third, played CF) #17 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Ft. Myers) - Game 1: 1-for-3, HR(14), R, 2 RBI, K. (batted sixth, played 3B), UPCOMING PROBABLES Saturday, August 8 Louisville @ St. Paul (6:37 pm CT) - RHP Trent Baker (3-3, 5.80 ERA) Wichita @ NW Arkansas (6:05 pm CT) - RHP Chris Vallimont (1-3, 3.86 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ South Bend (6:05 pm CT) - RHP Justin Mitrovich (1-0, 3.55 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Bradenton (5:05 pm CT) - TBD DSL Rockies @ DSL Twins (DH @ 9:00 am CT) - No Game CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 58-59 St. Paul Saints: 65-46 Wichita Wind Surge: 40-64 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 40-64 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 56-48 FCL Twins: 33-26 DSL Twins: 13-31 Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related! View the full article

Friday saw the San Diego Padres' four full-season affiliates go 3-1 with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas stopping Reno 8-6, the Double-A San Antonio Missions striking late for a 6-2 win over Springfield, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps getting drubbed by West Michigan 14-4 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm pulling out a 10-8 win over Ontario. Padres Minor-League Transactions San Diego Padres signed free-agent LF Dustin Harris to a minor-league contract and assigned him to El Paso Chihuahuas. Ethan Salas Drills First Triple-A Homer In Chihuahuas' Victory Top prospect Ethan Salas hit his first Triple-A homer, a three-run blast, as the El Paso Chihuahuas scored eight runs in the first three innings for an 8-6 victory over the host Reno Aces. Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, had two hits and a walk, going deep in his seventh game since being promoted from Double-A San Antonio, where he hit seven homers. His eight homers this year are one shy of the nine he hit in his debut season of 2023. Salas' three-run homer came during a five-run third inning and was pulled down the right-field line, hitting a 1-2 pitch of right-hander Ashton Izzi. Marcos Castanon (two RBIs) and Clay Dungan also homered for the Chihuahuas, while Carlos Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with a run scored. After the Aces jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Castanon hit a one-out two-run homer and Dungan a two-out solo shot to go ahead 3-2 in the second. Dustin Harris, who was released by the Padres from Triple-A on Wednesday and re-signed Friday, and Rodriguez began the third with a single, then Rodolfo Duran singled home Harris. That put two runners on for Salas, who cranked his homer to make it 7-2. Will Wagner doubled, Castano singled and Nick Pratto hit a sacrifice fly to make it 8-2, capping the five-run surge. Chihuahuas right-handed starter Sean Boyle allowed three runs in 4⅔ innings on three hits, including a homer, and four walks with three strikeouts. Right-hander J.P. France, who was released from Triple-A by the Houston Astros, made his Chihuahuas debut by retiring the only batter he faced. Left-hander JP Sears, back in Triple-A following his demotion from the Padres, then gave up three runs in two-third of an inning. Right-hander Alek Jacob picked up his seventh save of the season. EP_0807.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Bryce Johnson 4 0 1 0 1 1 Dustin Harris 5 1 1 0 0 0 Carlos Rodríguez 5 1 3 0 0 0 Rodolfo Durán 5 1 2 1 0 1 Ethan Salas 4 2 2 3 1 0 Will Wagner 3 1 1 0 1 0 Marcos Castañon 5 1 2 2 0 1 Mason McCoy 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nick Pratto 4 0 1 1 0 1 Clay Dungan 5 1 1 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Sean Boyle 4 2/3 3 3 3 4 3 1 J.P. France 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 JP Sears 2/3 2 3 3 1 2 0 Ty Adcock 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 3 0 Hans Crouse 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 Alek Jacob 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Braedon Karpathios Sparks 4-Run Eighth With Go-Ahead Double Braedon Karpathios had the first of three RBI doubles to snap a tie during a four-run eighth inning as the host San Antonio Missions rallied for a 6-2 win over the Springfield Cardinals. Karpathios, Padres Mission's No. 12 prospect, had a pair of RBI doubles as well as a walk and scored a run, while Albert Fabian also had two hits and drove in a run. Missions right-handed starter Eric Yost went six-plus innings and gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits, including a homer, and three walks while striking out six. Right-hander Tucker Musgrove came on with the bases loaded in the seventh and hit a batter with one out to tie the game 2-2, then got a groundout and his second strikeout to end the inning. Right-hander Josh Mallitz tossed two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and striking out two, and earned the win. In the eighth, Jake Cunningham walked and went to second on a wild pitch before scoring on Karpathios' go-ahead double that one-hopped the wall down the right-field line. After a groundout moved Karpathios to third, he scored on Fabian's single to center. Luis Verdugo and Wyatt Hoffman then had back-to-back RBI doubles to put the Missions up 6-2. SA_0807.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker 4 1 0 0 1 2 Tirso Ornelas 3 1 1 0 0 1 Jake Cunningham 3 1 1 0 1 2 Braedon Karpathios 3 1 2 2 1 0 Jack Costello 4 0 1 1 0 0 Albert Fabian 4 0 2 1 0 1 Kai Roberts 0 1 0 0 0 0 Luis Verdugo 3 1 1 1 0 2 Wyatt Hoffman 3 0 1 1 1 2 Brendan Durfee 4 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Eric Yost 6 5 2 1 3 6 1 Tucker Musgrove 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Josh Mallitz 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 TinCaps Get Hammered By Whitecaps Three pitchers gave up four earned runs as the host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps allowed 16 hits and seven walks in a 14-4 loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps. Luke Cantwell drove in a pair of runs, while Ryan Wideman (Padres Mission's No. 4 prospect) and Justin DeCriscio each had two hits, with Wideman driving in a run and DeCriscio scoring twice. TinCaps right-handed starter Mikael Miralles went four innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts. After left-hander Braian Salazar pitched a scoreless fifth, right-handers Will Koger (no outs recorded) and Nick Falter (two innings) each allowed four runs, while right-hander Will Varmette gave up a run in the ninth. West Michigan scored twice in the first, once in the second and twice in the fourth to go up 5-1, then opened it up with five in the sixth. The TinCaps scored three in the seventh to pull within 11-4. FW_0807.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 5 2 2 0 0 2 Ryan Wideman 5 0 2 1 0 0 Kerrington Cross 3 0 0 0 1 3 Luke Cantwell 3 0 1 2 1 1 Lamar King Jr. 4 0 1 0 0 1 Carlos Rodriguez 4 0 0 0 0 0 Bradley Frye 4 1 2 0 0 2 Conner Westenburg 4 0 0 0 0 2 Kasen Wells 3 1 0 1 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Maikel Miralles 4 7 5 4 2 2 0 Braian Salazar 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Will Koger 0 0 4 4 3 0 0 Nick Falter 2 4 4 4 2 1 1 Will Varmette 2 4 1 1 0 2 0 Ty Harvey's 5 RBIs, Contributions From Draftees Power Storm Once down 6-0, the host Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm put together a late surge, including scoring twice in the bottom of the eighth, for a 10-8 victory over the Ontario Tower Buzzers. Nu'u Contrades, the sixth-round draft pick in his third pro game, scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch and Ty Harvey, Padres Mission's No. 7 prospect, had a sacrifice fly for the insurance run. https://padresmission.com/san-diego-padres-top-prospect-rankings/ty-harvey-r138/ Harvey had two hits and drove in five runs, while Dawson Willis homered off the scoreboard, Yimy Tovar had two hits and scored twice and Dylan Grego had a pair of hits for the Storm. Contrades walked twice and scored twice, while fourth-round pick Alex Conover scored three times. The Storm stole six bases, two by Conover. Storm left-hander Adler Cecil, making his first home start and second appearance, was pitching about 20 minutes away from where he went to high school at Temecula Valley. But it didn't go well as he coughed up six runs (five earned) on three hits and four walks with six strikeouts in 2⅔ innings. Right-hander Florangel Vasquez, just promoted from the Arizona Complex League after striking out 42 in 30⅓ innings, went 2⅓ shutout innings, allowing two hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Left-hander Ryan Reed, last year's 15th-round draft pick, appeared in his first Storm game of the season after two outings last year, going two scoreless innings, while Brandon Langley finished up the final two innings, giving up two runs. The Storm trailed 6-0 after a five-run top of the third by the Tower Buzzers, then made it 6-3 in the bottom half on Harvey's two-run single and Jose Verdugo's sac fly. Willis got the comeback in full swing when he blasted an opposite-field solo homer, his fourth, off the scoreboard in right-center, then Qrey Lott made it 6-5 with a run-scoring groundout. Harvey had another big hit in the seventh, a go-ahead two-run opposite-field double off the tall wall in right field and Verdugo added an RBI single. The Tower Buzzers tied it up in the top of the eighth, yet the Storm came right back in the bottom of the inning. Contrades led off the eighth with a walk, Conover was hit by a pitch and two wild pitches brought in Contrades with the go-ahead run and put Conover on third. After a strikeout and a pitching change, Harvey hit a sac fly to center that brought in Conover. LE1_0807.mp4 LE2_0807.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Nu'u Contrades 3 2 0 0 2 1 Alex Conover 2 3 1 0 0 0 Yimy Tovar 4 2 2 0 1 1 Ty Harvey 4 1 2 5 0 1 Dawson Willis 5 1 1 1 0 3 Jose Verdugo 3 0 1 2 0 0 Truitt Madonna 2 1 1 0 2 1 Dylan Grego 4 0 2 0 0 2 Qrey Lott 4 0 0 1 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Adler Cecil 2 2/3 3 6 5 4 6 1 Florangel Vasquez 2 1/3 2 0 0 2 2 0 Ryan Reed 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 Brandon Langley 2 3 2 2 2 2 0 Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, BB Kash Mayfield: Traded Miguel Mendez: Traded Ryan Wideman: 2-for-5, 2B, RBI Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Jorge Quintana: DNP Ty Harvey: 2-for-4, 2B, 5 RBI, 1 K Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Tucker Musgrove: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0 HR Coleman Borthwick: In Arizona Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-4, 2B, 1 K Braedon Karpathios: 2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: DNP Truitt Madonna: 1-for-2, 2 BB, 1 K Jesus Castro: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Elliot Lascelles: In Arizona Winyer Chourio: DNP Rosman Verdugo: DNP View the full article

MIAMI, FL — With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Miami Marlins find themselves trailing 4-3. There is a runner on first (Leo Jiménez) and Javier Sanoja hits a double down the left field line that left fielder Jose Siri grabs. Known for his aggressive sends, third base coach Blake Lalli goes for the tie and waves Jiménez home. Instead, Jiménez gets thrown out and the game is over. "Good with the send there," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. "It took a really nice throw from a guy running a long way for it to pick it up there, and tough angle to make that throw home going back across. I love the aggressiveness by Blake and really have since he's been our third base coach. I think he does a great job of balancing aggressiveness in there. Two outs and a chance to tie it up, so all good with me." This is the second time in a week that the Marlins have ended a game by making an out on the bases. On Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves, with two outs in the top of the ninth, the Marlins went for a double steal, resulting in Jakob Marsee being thrown out at third. In a lower leverage but still significant moment during Friday's game, the Marlins had Esteury Ruiz running on contact from third base with no outs in the bottom of the third. He was thrown out as well and Miami didn't score in that inning. According to Baseball-Reference, the Marlins are second in the majors in outs made on the bases with 49 and are now tied for second with 17 outs at home plate. The Marlins out-hit the Angels, 12-6, but they also left 13 runners on base. Going into Friday's game, the Marlins ranked 22nd in wRC+ (98) with runners in scoring position. "I thought we put some good at-bats together," McCullough said. "Was that kind of a game where both sides just missed opportunities. It's not about who gets the most hits in a game—it's about scoring more runs and they did that." Mike Trout, one of the greatest to ever do it, took Marlins starting pitcher Tyler Phillips deep in the top of the first inning, giving the Angels an early 1-0 lead. Phillips would cruise the rest of the way, going four-plus innings and striking out four in the process. In the top of the fifth, Phillips allowed a base hit to catcher Tyler Heineman and with 61 pitches, McCullough made his way to the mound and took Phillips out of the game. Michael Petersen entered in his place and recorded three outs, despite walking Trout. With only a few exceptions, the Marlins have not trusted Phillips to provide length since being converted into a starter. He has only completed six innings twice in 13 starts. "I'd like to fight for it a little bit more, but I am still young in this game and do understand where I stand this year," Phillips said. "Wasn't built up to be a starter out of spring and didn't prepare in the offseason to be a starter. If there is any management there, whatever it is, doesn't matter to me. My goal is to go out there and throw the ball until my manager comes out and takes it from me." The Marlins did take the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when Kyle Stowers knocked in an RBI single driving in Jakob Marsee. Stowers finished with four hits, tying his season-high. Everything went downhill for the Marlins in the top of the seventh inning with Josh Ekness on the mound. He walked Josh Lowe, Tyler Heineman moved Lowe to second on a sac bunt and Wade Meckler grounded out, moving Lowe to third. With a runner on third and two outs, Mike Trout hit a 56.7 mph grounder straight to Ekness, which he bobbled, allowing the ball to get past him and Lowe scored on the error. Florida Atlantic alum Nolan Schanuel took Ekness deep on the second pitch of the next at-bat for a two-run homer, his seventh of the season, giving the Angels a 4-2 lead. With the loss, the Marlins have now dropped four straight games and are a game below .500 at 58-59. Sandy Alcantara will take the mound on Saturday afternoon at 4:10 pm. View the full article