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Wednesday night reminded Marlins fans why they originally fell in love with Agustin Ramirez . The 24-year-old slugger went 2-for-5 in Miami’s 8-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, including an RBI double in the third inning that gave the Marlins the permanent lead. With his usual violent swing with a follow-through that looks like he’s twirling the bat backwards, the ball came off his bat at 110.6 miles per hour, past third baseman Nick Gonzales, and rolled to the left field wall. It was part of an inning that saw the Marlins put up four runs on just two hits, three walks, and a hit-by-pitch. Their eight total walks drawn on Wednesday tied a season high, with the other instance coming at the Washington Nationals in June. Ramirez’s single in the second inning left the bat at 107.8 miles per hour. “We still certainly believe in Augustin,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “He's a good player. He's another one who swings fast and hits the ball hard. We've seen him do things like tonight. So he's certainly very capable, and I think right now we just need contributions from him in as many places as we can get it.” Ramirez, who was brought over as a catcher in a trade with the New York Yankees in 2024 and made his Major League debut in 2025, was sent down to Triple-A Jacksonville in May of this year when his defense was a detriment to the team. To make matters worse, his offense, which was lauded as a plus-plus tool coming up through the minors and his first big league season, was merely average. He only had two home runs in 31 games, and his OPS was just .663. Ramirez was the designated hitter on Wednesday, which has been the norm since being recalled. His only start at catcher in his current Major League stint came on Sunday, and he was pulled after four innings in favor of Joe Mack. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix said after the trade deadline on August 3rd that Ramirez could also see time at first base. Since being called up on August 4th, Ramirez is 5-for-14. The hard-hitting right-hander wasn’t the only one with pop on Wednesday. Already up, 5-2 in the fourth, Griffin Conine hit a solo home run to center field off former Marlin Lake Bachar. It was Conine’s third home run in three games. The 29-year-old was robbed of a home run against Paul Skenes the night prior with a jump at the wall by Bryan Reynolds. He came into Wednesday with a slugging percentage of .577 and a .919 OPS with seven home runs since the All-Star break. Conine said the key lately has been avoiding chasing pitches out of the zone. “I think it's being selective, knowing exactly what I'm looking for,” Conine said. “I think the more time I spend, the more at bats I get, it's like the plan becomes clear of what (the opponent) is trying to do.” Heriberto Hernandez hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning for his team-leading 17th home run of the season. View the full article

Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez are both making strong cases for a major league promotion. Which highly touted outfielder will the Twins call up first? View the full article

Ethan Conrad is the Chicago Cubs’ first-round pick from the 2025 MLB Draft, and we finally have a decent sample size of professional baseball to work with. Now that he’s healthy and back on the diamond, let’s dive into the early impressions of Conrad, who joined the team just over a year ago. Ethan Conrad's Updated Cubs Scouting Report Conrad is Chicago’s No. 4 prospect, per our updated prospect rankings. The 22-year-old Wake Forest alum was the 17th overall pick in last year’s draft, and he brings a well-rounded skillset to the table. Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 220 pounds, his hit and run tools hold the highest grades at 55 apiece. While he has a larger frame, the left-handed hitting outfielder can move, capturing headlines for leading NCAA Division I with 13 triples in his days with Marist. Injuries & Cubs' First-Round History It’s been a little over a year since the former Demon Deacon joined the organization, but a few injuries kept him off the field until he made his debut in June. The outfield prospect had both a torn left labrum and a shoulder dislocation that sidelined him for the majority of his final collegiate season, and a lower-back injury pushed his debut time back as well. The Cubs haven’t had the best luck with first rounders over the past few years. Jordan Wicks (2021) has floated back and forth between the big leagues and Triple-A Iowa, as the southpaw now possesses a 5.72 career ERA in the majors. As for their 2022 first round pick, Cade Horton made a case for National League Rookie of the Year last season. However, the Oklahoma alum is down with a UCL injury that took him out for the year. Matt Shaw was the team’s first round selection in 2023, and he has shown promise on both sides of the baseball through his first two MLB seasons. Cam Smith (2024) is now with the Astros, as the Cubs dealt him in the Kyle Tucker trade last season. This is all to say that there’s pressure on the North Siders to hit with a first round selection. Progress Up To Myrtle Beach Conrad is 30 games into his professional baseball career, and he’s slashing .257/.328/.451 (.779 OPS) over between rookie ball and Low-A Myrtle Beach. The outfielder has five homers, 22 runs batted and 11 extra-base hits, showing the potential to be a potent power bat. He's only managed to steal one base thus far, but he does also have a triple on the season. As he fills out his frame, it’ll be interesting to keep an eye on whether he prioritizes power, speed or can have the best of both worlds. Attacking Early It’s important not to gather too many conclusions from a 30-game sample size, but here are some early takeaways from Conrad’s first real look at Minor League Baseball. For one, he’s jumping on pitches in the zone. Not only does Conrad swing at 75.1% of pitches thrown in the zone (89th percentile), but he’s only whiffing 16.2 percent of the time (92nd percentile). MLB Pipeline describes him as an aggressive hitter who can make up for it with remarkable hand-eye coordination, and so far that has translated to the Low-A level. The Cubs’ rising star also doesn’t strike out a ton, just 20.8 percent of the time. The more he can put the ball in play, the easier it’ll be to justify an attack-oriented approach. Being Picky, Finding Speed Conrad has a long way to go, but seeing him be a little more selective would likely give him more pitches that he can do damage with. The first-year professional walks just 8.9 percent of the time (27th percentile). The more hitters counts he can get into, the greater likelihood he’ll either earn a free pass or see a more appetizing option over the plate. View the full article

On Monday, the Blue Jays fell victim to a bizarre ruling. Because the Jays failed to record a fourth out, Red Sox baserunner Anthony Seigler scored successfully from third base on a fly ball, even though he never tagged up. Most of the players on the field had no idea what was going on. Even John Schneider – who had seen the same ruling 10 years earlier – was confused. I spent 20 minutes explaining it to my wife, and she said she understood, but I wouldn't blame her if she were lying just to make me stop talking. I think part of the confusion stems from the term "fourth out." The actual wording in the Official Baseball Rules is "apparent fourth out," with scare quotes around the latter two words. If the Blue Jays had made the necessary appeal to third base, they wouldn't have been credited with a fourth out. The original third out would no longer count, and the so-called "fourth out" would replace the preceding out as the official third out of the inning. An inning can't have more than three outs. Ever. But it can have more than three strikeouts. Thanks to another quirky entry in the baseball rulebook, a strikeout isn't always an out. If the catcher doesn't catch strike three (and a double play isn't in order), the pitcher is still awarded a K, but the batter isn't necessarily out. He can take off for first, and the base is his if he makes it there safely. So, hearing the words "fourth out" over and over again made me think back to Opening Day, when Jeff Hoffman put on the most Jeff Hoffman performance imaginable. He blew the save. He earned the win. He gave up a home run. And he struck out four batters in one inning of work. Jeff Hoffman Pitches in 4K Hoffman entered in the top of the ninth. The Blue Jays had a 2-1 lead. The top of the A's order was due up. Nick Kurtz, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, led off. Hoffman and Alejandro Kirk caught him looking on Toronto's first challenge of the ABS era. Then Shea Langeliers tied the game with a shot to straightaway center. The next three batters all struck out swinging. Tyler Soderstrom swung over a slider, missing by nearly a foot, but the ball bounced past Kirk, allowing Soderstrom to reach first. Thankfully, Brent Rooker and Jacob Wilson embarrassed themselves just as badly, and the Blue Jays walked it off in the bottom of the ninth. Hoffman is one of only two pitchers to throw a four-strikeout inning this season. The other, unsurprisingly, is Mason Miller. The Padres closer leads NL relievers in strikeouts, while Hoffman, now with the Twins, leads relievers in the AL. Before Hoffman, the last Blue Jay to strike out four batters in an inning was Mike Bolsinger. Don't feel bad, I had to Google him too. The soft-tossing righty pitched 11 games for a mediocre Blue Jays team in 2017. On July 18, Bolsinger threw the final 3.1 frames of a 15-inning loss to the Red Sox. Until he gave up a walk-off home run to Hanley Ramirez, his work was impeccable. He retired the first 11 batters he saw. That included four swinging strikeouts in inning 13: Take away that performance, and Bolsinger only struck out 18% of opponents in his brief tenure with the Jays. Hoffman was striking out batters nearly twice as often. Yet, in these two outings, they were very much alike. They're two of just three pitchers to throw a 4K inning in 50 seasons of Blue Jays baseball. The very first Blue Jay to accomplish the feat was Steve Delabar in 2012. (As one would expect, four-strikeout innings are more common these days than they were in the early years of the Blue Jays' existence.) Delabar would pitch 143 games for Toronto from 2012-15, and his 4K inning came just two weeks into his Blue Jays tenure. On August 13, 2012, Delabar threw the final two frames of an extra-innings win over the White Sox. In the first of those innings, he struck out all four batters he faced: Delabar was excellent in his first two years with the Blue Jays. He earned an All-Star nod in 2013, and later that summer, he threw the first immaculate inning (nine pitches, three strikeouts) in franchise history. From the trade deadline in 2012 through the end of the 2013 campaign, his 128 strikeouts ranked second among AL relievers. Unfortunately, he lost his strikeout stuff in 2014 and struggled through his latter seasons in Toronto. Fittingly, the Blue Jays have only had three pitchers throw a 4K inning, but they have had four such seasons in their history. On September 17, 2024, Luis Frías and Erik Swanson combined to pull off the feat. In what would turn out to be his final big league appearance (to this point), Frías struck out three Rangers batters in the bottom of the eighth... but he also gave up a double, a home run, and three walks. With the bases loaded, Swanson came in to record the final out. The Blue Jays have also been on the receiving end of a trio of 4K innings. The most recent was on April 23, 2021, with Tyler Glasnow on the mound. It took Glasnow nine batters to get those four strikeouts (Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Danny Jansen), and the Blue Jays brought four runs across the plate. Several years earlier, Phil Hughes struck out J.P. Arencibia, Adeiny Hechavarria, Anthony Gose, and Brett Lawrie back-to-back-to-back-to-back on September 20, 2012: On September 3, 1996, the Blue Jays' batters were dealt their very first 4K inning. The Royals' Kevin Appier struck out Ed Sprague, Carlos Delgado, Charlie O'Brien, and Alex Gonzalez in a dominant complete-game victory. Four-strikeout innings aren't as rare (or confusing) as fourth-out situations, but they're one of my favourite statistical quirks. I also think it's pretty darn cool that the Blue Jays have now had one of each in the same season. Now all they need is the ultra-rare four-strike at-bat to complete the "four of something that's usually three" challenge. (Unless that challenge really needs four components...?) View the full article

Box Score SP: Zebby Matthews - 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K (94 pitches, 60 strikes (64% strikes)) Home Runs: None Top 3 WPA: Alan Roden (0.28), Josh Bell (0.17), Victor Caratini (0.12) Win Probability Chart The Twins entered Wednesday afternoon's series finale against the Orioles needing a win in the worst way. After dropping three straight series, Minnesota had to win the finale to avoid another series loss, and an early deficit against Baltimore made that task even more difficult. For a while, it looked like the Orioles were going to make things even more uncomfortable. Zebby Matthews struggled to find his rhythm early, allowing Baltimore to build a 4-1 lead by the third inning while forcing the Twins to work from behind once again. But Minnesota responded immediately, putting together a four-run third inning and shutting down any Orioles’ momentum. The Twins' offense finished with 14 hits, the pitching staff settled down after the early struggles, and Yoendrys Gómez worked out of a ninth-inning jam to secure a 7-5 victory. After another difficult stretch, this was exactly the type of win Minnesota needed. THE TWINS ANSWERED EVERY TIME BALTIMORE SCORED The biggest takeaway from Wednesday's game might’ve been how quickly the Twins responded whenever the Orioles grabbed control. Baltimore opened the scoring in the first inning after Gunnar Henderson walked, Pete Alonso singled and Jackson Holliday reached on a fielder's choice. Minnesota answered immediately in the bottom half, with Trevor Larnach's smart baserunning helping him advance to second on Royce Lewis' deep flyout before Josh Bell brought him home with an RBI single. Then the Orioles struck again. Dylan Beavers launched a three-run homer in the third inning, turning a 1-1 game into a 4-1 Baltimore lead. The pitch was a two-strike curveball that caught too much of the plate, and Beavers didn't miss it. But the Twins didn't let the deficit linger. Lewis started the bottom of the third with a double before Bell singled to put runners on the corners. Kody Clemens followed with an RBI single, Brooks Lee kept the rally going with another hit, and Luke Keaschall brought home Bell with a sacrifice fly. Victor Caratini then tied the game with an RBI single before Alan Roden smoked a ball off the wall in dead-center field, bringing home Lee and giving Minnesota a 5-4 lead. It was a four-run response to Baltimore's three-run inning, and it completely changed the game. THE OFFENSE KEPT POURING IT ON Once the Twins finally grabbed the lead, their offense didn't let up. Minnesota entered the fifth inning with a one-run advantage, but Caratini and Roden quickly put pressure on Baltimore's bullpen. Caratini opened the inning with a long single off the wall in right before Roden followed with a double, putting runners on second and third with nobody out. Trevor Larnach eventually grounded out, but Caratini scored on the play to extend Minnesota's lead to 6-4. Then Lewis came through again. The Twins' shortstop ripped a splitter down the left-field line for his second double of the afternoon, driving in Roden and pushing the lead to 7-4. Bell finished with three hits, while Roden reached base four times and collected two hits. Lee added multiple hits of his own, and the Twins' lineup finished with 14 hits overall. After a tough night at the plate on Tuesday, Minnesota's offense broke out in a major way when it mattered most. ZEBBY MATTHEWS BATTLED THROUGH A ROUGH START Matthews certainly didn't have his best afternoon, but he deserves credit for settling down after a difficult start. The right-hander issued a leadoff walk to Henderson before Alonso singled, immediately putting runners on the corners. Baltimore took the lead on Holliday's fielder's choice, and Matthews needed 22 pitches just to get through the first inning. Things didn't get much easier in the second. Matthews allowed a pair of two-out singles before finally escaping the inning, pushing his pitch count to 43 through two frames. Then came the three-run homer from Beavers in the third, which put Baltimore ahead 4-1 and brought Matthews to 67 pitches. At that point, Minnesota desperately needed him to find a way to settle down. Luckily, he did. Matthews retired Baltimore in order in the fourth after allowing a leadoff walk, inducing a 6-4-3 double play in the process. He then worked a quick 1-2-3 fifth inning, exiting after 94 pitches with the Twins still holding a three-run lead. It wasn't the most efficient outing, and the early command issues put the Twins in a difficult position. But Matthews kept the Orioles from doing any further damage after the third inning, allowing Minnesota's offense to take over. THE BULLPEN SHUT THE DOOR Once the Twins built their three-run lead, their bullpen did exactly what it needed to do. Andrew Morris entered in the sixth and immediately delivered a clean inning, striking out Dylan Beavers and Leody Taveras while getting Christian Encarnacion-Strand on a groundout. Jeff Hoffman followed in the seventh. After striking out Christian Franklin and getting Carlos Narváez to fly out, Hoffman allowed consecutive two-out walks to Henderson and Alonso, bringing Holliday to the plate as the potential tying run. That's when Kody Clemens made one of the biggest plays of the game. Clemens made a spectacular jumping catch at second base, preventing at least one run from scoring and allowing Hoffman to escape the inning without surrendering the lead. AJ Minter then delivered a dominant eighth inning, needing only nine pitches to retire the Orioles. All nine pitches were strikes, and he struck out Encarnacion-Strand to finish the frame. That left the ninth to Gómez. Things got interesting quickly. Taveras launched a leadoff solo homer to right field on the first pitch he saw from Gómez, cutting Minnesota's lead to 7-5. Franklin then worked a walk, putting the tying run on base with nobody out. But Gómez responded. Pinch-hitter Colton Cowser lined a ball directly back at the right-hander, who caught it before doubling Franklin off first base. Henderson then grounded back to Gómez for the final out, securing the win. After allowing Baltimore to repeatedly put pressure on them early, the Twins eventually settled in and took control. Their offense provided the big response every time the Orioles threatened, while the bullpen made sure the late lead held up. It won't erase the frustration of three straight series losses, but Minnesota avoided another series defeat and moved to 60-62 on the season. More importantly, the Twins showed some of the fight that has been missing during their recent struggles. Baltimore landed the first punch, but Minnesota answered every time, and ultimately walked away with a much-needed series-clinching victory. What’s Next? The Twins will travel to Dyersville, Iowa to take on the Phillies in the 2026 Field of Dreams game tomorrow night. Taj Bradley will toe the rubber for the good guys, and he’ll face off against veteran right-hander Aaron Nola. First pitch is set for 6:30 PM on Netflix. Postgame Interviews Coming soon! Bullpen Availability Chart View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. St. Paul Saints (Minnesota Twins): Cubs lead, 1-0 Season Record: 46–66-1 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels): Trash Pandas lead, 1-0 Season Record: 58–51 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers): Loons lead, 1-0 Season Record: 63–42 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Hill City Howlers (Cleveland Guardians): Howlers lead, 1-0 Season Record: 42–65 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 46–66-1 Series Opponent: St. Paul Saints (66-48) Series Standing: Lead, 1-0 Aug. 11: The Iowa Cubs slugged their way to a 6-3 victory over the St. Paul Saints on Tuesday night at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. The Saints took a 1-0 lead in the first before Greg Jones (1-for-3) evened the contest with a solo shot in the third. St. Paul back in front in the fifth but the Cubs took the lead for good with a five-spot in the home half of the inning. Ben Cowles (1-for-3) and Jordan Nwogu (1-for-3) crushed back-to-back solo shots and BJ Murray (1-for-4) launched a three-run blast to make it 6-2. For Nwogu, it was his first-career home run at the Triple-A level. The I-Cubs got five strong innings from starter Jordan Wicks, who allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits to go along with one walk and two strikeouts. Wicks would pick up the win to improve to 2-9 on the season. The Saints added one more run in the seventh but Ethan Roberts and Gabe Klobosits worked scoreless eighth and ninth innings, respectively, to give Iowa the series-opening victory, with Klobosits earning his third save of the season. Jaxon Wiggins worked a scoreless sixth out of the bullpen, walking one and striking out two. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 58–51 Series Opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (57–51) Series Standing: Trail, 1-0 Aug. 11: The Knoxville Smokies fell in their series opener to the Rocket City Trash Pandas, 6-1, on Monday night at Covenant Health Park. Ariel Armas (1-for-4) gave the Smokies the lead with an RBI-double in the second but that would be the only offense in the game for the hosts. The Trash Pandas would take the lead with four runs in the sixth before adding two more in the seventh to go up 6-1, which would go on to be the final score of the ballgame. Knoxville would be held to just five hits on the night, with just one going for extras bases. The Smokies would also go 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, leaving six runners on base. Edward Cabrera, making his first rehab appearance at Knoxville, tossed five no-hit innings, walked just one batter and struck out seven. Daniel Palencia, also making his first rehab appearance with the Smokies, was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs over six batters faced without recording an out. Palencia walked three batters and struck out one. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 63–42 Series Opponent: Great Lakes Loons (60–45) Series Standing: Trail, 1-0 Aug. 11: The South Bend Cubs dropped their series opener at the Great Lakes Loons, 6-3, on Tuesday night at Dow Diamond. Logan Poteet (1-for-4) gave the Cubs the lead in the second with a two-run double and Matt Halbach (2-for-4) made it 3-0 with a solo shot in the third, his ninth of the season. The Loons made it a one-run game with two in the fourth and later made it 3-3 with a run in the sixth. Great Lakes took the lead for good with three runs in the seventh and would keep South Bend off the board the rest of the way. Jostin Florentino got the start on the mound for the Cubs and took no decision. Florentino allowed two runs on four hits over four innings of work, walked three and struck out five. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 42–65 Series Opponent: Hill City Howlers (47–62) Series Standing: Trail, 1-0 Aug. 11: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans opened their series vs. the Hill City Howlers with a 9-4 defeat on Tuesday night at Pelicans Ballpark. Both teams traded runs in the second, with the Pelicans getting their tally via an RBI-single from Corey Nunez (2-for-4). The Howlers broke the contest open with two in the fourth and four more in the fifth to go up 7-1. Hill City added another run in the sixth before Myrtle Beach put three on the board in the eighth. Ethan Conrad (2-for-4) tripled home a pair of runs and Jhoander Irigoyen (2-for-4) singled in another. The visitors would go on to add one more in the ninth to make it 9-4. Edwardo Melendez got the start on the mound for the Pelicans and took no decision. Melendez allowed one run on two hits over three innings of work, walked two and struck out three. Conrad’s two-hit performance extended his career-high hitting streak to five games and now has four-straight multi-hit performances. View the full article

The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed right-handed pitcher Paul Sewald, who was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks earlier in the week. Sewald, a veteran of 10 MLB seasons, has a 6.23 ERA this season. He has 110 major league saves in his career. The righty will join a Blue Jays bullpen that has thrown more innings as a unit than any team in baseball since August 1 and is in need of reinforcements. Sewald is primarily a fastball-slider pitcher. He had a 3.18 ERA entering June 23rd but has allowed 17 earned runs in 14 innings since then. He now gives John Schneider another veteran option with major league experience in the back end of the bullpen. View the full article

Jaxon Wiggins has some of the most electric stuff in the Cubs’ farm system. But is his long-standing command issue finally becoming too big to ignore? View the full article

As we’ve already seen this year, the Twins are taking their time when it comes to calling up their top young players. For most of the season, Twins fans have been clamoring to see some of the organization’s best prospects get their chance in the majors. On Friday, we finally got the opportunity to see one of them. The Twins promoted their No. 3 prospect, shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, and he wasted no time getting acclimated to the big leagues. Culpepper homered in his second major league at-bat against Brewers left-hander Shane Drohan, then reached base three times in his second career game. It was an impressive start to what the Twins hope will be a long and productive MLB career. But even after Culpepper's promotion, there are still two names Twins fans have been waiting all year to see. Twins No. 1 prospect Walker Jenkins and No. 6 prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez are both seemingly right on the verge of a major league call-up, and there are a lot of similarities between the two. They’re both outfielders, and both left-handed outfielders (shocker). They can both play all over the outfield, and both have more than held their own at Triple-A. So, with that in mind, who will we see in the majors first? I think you can make a very compelling case for both players, but if I had to make the bet right now, I’d take Rodriguez. There are a couple of different things working in his favor. For one, he’s two years older than Jenkins and has significantly more experience at the professional level. His career Triple-A OPS is 62 points higher than Jenkins’, giving him another advantage when it comes to evaluating which player is more prepared for the majors right now. He's also out of minor league options, meaning this season is his last chance to get major league reps before the Twins' hand is forced. Assuming they plan on keeping him around beyond this year, it would be wise to let him get his feet wet before he's thrust into a more impactful role. There’s also the fact that Rodriguez is already on the Twins’ 40-man roster. The Twins wouldn’t have to make a corresponding move to add Rodriguez to the active roster; they could select his contract and bring him up whenever they feel he’s ready. And considering how well he’s performed at Triple-A, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to argue that he isn’t. Rodriguez is sporting an outrageous .423 on-base percentage across 84 games with the St. Paul Saints. There are still some legitimate concerns about his ability to consistently make contact, but he draws enough walks to (at least partially) offset those concerns. And there’s no questioning the power. Rodriguez recorded the hardest-hit ball ever by a Twins player when he launched a 117.1 mph home run back in April. Ten days later, he broke his own record by hitting a home run at 118.3 mph. That type of raw power is extremely difficult to find. The biggest question with Rodriguez has always been his ability to stay healthy. He’s dealt with more than his fair share of injuries throughout his career, and he’s actually just returning to St. Paul’s lineup after suffering a UCL tear in his thumb. But he’s healthy now, and if he can stay on the field, his major-league call-up could come very soon. Then there’s Jenkins, who is making an increasingly strong case that he deserves to be in the majors, too. In fact, his recent performance is making it difficult to justify keeping him in St. Paul much longer. Since returning from his AC joint sprain on June 13, Jenkins has been outstanding. Across 158 plate appearances, he’s hitting .326 with a .380 on-base percentage, 20 extra-base hits and six stolen bases in seven attempts. And he’s doing all of that at just 21 years old. At times, Jenkins has looked like a man amongst boys in Triple-A. That’s the type of performance you want to see from a prospect ranked as highly as he is, and when your organization’s No. 1 prospect is performing at that level, there’s only so long you can justify keeping him in the minors. But there are a couple of things working against Jenkins when looking at the bigger picture, and those are ultimately the reasons I’d take Rodriguez to get called up first. For one, Jenkins is not currently on the Twins’ 40-man roster. He doesn’t have to be added until after next season, meaning the Twins would have to create a spot for him if they wanted to bring him up now. That could certainly happen; the Twins could move someone to the 60-day injured list, or they could decide that another player is expendable and remove him from the 40-man roster. But it’s still an additional hurdle that doesn’t exist with Rodriguez. There’s also an interesting wrinkle when it comes to the upcoming CBA negotiations. With uncertainty surrounding the next collective bargaining agreement, there’s at least a chance that the 2027 season could be delayed. That makes the Twins’ decision with Jenkins a little more complicated. If they add him to the 40-man roster this year and there’s a lockout next spring, there’s a possibility that Jenkins could lose valuable development time while sitting on the roster instead of continuing to develop in the minor leagues. That by itself probably isn’t enough to keep him in St. Paul if the Twins believe he’s ready for the majors, but it’s another factor the organization has to consider. In an ideal world, both Rodriguez and Jenkins get called up at some point this season, and the 2027 season plays out normally. That would be the best-case scenario for everyone involved. The Twins would get two of their best young talents into the major league lineup, while Jenkins and Rodriguez would get valuable experience heading into what could be a very important offseason for the organization. But if I had to make the bet on which one we see in Minnesota first, I’m taking Rodriguez. It’s not necessarily because he’s more talented than Jenkins, or even because he’s more deserving of a call-up at this exact moment. It’s because the circumstances surrounding Rodriguez make his path to the majors significantly easier. He’s older, more experienced, already on the 40-man roster and producing at an elite level in Triple-A. Jenkins may very well be the Twins’ top prospect for a reason, and if he keeps hitting like this, it’s going to be awfully difficult to keep him down for much longer. But for now, I think Rodriguez has the clearer path. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox made a change to their pitching staff once more on Wednesday morning, as the team recalled left-hander Alec Gamboa from Worcester (as first reported by the Telegram & Gazette's Tommy Cassell). Gamboa last pitched for Worcester on August 7 and will be able to provide the team with innings out of the bullpen. The left-handed pitcher made his major-league debut this season with Boston and has made seven appearances overall. He's handled 13 innings out of the bullpen, recording one save and allowing just three earned runs while striking out 12 batters. To make room for him on the active roster, the team is expected to designate Seth Martinez for assignment. Martinez pitched in one game for Boston, appearing in the August 11 game against Toronto and tossing one inning while allowing one run on two hits. The Seth Martinez news was first reported by MassLive's Chris Cotillo. This will be the Red Sox fifth transaction for pitching since optioning Greg Weissert to Worcester on August 7. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 60-50 Facing an 8-0 deficit in the fourth, Worcester made a comeback attempt but failed, falling 9-6 to the Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays). The WooSox pitching staff did not help much, but the offense still went 3-for-14 with RISP, showing there were a considerable number of chances to bring in runs. Although he did not bring in any runs, Mickey Gasper did not get out one time in this matchup, going 4-for-4 with a double, three singles, and a walk. After a three-hit performance on Sunday, Kristian Campbell stayed hot with an RBI single to bring in Allan Castro, who also recorded an RBI single of his own. While Franklin Arias and Romy Gonzalez tallied multi-hit days, Mikey Romero brought in three runs for Worcester, a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and a two-run single in the ninth. John Holobetz made his third start for Worcester since his promotion and grinded through his outing. The right-hander had a rough first inning, giving up a three-run bomb, then got out of a massive jam in the second inning. Buffalo slapped three singles to load the bases, then Holobetz punched out the next batter while also drawing a double play to end the inning. He calmed things down the rest of the way but was pulled early due to being on just five days' rest. Standout Performances: Mickey Gasper: 4-for-4, 2B, 2 R, BB Mikey Romero: 1-for-4, 3 RBI Franklin Arias: 2-for-5, 2 R Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 57-51 The Sea Dogs suffered their second double-digit loss in the last three games with a 16-4 defeat to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets). Portland’s pitching staff was not sharp once again; Dalton Rodgers and Cooper Adams gave up an absurd 14 runs combined (three unearned), while Tyler Davis allowed two runs across the plate as well. No matter how well the offense could have played, there was just no chance to win for the Sea Dogs. Nate Baez, Jack Winnay, and Brooks Brannon combined for seven of Portland’s eight hits as a team. Despite his team being down by a substantial number of runs, Brannon did what he does best in the eighth, blasting a two-run bomb. Baez provided the last two runs with an RBI single in the fifth and seventh innings. Standout Performances: Nate Baez: 3-for-4, 2 RBI Brooks Brannon: 2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI Jack Winnay: 2-for-4, 2B, R High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 47-58 The game was suspended in the 5th inning due to inclement weather; the game will be completed on August 12. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 47-60 Salem suffered a walk-off, low-scoring 3-2 defeat to the Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles). It was a nail-biter all game; Skylar King started it off with an RBI single to bring in Josue Brito, who was making his Low-A debut as a 19-year-old from Venezuela. The 7th overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft, Eric Booth Jr., also made his pro debut and tied the game 1-1 with an RBI single. The Shorebirds grounded out to third base while also bringing in the go-ahead run to make it a 2-1 game in the third inning. Louis Andujar tied it up once again at 2-2 in the sixth with an RBI single that brought in Franklin Primera, who tallied the only multi-hit game for Salem. Primera extended his hitting streak to nine games while also extending his on-base streak to 18. Salem’s pitching staff was solid, but the offense did not help them enough. Cole Tolbert pitched through three innings in his start, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks. Cam Padgett made his professional debut for the Red Sox organization after his contract was purchased from the West Virginia Black Bears in the MLB Draft League. The 6’3” right-hander tossed two shutout innings with two strikeouts out of the bullpen, followed by Wuilliams Rodriguez throwing two perfect innings. Yermain Ruiz took the loss after giving up the walk-off single in the ninth inning. View the full article

It's difficult to not write about the Binghamton Rumble Ponies these days. There's so much to cover with this team. There were three discussion topics from their 16-4 drubbing of Portland on Tuesday alone. The first: Binghamton has now won eight in a row, and it is smothering opponents, with a plus-47 run differential (68-21) during the streak.The Rumble Ponies scored four runs in the second inning and seven more in the sixth Tuesday to put the game away. The second: Jefferson Rojas homered for the first time with Binghamton and drove in three runs. He finished a triple shy of the cycle. The organization's biggest trade-deadline acquisition has had three hits in two of his last three games. The third: RJ Gordon put together his third consecutive quality start, and this one might have been the best. He allowed one earned run over seven innings, walked one, struck out seven, and threw 65 of his 95 pitches for strikes. The club isn't close to Eastern League second-half pennant contention. It's six games out of first place at 18-22. But it's playing like a club that can make a huge run in the final month. Elsewhere in the organization: Syracuse hit four home runs as it defeated Jacksonville 6-3. MJ Melendez, Vidal Brujan, Andy Ibáñez and Nick Morabito went deep. Jonah Tong was inefficient in a no-decision. Brooklyn shut out Jersey Shore 4-0. Nicolas Carreno and three relievers combined on a three-hitter. Ronald Hernandez provided the offense with a third-inning grand slam. St. Lucie lost to Jupiter 3-2. Elian Pena hit two solo home runs for the Mets’ offense. Conner Ware took the loss after giving up a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning. DSL Mets Blue lost 9-3 to DSL Rangers Blue in a game shortened to six innings because of rain. Yeremy Reyes had two hits, an RBI and a run scored. DSL Mets Orange lost 9-1 to DSL Giants Black. Dayron Oramas drove in the Mets’ run. New York Mets Transactions No Roster Moves Home Runs Carry Syracuse Past Jacksonville The Mets went deep in four consecutive innings to take command. Melendez hit a solo shot in the fourth to give them a 2-1 lead. Bruján connected on a two-run blast in the fifth for a 4-1 advantage. Ibáñez homered in the sixth to make it 5-1. Morabito led off the seventh with a solo shot to put Syracuse up 6-1. The only Mets run that didn't come via the home run scored when Melendez tripled home Ryan Clifford in the second inning. Tong needed 94 pitches to get through four innings on a night where the gametime temperature was 97 degrees. He allowed just one run on four hits, but he walked four and struck out six. He threw 53 strikes and 41 balls. The run came on a home run in the second inning. That left the Mets' bullpen to get the final 15 outs. Austin Warren struck out the side in a perfect fifth inning, which earned him the win. Matt Turner gave up two runs in 1 1/3 innings. Brian Metoyer got the last two outs of the seventh. Zach Peek recorded six outs for his first Triple-A save. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nick Morabito 4 1 1 1 1 1 Vidal Bruján 5 1 2 2 0 2 Ronny Mauricio 4 0 0 0 0 1 Eric Wagaman 4 0 1 0 0 1 Ryan Clifford 3 1 0 0 1 1 MJ Melendez 4 1 2 2 0 1 Nick Lorusso 3 0 0 0 0 1 Andy Ibáñez 4 1 1 1 0 0 Hayden Senger 4 1 1 0 0 1 Totals 35 6 8 6 2 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonah Tong 4 4 1 1 4 6 1 Austin Warren 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Matt Turner 1 1/3 2 2 2 2 1 1 Brian Metoyer 2/3 1 0 0 0 2 0 Zach Peek 2 1 0 0 0 3 0 Totals 9 8 3 3 6 15 2 Binghamton Piles Up The Runs In Rout Rojas set the offense in motion with his solo homer in the first. Stafura had two hits to go with his HBP. He is slashing .400/.455/.600 in five games with Brooklyn since being acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates for Luke Weaver at the trade deadline. Player AB R H RBI BB K Sammy Stafura 3 1 2 0 0 1 Aidan Smith 4 0 0 0 0 2 John Spikerman 2 1 0 0 2 2 Ronald Hernandez 3 1 1 4 1 0 Trey Snyder 3 0 0 0 1 2 Yonatan Henriquez 4 0 1 0 0 2 Jamari Baylor 2 0 0 0 2 2 Carter Dierdorf 3 0 0 0 1 3 Antonio Jimenez 2 1 1 0 2 0 Totals 26 4 5 4 9 14 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nicolas Carreno 6 3 0 0 3 5 0 Calvin Ziegler 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Gregori Louis 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Parker Carlson 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 9 3 0 0 4 6 0 Peña's Homers Not Enough As Jupiter Strikes Late Peña led off the game with a home run to right field, jumping on a hanging breaking ball. He led off the fifth with a drive to almost the same spot, again off a hanging spinner. The hits exited the bat at 101 and 100 mph, respectively. That's impressive stuff for someone who isn't yet a power guy. Peña has seven homers in 419 plate appearances this season. Will Watson (two scoreless innings) and Candido Cuevas (one scoreless inning) handed Ware a lead to begin the bottom of the fourth. Ware allowed a sacrifice fly in the fifth, but he entered the eighth with a 2-1 lead. He walked the No. 8 hitter to lead off the inning, and the No. 9 hitter followed with a line drive to left that cleared the fence. Ware got the next three hitters out to keep it a one-run game. He allowed three hits, walked one and struck out four in his five innings of work. Ryan Tayman went 3-for-3. Eli Serrano III was 2-for-3 with a walk. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 5 2 3 2 0 1 Aiden Robbins 4 0 0 0 0 3 Eli Serrano III 3 0 2 0 1 1 John Smith III 4 0 0 0 0 1 Ryan Tayman 3 0 3 0 0 0 Kuhio Aloy 3 0 1 0 1 1 Vladi Gomez 4 0 0 0 0 1 Reed Stallman 4 0 0 0 0 1 Kooper Schulte 4 0 0 0 0 2 Totals 34 2 9 2 2 11 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Will Watson 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 Candido Cuevas 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 Conner Ware 5 3 3 3 1 4 1 Totals 8 4 3 3 2 8 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jonah Tong: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: 0-for-3, BB, K Elian Peña: 3-for-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI, K Nick Morabito: 1-for-4, HR, RBI, BB, K Jacob Reimer: 2-for-6, 2 RBI, K Mitch Voit: DNP Jonathan Santucci: DNP Zac Thornton: MLB Chris Suero: 0-for-5, BB, 2 K Will Watson: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K Wandy Asigen: DNP Eli Serrano III: 2-for-3, BB, K Randy Guzman: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Ryan Lambert: DNP Antonio Jimenez: 1-for-2, 2 BB R.J. Gordon: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K Jonathan Pintaro: MLB Marco Vargas: 3-for-6, 3 RBI, K View the full article

When the San Diego Padres acquired starting pitcher Casey Mize from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline, he was part of a pair of moves (in conjunction with Robbie Ray) to stabilize a very fragile rotation for a prospective playoff team. In his first start against the Arizona Diamondbacks back on August 5, though, he was anything but stable. In that first start for the Padres, Mize worked through just 3.1 innings. He allowed nine hits, walked three hitters, and struck out only one on his way to allowing eight runs in a blowout loss against a direct Wild Card competitor. While only one swing found its way over the fence, the Snakes' overall quality of contact provided a big issue for Mize in that debut appearance. It wasn't just that Mize allowed the nine hits. It was what the Diamondbacks' bats were able to create: The Diamondbacks were very active in the zone against Mize, creating their nine hits on 18 batted ball events. The problem lies in the fact that 11 different hitters made hard contact versus Mize, with each of his three most-frequently-used pitches—the four-seam, slider, and splitter—seeing average exit velocities over 90 miles-per-hour. Luckily for both Mize and the Padres, his second start on Monday night went quite a bit better. Against the Milwaukee Brewers in the series opener, Mize worked through six innings. His strikeout number jumped up to six while he scattered five hits and walked only a pair against the team with baseball's best record. While there wasn't a big shift in terms of the usage, the results were far better: Mize's fastball got touched up a decent amount, but he was able to use the slider and splitter more effectively the second time out. It helped that he was up against a team that was a touch less aggressive inside the zone, but his whiff rate graduated from just five percent against Arizona to 17 percent versus Milwaukee. Fewer swings with more effect certainly bodes well for a pitcher trying to bounce back. What was particularly notable was how little changed with the stuff itself. It all boiled down to improved command. Against the Diamondbacks, Mize threw 55 percent of his first pitches for strikes. That number was up to 64 percent in start No. 2. When you're a pitcher working ahead, the entire approach shifts. Mize being able to do so this time out is central to why he was able to find more success. If we want to take it a step further, that first start with the Padres was Mize's first in 10 days. The Tigers had scratched him from a start prior to the trade deadline, leaving a long layoff between his last outing with them against Kansas City (a start which looked eerily similar to Monday's) and that start against Arizona. It doesn't have to be more complicated than that. This most recent iteration of Casey Mize is far closer to the version we should expect to see down the stretch than the one that showed up for his Friars debut last week. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins are in a tricky position as they try to remain on the fringes of the American League playoff race. Every roster decision carries additional weight, especially when it involves a young pitcher who could help the team in multiple roles. Zebby Matthews currently occupies one of the five spots in Minnesota's starting rotation. But there is a growing argument that his best opportunity to help the Twins down the stretch might come in the bullpen. The question isn't necessarily whether Matthews can move to the bullpen. The Twins could make that decision at any point. The bigger question is whether they should make it now. His body might be starting to provide the answer. Matthews Can't Escape His Foot Problems Matthews' ongoing foot issues continue to complicate his season, and there doesn't appear to be an easy solution. After taking the mound to warm up for the sixth inning on Friday, Matthews exited his start when the blister on his right foot began bleeding. It was the same issue that ended his July 4 outing at Yankee Stadium. "That mound in New York was rock-hard because of how hot it was, and he ripped it open," Derek Shelton said. "We're trying to laser it to get it to the point where it's manageable. It's manageable, but the wear and tear of multiple pitches rips it off." The Twins have attempted to find solutions. Matthews is wearing a pitching toe, an application designed to protect the shoe from wearing through as he drags his foot across the dirt. Unfortunately, the problem keeps returning. Matthews summed up his frustration simply: "We keep covering it, and it keeps ripping." That is a difficult problem for a starting pitcher. Matthews has to take the mound every fifth day, leaving very little time for the injury to heal completely. Instead, he has been forced to pitch through it and hope he can make it through his outing. At some point, the Twins have to consider whether repeatedly asking him to pitch every fifth day is doing more harm than good. When Can the Twins Make the Move? The good news for Minnesota is that there are several paths to moving Matthews into the bullpen. The simplest could come when Joe Ryan returns from his glute strain. Ryan's return could open the door for Matthews to transition into a relief role without forcing the Twins to completely reshape their rotation. There are no guarantees Ryan, who reportedly played catch on flat ground earlier this week, will immediately be ready to take on a full workload, but his return would give Minnesota another established starting option. There are other possibilities, too. Minnesota could use Matthews and Connor Prielipp in a piggyback arrangement. One pitcher could handle the first few innings before handing the ball to the other, allowing the Twins to manage both workloads while reducing the pressure on Matthews to consistently complete five or six innings. The Twins could also simply decide that Matthews' stuff plays better in shorter bursts and move him into a traditional relief role. From a roster standpoint, the Twins have options. When Should the Twins Make the Move? This is where things get more complicated. Matthews' arsenal makes a bullpen transition intriguing even without the foot problems. He has been significantly better the first time through a lineup, allowing a .780 OPS, compared to a .854 OPS the second time batters see him. That's not unusual for a young starting pitcher, but it highlights why his stuff could become more dangerous in a relief role. He also has the type of fastball that could benefit from a little extra velocity. Matthews' four-seam fastball averages 95.2 mph. If a move to the bullpen allows him to push that number higher, even by a couple of ticks, it could make his entire arsenal more effective. That could be especially important considering he's allowed a .505 slugging percentage this season. His slider provides another reason to be intrigued. Matthews throws the pitch more than 20% of the time, and it has produced a 34.5% whiff rate. That's the kind of pitch that could become a major weapon when Matthews doesn't have to worry about conserving it for a longer outing. He has used six pitches this season. As a starter, that versatility is valuable. As a reliever, it might be unnecessary. The Twins could ask Matthews to simplify his approach. Throw his best fastball. Throw his best slider. Mix in whatever else is necessary. Attack hitters knowing he doesn't have to face the same lineup three times. That could turn Matthews into a very different pitcher. And potentially a very effective one. Is It Already Too Late? This is where the playoff race enters the equation. The Twins aren't in a position where they can casually sacrifice innings. Every game matters, and the rotation still needs dependable arms. If Ryan returns healthy, the decision becomes easier. If Ryan isn't ready, Minnesota may need Matthews to remain stretched out. If Ryan struggles after returning, the Twins might also decide they can't afford to remove another starting option from the rotation. But the foot injury changes the equation. If Matthews continues to rip open the same injury every time he takes the mound, the Twins need to ask whether keeping him in the rotation is actually helping the team. There is little value in having Matthews available as a starter if he can't consistently get through his outings. A healthy Matthews throwing two or three high-quality innings out of the bullpen could ultimately provide more value than an injured Matthews trying to grind through five innings every fifth day. That might be the most important consideration of all. Minnesota has already had to ask a lot from Matthews this season because of its pitching injuries. Now, with the playoff race tightening and his foot refusing to cooperate, the Twins need to determine whether continuing to use him as a starter is the best for the player and the team. With Matthews scheduled to start today's series finale against Baltimore, we may have a clearer idea of the best path forward. When should the Twins move Zebby Matthews to the bullpen? Is it already too late? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Suffice it to say, this isn't the way anyone associated with the Miami Marlins drew it up a week ago. Not the front office. Not the fans. Certainly not Kyle Stowers , who had really started to look like the hitter that made the All-Star game last season over the past few weeks. No, when the Marlins made the choice to move the seemingly expendable Liam Hicks off the roster at the trade deadline...he really wasn't supposed to be missed. He had only homered twice since June 1st. Griffin Conine, Heriberto Hernandez, and Stowers had all been more productive hitters lately. Joe Mack had firmly established that the Marlins were looking for backup catchers only. In short? Miami was covered on lefty bats, covered on catchers, and covered on thump. The move wasn't popular, but of all the moves that smacked of selling that the Marlins were rumored to be considering, it was seen as the most forgivable amongst the fanbase. Yet in the blink of an eye, or if you prefer, the spasm of a fast-twitch muscle, Kyle Stowers is back on the IL. Which throws the entire Hicks decision tree back under the microscope. From the Marlins perspective, you might have noticed something that I didn't mention Miami having an abundance of, and it probably should have gotten a lot more attention given the fact it's only been a talking point since last November. First basemen. A position so comically overlooked in the offseason that a backup catcher and starting outfielder ended up being major contributors there. And perhaps that last bit is unfair, and the confidence in the ability of Hicks and Stowers to handle the position existed from the jump. At any rate, there is no denying the fact that Miami is now very thin on players with MLB experience at first base. So thin, in fact, that starting Conine there was the first move, despite having only ever played six innings there this season. Beyond Conine, Leo Jimenez and Graham Pauley would appear to be the other options the Marlins are planning on going with for the moment. When two of your solutions each sport a negative WAR on the year, it's a fair bet that's not where the front office wanted to end up. The club is essentially right back to where they were at the beginning of the year, with far more questions than answers at first base. Only now, there is a lot less calendar left to figure those answers out. Of course, that probably feels like a fairly obvious observation. What interests me far more is the level of fan backlash there was in the wake of the Stowers injury. How whatever ire there had been over the Hicks trade was suddenly back, and back tenfold. Because to my mind, that has far more to do with the kind of trade the Marlins made when they sent Hicks to Tampa, rather than the fact he was traded to begin with. If Miami had outright bought at the deadline? Moved Hicks in a deal that brought back either a starting pitcher or a right-handed bat to help this year's MLB roster make a run at the playoffs? If moving Hicks was just the cost of doing business to maximize the roster in the here and now? In that happy scenario, all is basically forgiven. Fan angst would be limited to handwringing over the Marlins being cursed and little more. However, when you sell off a very popular player for yet another prospect package...that's going to leave any organization open to criticism. Especially one with the baggage the Marlins will continue to carry until they are wrapping up their third winning season in a row, with more on the horizon. But that's the fan issue, pure and simple. Again, if someone was going to get traded, Hicks would have been the one voted off the island if Marlins fans were given the voice to do so. Not getting anything back in the return that would help in 2026 though? That's something few fans had contemplated. One night in? So far, so good— Miami is 1-0 without a proven first baseman. No major blunders in the field either. Can that kind of good fortune continue? How much leash the Marlins will give some of those options before turning to some options with much more experience fielding the position professionally if there are struggles? Those questions remain anyone's guess. And the answers could shape the remainder of the season. View the full article

After acquiring A.J. Minter and Jeff Hoffman at the trade deadline, the Twins bullpen has gone from serviceable (since July 1, at least) to good. Where do the newcomers fall in the bullpen hierarchy? View the full article

The concept of the super-sub was popularized about 15 years ago with Ben Zobrist. He was famous for playing across the field; a plug-and-play hitter who could hold his own (or better) across the diamond at almost any position outside of pitcher or catcher proved to be an immensely valuable asset. The Cubs brought the switch-hitting Zobrist in for the 2016 World Series run where he continued to gain fame for this style of play. In an ironic (and often forgotten) twist of fate, it was Zobrist who earned 119 starts at second base, pushing Javier Baez into the "Zobrist" role (he started 25+ games at at least three positions that season). As pitching staffs have expanded and benches have shrunk, this archetype of player is in higher demand than ever. And while teams search for this jack of all trades constantly, it's truly hard to find someone capable of doing it all. Entering 2026, the Cubs had thought they had found their modern day version of this in Matt Shaw; a player drafted as a shortstop, converted to third base in the minors, who would then play across the outfield this season. And through the first few weeks of the year, it certainly looked like they had nailed that. Shaw was looking promising defensively in right field and crushing lefties. However, through a series of wrist sprains, a new challenger to the throne has appeared: Pedro Ramirez. While it would be unfair to say that Ramirez came from nowhere, it's probably important to remember that when the first pitch of the regular season was thrown, no one thought this was going to be the case. He was always an interesting prospect, but starting the year with no experience above Knoxville as a borderline organizational top-10 prospect, it seemed unlikely that people would be clamoring to see him start come August of the same year. Yet here we are. Not only did he absolutely smash the competition in Iowa in under 30 games, he's doing similar things in Chicago. So far against some of the best competition the planet has to offer, the rookie has compiled 124 plate appearances and posted a 117 wRC+ in those plate appearances. Overall, he's managed to add 0.8 fWAR in value; in just 45 games, that is a fairly impressive number. While Ramirez hasn't played as many positions as Ben Zobrist (not yet, anyway) his versatility and flexibility gives the Cubs something important: options. You can reasonably start him at second or third against most pitchers to give Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson (by sliding Hoerner over to short) and Bregman pseudo days offs at the designated hitter position. He's also started games at DH himself—a 117 wRC+ will allow you to do that. The team has been willing to trust the rookie in some fairly tough spots, too; he's earned playing time against pitchers such as Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes in the last few weeks alone. YkJMQnpfWGw0TUFRPT1fQVFGUVZ3VUZVUXNBRDFWWFVnQUhCUVpTQUFCVFd3UUFCMVpSVXdJQUJRY0hDVkJY.mp4 One of the ways he's been able to accrue offensive value is by immediately showing a strong plate approach. We have seen rookies come up and struggle recently, even with hitters who have shown an aptitude for making solid contact (notably Matt Shaw and Moises Ballesteros). Instead, Ramirez has managed to put up a sub-20 K%, a decent 8% walk rate, and an excellent 87% zone-contact rate. This is a strong approach coupled with a lot of contact, and it's an excellent sign for a young talent to grasp that part of the game right away. He's also managed to do so while posting pretty decent exit velocities. That may not sound like a win on paper, but many times players achieve high contact rates by trading weak contact for strikeouts, which lowers their exit velocities. Not so much for Ramirez, who's EV's would rate in the top-half of the league (if he qualified). Ramirez has been valuable across the field, as well, which makes him even more useful. It's one thing to be able to stand at a position with a glove in hand, but it's another to excel at those positions. Many times, "versatility" comes with the drawback of not being particularly strong defensively at any single position and being just "okay" at a lot of them. While he hasn't played a ton of innings (and we're still very much in small sample territory here) he's graded out neutral at second and as a +2 DRS at third. The Cubs value defensive ability as much as any team in the league, so by showing he's not only capable at multiple positions, but that he can maintain continuity and quality, it's almost assuredly helped him gain favor with the organization. Another aspect Ramirez has been strong at: baserunning. Sporting a 76th percentile sprint speed, he's added value when on the basepaths. Not only has he added five stolen bases (without being caught once), he's graded out very favorably by FanGraphs' baserunning metrics; adding 1.2 baserunning runs above average. The more places he can impact the game, the more the team can find places to deploy the youngster. Not everything is perfect, however, and frankly, it would be weird if it was. His xwOBA (.298) is much lower than his actual wOBA (.341). His batted ball data is more "good" than "great." His barrel% is very low, he does chase a decent amount, and his expected slugging of .355 leads a lot to be desired. He's also doing this in fairly curated appearances; he's not starting every day and it goes to assume the times he's getting his name penciled into a lineup are for specific reasons that work to his advantage. One example of this is how he has been utilized mostly against right-handed pitchers; his batted ball data in Iowa was much worse against lefties and the Cubs have made sure that roughly 75% of his plate appearances at the MLB level have come against his stronger side. The good news is that we're still talking about a 22-year-old rookie and that much of this data is just in it's infancy. For example, faster players have a tendency to out-play their xwOBA. We're also far too early in the career of Pedro Ramirez to get too stuck into the expected data. He's just barely over the stabilization point (which would take just sheer luck out of the equation) but as a rookie, we know that these things take a bit of an ebb-and-flow as the player learns and adjusts. He will naturally improve on his expected data as he gets comfortable, learns to pull major-league pitching a bit more, and figures out how the best pitchers on the planet look to attack him. Best of all is that while it would have initially seemed like Pedro Ramirez and Matt Shaw would tread much of the same ground, causing them to be superfluous, there is likely enough differentiation that they both can have prominent roles in 2027. Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki, fixtures of the Cubs' corner outfield spots for the last half-decade (and for Happ, longer than that) are both free agents at years' end. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Cubs to bring back one, but it's unlikely that they bring back both. Either Ramirez or Shaw (or a platoon!) could reasonably be counted upon for a corner spot next year and the other can revert back into the Swiss-Army-knife role due to their versatility. While Moises Ballesteros had entered the 2026 season as the de facto designated hitter, the Cubs' further cleared the runway for both of their versatile infield/outfielders by trading him to the Angels in the Ryan Zeferjahn trade. By moving the left-handed hitting Ballesteros, the Cubs did clear up some overlap in Ramirez and their slugging designated hitter/catcher as both look more useful against the same side of pitching. While it wouldn't be entirely fair to say the Cubs' chose their fighter, it's not a stretch to say they preferred Ramirez thanks to his all-around skillset and versatility. View the full article

It is safe to say that the 2026 season has not gone the Royals’ way. Even though their playoff chances have evaporated, there are still plenty of reasons to keep watching until all 162 games have been played. For the remaining two months of the season, the focus will shift from wins and losses to how players can position themselves entering next season. Below are a few areas that represent opportunities across all parts of the major league roster. Bullpen Tryouts The weakest output for the Royals this season was their bullpen. They ranked last in key metrics such as fWAR (-3.6), expected ERA (4.95), FIP (5.26), and home runs per 9 innings (1.52). They also ranked in the bottom five in ERA (5.65), BABIP (.306), xFIP (4.81), strikeout rate (19.1%), and walk rate (11.2%). The Royals saw many players lose significant time from injuries, including last season’s save leader, Carlos Estévez, and offseason acquisition Nick Mears. Many established relievers such as Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm, who was recently designated for assignment, also saw severe regression. The Royals were most active in repositioning their bullpen before and after the trade deadline with the acquisitions of Nate Pearson, Easton McGee, Carlos Duran, Nolan Hoffman, Connor Thomas, Luke Little, and most recently Craig Kimbrel. Currently, Pearson and Kimbrel are on the major league roster, but the other acquisitions are all currently on the 40-man roster and could all see opportunities before the season is over. With one of the few above-average relievers, John Schreiber, set to leave in free agency this off-season, there are very few spots solidified for next season’s bullpen. Can one of these new acquisitions establish themselves as a viable middle relief or even high-leverage option for 2027? The Future of the Offense The Royals saw the emergence of Jac Caglianone as a permanent fixture in the middle of the order. Caglianone showed off his power most recently with a performance of four extra-base hits. He is slashing .264/.317/.480 with a 118 wRC+ and 1.7 fWAR, which is a vast improvement from his 46 wRC+ and -1.6 fWAR from last season. He has also proven to manager Matt Quatraro that he is capable of hitting every day with improved numbers against left-handed pitching, highlighted by his two-run blast against Tarik Skubal on Monday night. In addition to Caglianone, Bobby Witt Jr. has been performing at near-MVP levels this season with his 5.1 fWAR, ranking 3rd among American League position players. Carter Jensen has also had a strong showing in his first full season in the majors. He ranks seventh among all rookies with 1.9 fWAR. There is still a lot of room for him to grow as a hitter, but he is certainly showing the signs of being able to hold his own on a major league roster while assuming the majority of the innings behind the plate. Salvador Perez has shown his age in 2026 with a slash line of .216/.262/.373, with a 71 wRC+ and -1.2 fWAR, but there is still opportunity to add to his Royals legacy. He has already become the Royals all-time leader in home runs. He also just surpassed 1,800 career hits. Even though he still has one year left on his contract, this season may very well be his last as an everyday contributor in the Royals offense. Fans should take the opportunity to enjoy watching a team legend as his role with the Royals begins to change. What can Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino contribute for the rest of the season? Garcia, along with Witt, Caglianone, and Jensen, represent the core of the Royals offense for the coming years. Injuries have plagued his 2026 after a breakout in 2025. He is likely to begin his rehab assignment soon, but can he show that he can return to last season’s form? Pasquantino has also faced many injuries, but his future with the Royals is less certain than Garcia's, who received a contract extension last off-season. Pasquantino is also expected to begin his rehab assignment soon. He will look to finish the season strong and find his power swing that has been lacking this season. Strong Pitching Performances Injuries have struck the Royals this season, with multiple starters being shut down for the rest of the season to undergo Tommy John surgery. However, the pitchers who have stayed healthy should still have a lot to show with the season wrapping up. Michael Wacha earned his second career All-Star nod this season and leads the team in pitching fWAR at 2.1. Seth Lugo has also brought much-needed stability to the rotation this season. Neither Wacha nor Lugo was traded before the trade deadline last week despite inquiries from multiple teams. Both are in the later stages of their respective careers, but are slated to be leaders at the top of the rotation in 2027. It will be important for both of them to finish the season strong (and avoid injury) to carry into next season, in which the Royals intend to make a push for playoff contention. Noah Cameron has had a decent sophomore season after finishing fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2025. He is currently tied with Wacha with 2.1 fWAR to lead Royals pitchers. He has made a recent turnaround after he started calling his own pitches. During the three-game stretch after his adjustment, he allowed only one run in 23 innings while striking out 24 batters. It will also be important for Cameron to finish the season strong and healthy to help the increasingly thin rotation in 2027. New Callups on Offense Last season, the post-deadline period was highlighted by Jensen’s strong major league debut. His performance at the very least instilled confidence in the organization that Jensen was ready for a bigger role with the Royals going into 2026. This season, there are very few options for the Royals to find a similar late-season contributor this year. Gavin Cross has made improvements this season after an uneven start to his time in the Royals’ organization. A mechanical adjustment in his swing led to him finding his power swing again, where he had a stretch in July in which he had a home run streak of six games. After going unselected in the last Rule-5 draft, Cross had a lot to prove this season. Maybe it is time to see what he can do in the Majors. It is worth calling out that Cross has still not yet been given a spot on the 40-man roster, so a potential promotion will have to see a player exit the roster. Other than Cross, there are not too many other options for the Royals to give a try for the remainder of the season. Matthew Lugo was acquired via waivers in June from the Los Angeles Angels. He has slashed .262/.317/.530 with 11 home runs in 47 games in Omaha. He could be another option for an opportunity before the season comes to a close. View the full article

Twins prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez was activated from the injured list earlier this week and returned to the St. Paul Saints roster after missing more than three months with a thumb injury that required surgery. With less than two months remaining in the season, Rodriguez will look to hit the ground running and make up for lost time. The clock is ticking on his last year in the minors and unfortunately, the Twins have been able to learn very little about the 23-year-old's readiness. Patience is a central aspect of Rodriguez's game. His ability to take pitches and draw walks is almost unparalleled in the professional ranks. It's why has a .425 career on-base percentage in the minors, and a big part of why he's been viewed as one of the better prospects in the game — top 100 entering this year according to Baseball Prospectus (#48), Baseball America (#57) and MLB Pipeline (#74). Twins Daily had him ranked #3 in the Minnesota system, noting that he sported "one of the weirdest, most fascinating offensive profiles in baseball." During his time on the field in 2026, Rodriguez has put that profile on full display, slashing .270/.432/.487 in 34 games spent mostly with the Saints. But the outfielder also missed three months after undergoing surgery for a torn thumb ligament suffered while sliding into first base. It's far from the first time he's dealt with thumb issues in an injury-riddled career, and this latest instance bears extra weight at a time where the Twins really needed to see what they have in Rodriguez. When it comes to their ultra-patient outfield prospect, patience is no longer a luxury the Twins can afford on their end. That's because, as Aaron Gleeman recently covered on his website, Rodriguez will be out of options next spring, meaning the Twins will need to either carry him on the major-league roster or expose him to waivers and lose him. Sometimes in cases like this an extra option year is granted due to time lost on the IL, but Gleeman reports, "a league source with knowledge of the formula used to determine eligibility tells me he wouldn't qualify unless the rules change as part of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement." If that remains true, then the Twin will find themselves in a difficult spot, essentially forced to carry Rodriguez on the active roster out of camp if he's healthy. And if he's on the roster, he's going to need to be starting regularly, in an already-crowded outfield mix that includes Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach (?), Luke Keaschall, Alan Roden, Austin Martin and soon enough, Walker Jenkins. The implications extend well beyond Rodriguez himself. Knowing they'll have little flexibility with him next spring, should the Twins be more motivated to trade Rodriguez this offseason? Or does his situation make it more important to move another outfielder and clear a runway for him? More immediately, should they accelerate his arrival this season, giving him at least a taste of the majors rather than asking him to break camp next year as an untested rookie with no safety net? That last consideration feels especially relevant given Rodriguez's unusual and volatile offensive profile. The huge power and elite patience give him tremendous upside, but the swing-and-miss could also make for a steep adjustment against major-league pitching. There's a plausible version of his future where Rodriguez becomes a middle-of-the-order force, but getting there might require some ugly stretches along the way. We've arrived at just what makes the lack of options so uncomfortable. What happens if the Twins enter next season expecting to contend and Rodriguez is batting .150 at the end of April? They can't simply send him to St. Paul to work through it. They'd either need to keep absorbing the growing pains or risk losing a talented 23-year-old for nothing. Maybe Rodriguez will make the whole issue moot by hitting his way into the Twins' plans over these final weeks, and leaving little doubt next spring. But after years of patiently waiting for his development to unfold, Minnesota is approaching a point where his roster status could start making decisions for them. The Twins need to use the time they have left this year — and the offseason that follows — to make sure they're not caught without a plan when that clock finally runs out. View the full article

Freddy Peralta is in the final year of his contract, and it may be tempting for many to want him to don the blue and yellow yet again. This would not work, and it could prove catastrophic for the future of Milwaukee’s rotation if they tried a move like this. Let’s break down Peralta’s 2026 season, and the three different reasons bringing him back would be a poor decision. This is a two-part article: read the counterpoint here. Building A Strong Reputation Before diving into the reasons Peralta shouldn’t be back with the Crew, it’s important to highlight the portfolio he’s built for himself. For years, he has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. This is someone who has a career record of 75-51, a 3.79 earned run average, and over 1,200 strikeouts in just north of 1,000 innings. Peralta is a two-time All-Star, and the 30-year-old even surpassed 200 strikeouts in three straight seasons from 2023-2025. A Season To Forget Milwaukee traded Peralta to the New York Mets ahead of this season, losing their ace along with a depth arm in Tobias Myers. In exchange, the Crew got utility Jett Williams and right-handed pitcher Brandon Sproat. Since that deal, Peralta has had one of the worst seasons of his big league career. This year, the now Tampa Bay Rays starter is 5-9 with a 5.37 earned run average, striking out 116 hitters over 117 1/3 innings in 23 starts. Peralta’s 1.52 WHIP is 44 points higher than the value he produced last year in his final campaign with the Brewers. The fastball-heavy hurler has been getting hit hard, allowing 19 homers while allowing a batting average of .260 or better on four of his six pitches. No Guarantee He's "Back" Peralta’s walks are up at 9.2 percent (38th percentile), and his below-average strikeout rate of 21.8 percent (43rd percentile) hasn’t been encouraging either. This is somebody who has lost a tick on his fastball velocity, as his primary offering is gliding in at just an average of 94.2 miles per hour, his lowest mark since 2022. There’s no guarantee he returns to his form with the Brewers; The Cubs tried this with Jake Arrieta, who won a Cy Young with the team in 2016 before having some subpar seasons with the Phillies. When he re-joined the northsiders five years later, his earned run average ballooned up to 7.39, almost three full runs higher than a 4.64 mark a pair of years prior. While it’s fun to imagine Peralta magically returning to form as soon as he dawns his old threads, this is someone on the other side of 30 years old who relies on power and is struggling mightily. Innings Inefficiency Even when Peralta was at his best, the former Brewers’ ace has always had a tough time finishing off hitters. The 30-year-old throws a lower-than-average percentage of pitches inside the zone, leading to a pitches per plate appearance rate north of 4.1. This results in those taxing, 100-pitch starts that sometimes just get Peralta through five innings. That’s how bullpens get taxed, even on some of his better days. Holding Down Controllable Talent As it stands, Milwaukee has one of the better rotations in baseball while still developing more up-and-coming arms. Jacob Misiorowski is competing for an NL Cy Young award, Kyle Harrison has been a remarkable secondary option, and other names like Coleman Crow, Logan Henderson, and more could be controllable, affordable arms that should fill out the rotation. Peralta, even after a down year, will demand more revenue per year than most, if not all, of those players right now. With the salary cap looming, combining production with affordability is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, Peralta doesn’t provide that combination. View the full article

In the 2025-2026 offseason, the Brewers traded Freddy Peralta, acquiring pitcher Brandon Sproat and utility player Jett Williams in return. In the 2026 season, the deal has remained even – Sproat has struggled some with Milwaukee, while Williams is missing time with injury at Triple-A Nashville, and Peralta struggled in New York before a late-season trade to the Tampa Bay Rays. This is a two-part article: read the counterpoint here. Peralta is slated to be a free agent this offseason, and due to being traded, the Rays can’t make a qualifying offer. Should the Brewers pursue a reunion with Peralta? It might be the under-the-radar move of the offseason. For starters, Peralta is a known quantity for the Brewers in an area that the team has considered important: How he fits in the clubhouse. There haven’t been any known complaints, and the Brewers and Peralta were on friendly terms when he was dealt. In fact, Peralta was warmly welcomed by Brewers fans and players when the Mets came to Milwaukee for a three-game series– at least before he was pushed into starting the first game of a series. Granted, when the game started, they hung seven runs on Freddy, but that was business – it was nothing personal. Peralta would also fill a major need for the Brewers in 2027 – the need for a reliable inning eater behind Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, and Logan Henderson. At his best, Peralta was a co-ace for the Brewers from 2021-2025. If the Brewers pitching lab can bring him back to that level, Milwaukee goes into 2027 with arguably the best rotation in MLB, which is not a bad thing for October baseball. But even at a slightly lower level, a team that will be wanting to pick up innings to manage the workload for Misiorowski, Harrison, and Henderson, as well as Quinn Priester, who’s recovering from thoracic outlet surgery. In addition, Peralta could slide Brandon Sproat and Robert Gasser to the bullpen, giving the Brewers a couple of options that could soak up more innings while perhaps thriving as high-endurance relievers alongside Shane Drohan, DL Hall, and Chad Patrick. If there is a hiccup, it might be price, but the reunion may actually come a fair bit cheaper than one might think. First, Freddy will be coming off a bit of a down year – and an extended “prove it” deal with Milwaukee could be just what he needs to reset his value. The Brewers could offer $15 million in 2027, and potentially add an enticement in the form of a player option for 2028. In one sense, this could help Milwaukee meet a potential salary floor that has been discussed in the labor negotiations. You’re bringing in one of the more known commodities on the free agent market, one where the relationship has been very good. Milwaukee could benefit, too, getting a second bite at the apple to trade Peralta for yet more of a return after the 2027 season. It’s almost too good to be true, only this could actually happen with very little downside for the Brewers. Fastball Freddy as Milwaukee’s fourth starter in 2027. Who wouldn’t like that sort of reunion? View the full article

It's been a strong season for the Royals' two teams in the Dominican Summer League. As of Tuesday, the Royals' Ventura and Fortuna teams have records of 36-13 and 31-17, respectively. Both teams lead their respective divisions and have the best and 5th-best records in the 51-team DSL, as highlighted by the Raising Royals player development account. The DSL can be a bit of a crapshoot when evaluating prospects. Typically, the prospects are so young that it's difficult to tell how they will fare in the long term. It's quite common for heralded DSL prospects to struggle when they hit the States, whether it's the Complex League or Low-A Columbia. Erick Peña is a prime example of a former top international signing who floundered after moving to affiliated ball. Peña never advanced beyond Low-A Columbia, and he had a career OPS of .575 in 1,022 career at-bats before being released after the 2024 season (though he did break the franchise career home run record in his tenure). The Royals have invested heavily in rebuilding their international scouting department under International Scouting Director Daniel Guerrero, a former Washington Nationals scout who's been in the role since 2023, when JJ Picollo took over the reins from Dayton Moore. As a result of the past three years of Guerrero's work, the Royals have not only brought more intriguing international players into the farm system but have also shown a better track record of development recently. Three players who have particularly been early successes in the Royals DSL program are outfielder Angeibel Gomez and shortstops Jaider Suarez and Warren Calcaño. Two of those three players played in this year's DSL All-Star Game on July 19th and performed well in the showcase event. Hence, let's see what all three players have done this year, and what Royals fans can expect from the trio in 2027 and beyond. Gomez May Be Royals' No. 1 Prospect by Next Spring It seems blasphemous to rank anyone above pitcher Kendry Chourio, especially since Chourio was recently named Midwest Pitcher of the Month for July as an 18-year-old. That said, what the 17-year-old outfielder is doing in the DSL is incredibly impressive. In 43 games and 169 plate appearances, Gomez is hitting .356 with a 1.104 OPS. He has eight home runs, 45 runs scored, 34 RBI, and 13 stolen bases on 15 attempts. He also has an ISO of .281 and a 16% BB%, which is 5.3% higher than his K%. Thus, Gomez is doing well overall as an outfielder in his first professional exposure. He's hitting for average, he's showing discipline at the plate, speed on the basepaths, and plenty of power. In fact, in Tuesday's victory over the Astros, he launched two home runs, the first time in his career that he has accomplished the feat. It's not common to see the power stats that Gomez is producing. Typically, the DSL can be a hitters' league, but due to players' ages and development as well as the park factors, home runs are rare. And yet, not only does Gomez have eight home runs in 43 games, but he is also hitting multiple home runs in games (and against good organizations). What makes Gomez so intriguing as a prospect and different from most DSL prospects, too, is that scouts absolutely love him. He's probably getting more buzz than Chourio did when Chourio was pitching in the DSL a year ago. Here's what Alex Jensen of Prospects Live said about Gomez after the Royals outfield prospect's two-homer game today. It wouldn't be out of the question to see Gomez not just become the Royals' top prospect by Spring Training of next year, but perhaps be a Top-10 prospect in all of baseball. That's how much love he's receiving from scouts due to his tools, profile, makeup, and overall performance in the DSL this season. The Royals lack an outfielder in their system they can build around long-term. It seems like Gomez has come to break that prospect dry spell in the outfield, though it may take 2-3 years. Suarez Proving to Be A Complete Package Suarez was one of the Royals' top international signings a year ago. A shortstop out of Cuba, Kansas City signed him to a $1.7 million signing bonus. He was one of the Royals' most expensive signings from last year's class. That said, it was for good reason, as Suarez impressed international scouts with his tools. While Suarez hasn't produced the power numbers of Gomez, he's been as impressive in nearly every other category. In 37 games and 153 plate appearances with the Royals Fortuna squad, he is hitting .374 with a 1.050 OPS. He has two home runs, 30 runs scored, 19 RBI, and 26 stolen bases on 30 attempts. From a stolen base standpoint, Suarez may have more upside than Gomez. Furthermore, Suarez's plate discipline is solid, like Gomez's, with a BB% of 19% and a K% of 18.3%. The Cuban prospect has also been known for coming through in the clutch in his short tenure with the Fortuna squad. That was illustrated in his walk-off single on June 11th. At 6'1, 180 pounds, it will be interesting to see if Suarez sticks at shortstop. If anything, he may move to the hot corner, especially if he fills out more into his tall frame. That said, many scouts, including Baseball America experts, feel Suarez has 20+ HR upside, which may make a move to third base realistic in the future. Gomez is getting all the attention in the Royals' DSL complex right now, and rightfully so. However, Royals fans shouldn't sleep on Suarez, who could be a Top-100 prospect himself in the near future and a Top-5 prospect in the Royals system by midseason next year, especially if he transitions well to the Complex and/or Low-A Columbia. Calcaño Overcomes Slow Start Originally a Top-20 prospect at Royals Keep, Calcaño fell out of our rankings after a slow start to the DSL season with the Ventura squad. Calcaño was a high-profile signing in 2025, as the Royals inked him to a $2 million signing bonus. In 17 games and 72 plate appearances from June 1st to July 2nd, the 18-year-old shortstop hit .207 with a .645 OPS and a 0.55 BB/K ratio. While the lack of power was to be expected from Calcaño (.086 ISO and zero home runs), he also had a high K% at 27.8%. That's not what Royals fans were hoping for from their heralded 2025 international signing out of the Dominican Republic. Since July 2nd, in 93 plate appearances, he is hitting .328 with a .967 OPS. He has 22 walks to 11 strikeouts, good for a 2.00 BB/K ratio. He also has demonstrated more power during this stretch with one home run and a .150 ISO. Even though the power upside remains tame compared to Gomez and Suarez, it's nice to see him showcase a home run stroke as well as gap-to-gap power (three doubles and two triples since July 2nd). Like Suarez, Calcaño had his own clutch moment, with a walk-off single against the Orioles Black squad. There's a lot more room for projection with Calcaño, and due to his size (6'1, 154 pounds), his profile is closer to Maikel Garcia than Bobby Witt Jr. (who is more comparable to Suarez and Gomez). However, Calcaño profiles as a player who can play all over the infield (and maybe the outfield), and he's a switch-hitter with strong contact ability and plate discipline on both sides of the plate. One thing to keep in mind about Calcaño is that his 2025 season was cut short by a shoulder injury, and it's possible there were lingering effects in his first month in the DSL. Aram Leighton of Just Baseball brought this up in a write-up about Calcaño back in April on Twitter. Even though he isn't in our Top-20 Prospects list anymore, he may be returning to that list soon, though he will likely rank lower than both Suarez and Gomez by the next edition. View the full article

Let’s admit it from the start: missing an entire year because of elbow surgery is rarely the recipe for returning to the major leagues as a more dangerous pitcher. The usual narrative demands that a pitcher come back completely healthy with a rebuilt elbow, throwing as hard as ever, or that he struggles while trying to regain the feel in his fingers. Christian Scott did neither. At 27, the New York Mets' right-hander returned to the mound in 2026 averaging the same 95.5 mph with his four-seam fastball and showing the same 6.9 feet of extension he had during his debut. The radar guns saw no difference. Hitters, however, are feeling it every time they step into the box. How does a starter with the same velocity go from a 4.54 FIP in 2024 to a 3.28 FIP while carrying a strikeout rate approaching 29%? The answer isn’t in his arm. It’s in the sequencing. Rather than chasing velocity, Scott changed the way hitters read his pitches. During his first MLB season, facing Scott was, at times, a fairly simple equation for an established hitter. He threw his four-seam fastball more than 52% of the time. It had good velocity and ride, but without enough late movement—and with such heavy reliance on the pitch—hitters could identify its trajectory and adjust their swings. The result was predictable: opponents produced perfect contact 23% of the time and whiffed on just 21.4% of their swings against the fastball. To survive as a high-level starter after an elbow rehabilitation, Scott needed that same fastball to become dangerous again. To make that happen, he had to change what happened before the ball reached the catcher’s glove. That’s where the metamorphosis of his sweeper comes in. Early in his career, Scott’s slider had horizontal movement but lacked the bite needed to consistently miss bats, with 13.2 inches of horizontal break, below the league average. In 2026, Scott added more than three inches of sweep. His sweeper now moves 16.6 inches toward the glove side, 2.3 inches above the league average, and carries a 113 Stuff+. That change in horizontal break disrupts the hitter’s visual read. When the ball leaves Scott’s hand, the hitter sees a trajectory that appears to be heading into the strike zone, only for the late sweep to pull it outside the bat’s reach. The impact on the field was immediate: the whiff rate on the sweeper jumped from 21.3% to 32.2%, while perfect contact dropped to just 11%. Metric 2024 2026 Horizontal Break 13.2" 16.6" (+2.3" vs. Avg.) Whiff Rate 21.30% 32.20% Perfect Contact % 16.00% 11.00% Stuff+ 110 113 But a sweeper doesn’t work in a vacuum. If a hitter knows there are only two speeds and two planes—a fastball up and a sweeper away—eventually he can sit on one of them. Scott needed a bridge, a pitch that would keep hitters from anticipating the point of contact. That’s why he added the cutter. A pitch he threw only twice in 2024 now accounts for 16.6% of his arsenal, with 226 pitches averaging 89.6 mph. Scott’s cutter isn’t designed to generate strikeouts; its 21.2% whiff rate is modest. Its job is to neutralize. By tightening the pitch toward hitters’ hands, Scott takes away their comfort at the plate. They can’t simply turn toward the outside edge expecting the sweeper or stay back waiting for the fastball, because the cutter breaks their bats in on the handle. It has allowed just 15% perfect contact rate and carries a .283 xwOBA against. This is where the chain of cause and effect closes the loop: the four-seam fastball came back to life without gaining a single mile per hour. Because hitters now have to protect both sides of the plate against two pitches with different horizontal movement, their reactions to Scott’s 95.5 mph fastball have become late. The whiff rate against the fastball climbed from 21.4% to 28.1%. Even more revealing, Baseball Savant’s Bat POV data shows that 57% of swings against his fastball finish below the center of the ball. Hitters are late, underneath the pitch, and either produce harmless fly balls or swing through it at the top of the zone. Scott still has details to clean up. His walk rate has risen to nearly 10.0%, and allowing so much air contact makes him vulnerable when the ball leaves the park at Citi Field, where he has allowed a 39.0% Hard-Hit rate compared with 29.9% on the road. We’re not talking about an established Cy Young contender or a finished product. But the point of baseball isn't waiting for a player to become perfect before trying to understand what he is doing. In the middle of a disastrous season in Queens, after the roster dismantling at the trade deadline, finding certainty on the mound is worth its weight in gold. View the full article

“There’s a different kind of confidence of him going to the plate nowadays." That's what acting Worcester Red Sox manager Iggy Suarez had to say about his star player, Kristian Campbell, when asked about the 24-year-old's recent hot streak. Yes, his 2026 season has been filled with ups and downs. Getting out to a hot start in April, he looked like the player who started 2025 with Boston, only for a prolonged slump to take place across May and June as he dealt with minor injuries and illness. Campbell struggled, hitting just .188/.354/.297 in May before those numbers crashed in June (.148/.270/.180 for the month). At that point, many wondered if Campbell would ever fully recover and be the player the organization invested $60 million into. Then the calendar flipped to July and Campbell took off. “I’ve been working hard on my hitting and trying to get it situated, especially coming back from June. June was super tough, but July made up for it,” Campbell admitted. Appearing in 19 games, he was scorching hot as he hit .379/.507/.552 en route to being named the International League Player of the Month. The summer heat didn't get to Campbell, as he managed to get on base 20 consecutive games until the streak concluded on August 7 where he went 0-for-4 despite having two batted balls with exit velocities above 102 mph. “It’s a part of the game, the ups and downs and learning [how to manage it]. Learning is a big thing for me and it’s part of the process,” Campbell explained prior to the team’s August 8 game against Lehigh Valley. In the game, he would end up finishing 1-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs. “When it comes to seeing different pitching, when it comes to fielding, situational stuff, it’s part of the game. The more I get involved and the more I learn, the better. There’s a lot of baseball to be played and I haven’t played that much but there’s a lot to be played.” He’s starting to hit the ball harder, getting back to the player he was in 2024, and it’s been noticed by those around him on the team. Yet Campbell himself has taken everything one day at a time, working gradually to get back to the majors and help the big-league Red Sox. He noted how he’s gone on hot streaks before, so he's trying not to let his recent success define his process. The converted outfielder didn’t attribute his turnaround to any specific change in his approach, but rather just playing like himself. “Just keep it rolling, man. He’s been putting in a lot of work, and he’s been working tirelessly with Johnny and Getty [hitting coaches Johnny Reina and Rich Gedman]. It’s something that we keep reinforcing, the good at-bats, even pitches that he’s missing are good passes. Just being able to get consistent hard contact, that’s huge,” Suarez said. Of course, Suarez knows a thing or two about the former top prospect; he was able to see Campbell when he first joined the organization, getting to coach him for parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Greenville. After a rough first half this year, Suarez feels that Campbell is closer to being that player who exploded onto the scene in 2024. “That’s how baseball is. He’s getting rewarded right now, just kind of keep that momentum going.” Through 90 games this year, Campbell is starting to resemble a future star once again, especially after his amazing July. Overall, he’s hitting .250/.377/.351 with 16 doubles, five home runs and 38 RBIs. HIs numbers still aren't where anyone would want them to be, but they're slowly improving. Not just the stat line, but his underlying metrics as well. The outfielder is chasing pitches less, down to 24.7% on the year and his whiff percentage is also falling, having gotten back under 30% thanks to his great at-bats in previous week. He's walking at an impressive 15.8% rate, helping to offset a strikeout rate of just under 29% (which he has also improved upon after it passed 30% earlier this summer). And while he's still picky about when he swings, his play this past month has shown he's capable of making that approach work. Most importantly, it seems his quality of contact is back, as he’s been averaging an exit velocity of 90.7 mph along with a hard-hit rate of 53% over his past 15 starts. Keeping that up will fast-track his ticket back to Boston. View the full article

A new week saw the four San Diego Padres affiliates welcome three more draft picks to the fold, with the teams going 2-2. The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas lost to Salt Lake 4-3 on two ninth-inning runs, the Double-A San Antonio Missions jumped on Frisco for a 7-4 win, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps fell late 5-4 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm rallied for an 11-10 win over Inland Empire. Padres Minor-League Transactions El Paso Chihuahuas released RHP Misael Tamarez. C Robbie Lavey assigned to Fort Wayne TinCaps from ACL Padres. SS Dylan Grego assigned to Fort Wayne TinCaps from Lake Elsinore Storm. 2B Joe Tiroly assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres. 1B Chris McHugh assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres. Chihuahuas Fall In Ninth; David Morgan Makes Rehab Appearance Leadoff hitter Dustin Harris was on base three times, including two hits, but the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas gave up a pair of runs in the top of the ninth in a 4-3 loss to the Salt Lake Bees. Padres right-handed reliever David Morgan (left knee inflammation) moved closer to being activated from the 15-day injured list, making his fourth rehab appearance with the Chihuahuas, facing four batters and allowing a hit in a scoreless inning, striking out two. He threw 16 pitches, nine for strikes. Eight of the nine Chihuahuas starting position players had hits, but they only had nine as a team. In addition to Harris having a walk, an RBI and a stolen base, Ethan Salas (Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect) and recently acquired Gage Workman, in his first Chihuahuas game after being sent down over the weekend, had RBIs. Bryce Johnson tripled and scored for the Chihuahuas. Former Chihuahuas player Pablo Reyes went 3-for-3 with a walk and a run scored for the Bees. After Reyes tripled and scored for the Bees in the second, Mason McCoy singled, stole second (his 25th of the season) and came home on Harris' single in the bottom of the third to tie it. The Bees went up 2-1 in the fourth, with the Chihuahuas again tying it up in the sixth on Johnson's leadoff triple and Workman's sacrifice fly. Workman then singled, stole second, went to third on a groundout and scored following a pitching change on Salas' sacrifice fly, his 13th RBI as he begins his third week at Triple-A. Chihuahuas left-handed starter JP Sears went three innings, only giving up a run on one hit and no walks with five strikeouts. Right-hander Alek Jacob gave up the two ninth-inning runs as Reyes had a leadoff single, then a one-out walk, a single to load the bases, a sacrifice fly, a walk to reload the bases and the third walk of the inning to force in the go-ahead run. EP_0811.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Dustin Harris 4 0 2 1 1 0 Bryce Johnson 5 1 1 0 0 1 Gage Workman 3 1 1 1 1 0 Nick Solak 4 0 1 0 0 0 Carlos Rodríguez 1 0 0 0 0 0 Ethan Salas 4 0 1 1 0 0 Will Wagner 4 0 1 0 0 1 Rodolfo Durán 4 0 1 0 0 3 Nick Pratto 3 0 0 0 1 0 Mason McCoy 3 1 1 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR JP Sears 3 1 1 1 0 5 0 Andrew Thurman 3 2 1 1 1 3 1 David Morgan 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Hunter Stratton 1 1 0 0 1 3 0 Alek Jacob 1 2 2 2 3 1 0 Ian Koenig Goes 7 Shutout As Missions' Offense Raps 18 Hits Right-handed starter Ian Koenig tossed seven shutout innings, while Romeo Sanabria and Albert Fabian each had four hits, with Sanabria driving in three and Fabian scoring three times, as the Double-A San Antonio Missions turned back the host Frisco RoughRiders 7-4. The Missions tied their season best with 18 hits, set May 8 vs. Midland. Koenig matched his season high of seven innings, done twice before, giving up five hits and a walk while fanning four. He had a stretch where he retired 12 straight hitters. It took three Missions relievers to finish the job, though, as right-hander Clay Edmondson ran into trouble in the eighth, allowing three runs (one earned) on a hit and two walks, yielding a solo homer. Left-hander Harry Gustin got the final out, allowing a hit, while right-hander Josh Mallitz surrendered a ninth-inning solo homer. Carson Tucker added three hits and scored once, while Tirso Ornelas and Jake Cunningham had two. Sanabria had two doubles among his four hits in his return to Double-A after 21 at Triple-A El Paso. The four hits matched his season high set May 23 vs. Frisco. Fabian's four hits are his season best. Sanabria had a two-run double in the second inning and Luis Verdugo a run-scoring single to make it 3-0. The Missions added single runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh to go up 7-0, with Sanabria getting an RBI double in the sixth and Fabian a run-scoring single in the seventh. Cunningham had an RBI single in the fifth. SA_0811.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker 5 1 3 0 0 1 Tirso Ornelas 5 0 2 0 0 0 Jake Cunningham 3 0 2 1 0 0 Kai Roberts 2 0 0 0 0 1 Braedon Karpathios 4 1 1 0 1 2 Ryan Jackson 4 1 1 0 0 1 Albert Fabian 4 3 4 1 1 0 Romeo Sanabria 5 1 4 3 0 0 Luis Verdugo 4 0 1 2 0 2 Anthony Vilar 4 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ian Koenig 7 5 0 0 1 4 0 Clay Edmondson 2/3 1 3 1 2 0 1 Harry Gustin 1/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Josh Mallitz 1 2 1 1 0 1 1 TinCaps shackled By River Bandits; Ryan Wideman Steals 62nd Three outs away from victory, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps weren't able to even get one as the host Quad Cities River Bandits scored three times in the ninth for the 5-4 walk-off victory. The winning run scored on a wild pitch. The TinCaps were held to just three hits, but did draw six walks. Padres fourth-round draft choice Robbie Lavey, a catcher out of George Washington, made his pro debut by going 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout while serving as the designated hitter. Alex McCoy, Padres Mission's No. 14 prospect, went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, including his Midwest League-leading 27th double. Luke Cantwell followed McCoy's first-inning double with an RBI single, then McCoy followed a Ryan Wideman (Padres Mission's No. 4 prospect) forceout grounder and 62nd stolen base, the second-most in the minors, with a run-scoring single. After McCoy stole his 20th base of the season and Cantwell and Lavey walked to load the bases, Rosman Verdugo hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. The River Bandits scored two in the fifth and then the three in the ninth. TinCaps left-handed starter Luis Gutierrez, in his third start with Fort Wayne and fifth overall as he comes back from a left shoulder injury, went three shutout innings, allowing just one hit and one walk with four strikeouts. Right-handed Kannon Kemp then gave up two runs over five innings on five hits and three walks while striking out two. Right-hander Will Varmette came in for the save to begin the ninth, but gave up a leadoff homer, a walk, a single and a walk-off wild pitch. FW_0811.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 4 0 0 0 1 2 Ryan Wideman 4 1 0 0 0 1 Alex McCoy 4 2 2 2 0 0 Luke Cantwell 3 0 1 1 1 1 Robbie Lavey 3 0 0 0 1 1 Rosman Verdugo 2 0 0 1 0 1 Carlos Rodriguez 4 0 0 0 0 1 Bradley Frye 2 1 0 0 2 1 Kasen Wells 3 0 0 0 1 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Luis Gutierrez 3 1 0 0 1 4 0 Kannon Kemp 5 5 2 2 3 2 0 Will Varmette 0 2 3 1 1 0 1 Joe Tiroly, Chris McHugh Homer In Pro Debuts As Storm Rally Draft picks Joe Tiroly and Chris McHugh homered in their pro debuts, with McHugh's coming in a three-run eighth inning as the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm erased an 8-2 deficit to notch an 11-10 victory over the host Inland Empire 66ers. Tiroly, the seventh-round draft choice out of Virginia, went 2-for-5 and scored two runs, hitting a solo homer down the left-field line with two outs in the top of the fifth inning off right-hander Will Armbruester to pull the Storm within 9-7. McHugh, an 11th-round pick out of North Carolina State, went 3-for-4 and scored twice, going deep to center off right-hander Jean Munoz with one out in the top of the eighth to tie the game 9-9. Qrey Lott also homered for the Storm as he went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Nu'u Contrades, a sixth-round selection who made his pro debut last week, went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, an RBI and a run scored. After going down 9-2 thanks to an eight-run third inning by the 66ers, the Storm scored four runs in the fourth on a two-run double by Truitt Madonna and an RBI single by Contrades that also plated another run thanks to an error by the right fielder. Tiroly's homer in the fifth made it 9-7 and Lott had a sac fly in the sixth to pull the Storm within 9-8. McHugh's one-out homer in the eighth tied it 9-9, Jesmaylin Arias singled and was replaced by pinch-runner Dawson Willis, who stole second and third, then scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Lott singled and Contrades doubled, then Alex Conover, the fourth-round compensation pick who joined the Storm last week, had an RBI groundout. Storm right-handed starter Jesus Castro, Padres Mission's No. 16 prospect, lasted just 2⅔ innings, getting tagged for six runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four. Right-hander Brett Langley earned his third save by going the final 1⅓ hitless innings. LE1_0811.mp4 LE2_0811.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Nu'u Contrades 4 1 2 1 1 1 Alex Conover 5 0 0 1 0 0 Ty Harvey 2 0 0 1 2 1 Jorge Quintana 3 1 0 0 1 0 Joe Tiroly 5 2 2 1 0 2 Jose Verdugo 0 0 0 0 0 0 Truitt Madonna 5 1 1 2 0 2 Chris McHugh 4 2 3 1 0 1 Jesmaylin Arias 4 1 1 0 0 1 Dawson Willis 1 1 0 0 0 0 Qrey Lott 3 2 2 2 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jesus A. Castro 2 2/3 6 6 6 1 4 0 Ryan Reed 1 1/3 3 3 3 2 1 1 Florangel Vasquez 3 2/3 2 1 1 0 5 1 Brandon Langley 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 1-for-4, RBI Kash Mayfield: Traded Miguel Mendez: Traded Ryan Wideman: 0-for-4, R, K Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Jorge Quintana: 0-for-3, R, BB Ty Harvey: 0-for-2, RBI, 2 BB, K Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Tucker Musgrove: DNP Coleman Borthwick: In Arizona Lamar King Jr.: DNP Braedon Karpathios: 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI Truitt Madonna: 1-for-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI, 2 K Jesus Castro: 2⅔ IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, BB, 4 K Garrett Hawkins: DNP Elliot Lascelles: In Arizona Winyer Chourio: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 0-for-2, RBI, K View the full article