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Over five seasons as a member of the Miami Marlins, Martín Prado hit just 22 home runs. His lone extra-innings shot came on this day 10 years ago. After the Marlins scored two runs in the ninth to force extra innings, Prado played the role of hero. His solo home run in the top of the 11th propelled Miami past the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2. Through eight innings at Citizens Bank Park on July 18, 2016, Miami had managed just two hits and was on the short end of a 2-0 score. Looking to close it out, the Phillies turned to right-hander Jeanmar Gómez. Gómez began the night by getting Ichiro Suzuki to ground back to the mound. After a single by J.T. Realmuto, Gómez struck out Prado on just three pitches for the second out. On the very next pitch, Christian Yelich broke up the shutout with an RBI double. Yelich would go to third on a wild pitch as Giancarlo Stanton walked. Marcell Ozuna followed with the game-tying RBI single but pinch runner Yefri Pérez was thrown out at third base to end the threat. With the score now tied 2-2, the contest went to extras. After Fernando Rodney worked a scoreless ninth for the Marlins, both teams left runners in scoring position in the 10th. Lefty Brett Oberholtzer entered the contest for the Phillies in the top of the 11th. Leading off the inning for Miami was Prado. To that point, Prado was 0-for-4. After taking two pitches for balls, Prado took Oberholtzer’s letter-high fastball over the wall in left field for a no-doubter as the Marlins took their first lead, 3-2. AJ Ramos worked a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up the save. Kyle Barraclough, who worked a scoreless 10th, earned the win for Miami. The late collapse for Philadelphia spoiled a stellar start from Aaron Nola, who allowed just two hits in six shutout innings. It also got Miami starter José Fernández off the hook for the loss. Fernández allowed just two runs on four hits in 6 ⅓ innings while tying a career-high with 14 strikeouts. Maikel Franco got the scoring started for the Phillies with an RBI groundout in the first inning. Tommy Joseph took Fernández deep for a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh to cap the Philadelphia scoring. After winning in 11 innings to open the series, the Marlins earned another extra-innings win the following night to clinch the series. As for Prado, only two of his 100 career home runs over 14 years in the big leagues came in extra innings. The last of those came as a member of the Marlins and on this day a decade ago. View the full article

Resuming play following the All-Star break, the full-season San Diego Padres affiliates went 2-1 with a postponement. The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas let one slip away against Sugar Land 5-3, the Double-A San Antonio Missions hung on for a 4-3 win over Corpus Christi, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps were postponed due to poor air quality and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm demolished Ontario 12-0. Padres Minor-League Transactions San Diego Padres sent RHP Jeremiah Estrada on a rehab assignment to ACL Padres. San Diego Padres optioned C Rodolfo Durán to El Paso Chihuahuas. Lake Elsinore Storm sent C Ty Harvey on a rehab assignment to ACL Padres. RHP Landry Jurecka assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres. RHP Cameron Nohos assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres. San Antonio Missions sent LHP Luis Gutierrez on a rehab assignment to ACL Padres. San Antonio Missions placed LHP Omar Cruz on the full-season injured list. RHP Carlos Medina assigned to Fort Wayne TinCaps from Lake Elsinore Storm. RHP Luis German assigned to Fort Wayne TinCaps from ACL Padres. San Diego Padres recalled RHP Jhony Brito from El Paso Chihuahuas. El Paso Chihuahuas released RF Nick Schnell. San Diego Padres sent RHP David Morgan on a rehab assignment to ACL Padres. RHP Victor Lizarraga assigned to ACL Padres from San Antonio Missions. RHP Matthew Watson assigned to San Antonio Missions from Fort Wayne TinCaps and placed on development list. San Antonio Missions activated C Ethan Salas from the temporarily inactive list (Futures Game). San Diego Padres sent RHP Randy Vasquez on a rehab assignment to ACL Padres. Two-Out Error In Ninth On Broken Glove Spells Doom For Chihuahuas A soft chopper turned into a three-run error with two outs in the top of the ninth inning as first baseman Romeo Sanabria failed to catch a toss from the pitcher in the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas' 5-3 loss to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. Right-hander Alek Jacob came on to start the ninth inning for the Chihuahuas, looking for the save. But he gave up a single, a foul out to first, a flyout to right, another single and a hit by pitch to load the bases with two outs. Pascanel Ferreras hit a soft chopper right in front of the plate that Jacob charged, picked up and threw a bit low to Sanabria at first, who saw the ball break through his mitt, then head into foul territory in right field, allowing all three runners on base to score and Ferreras ending up on second. That ruined what had been an otherwise good night for the Chihuahuas. Left-handed starter Jackson Wolf allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits over five innings, walking one and striking out four. The bullpen of right-handers Miguel Cienfuegos, Michael Flynn and Ethan Routzahn combined to allow one hit and one walk with two strikeouts over the next three innings. The two runs came in each of the first two innings as the Space Cowboys grabbed an early lead. But the Chihuahuas came back with a run in the third on a Bryce Johnson walk and Mason McCoy RBI double, then took the lead in the fourth on Nick Solak's leadoff double, Marcos Castanon's one-out RBI double and Blake Hunt's two-out run-scoring single. EP_0717.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Mason McCoy, SS 5 0 1 1 0 1 Dustin Harris, CF 3 0 0 0 1 1 Carlos Rodríguez, LF 4 0 0 0 0 0 Nick Solak, DH 4 1 2 0 0 0 Will Wagner, 2B 4 0 1 0 0 1 Marcos Castañon, 3B 4 1 3 1 0 0 Clay Dungan, 3B 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nick Pratto, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 3 Romeo Sanabria, 1B 0 0 0 0 0 0 Blake Hunt, C 4 0 1 1 0 2 Bryce Johnson, RF 3 1 0 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jackson Wolf 5 3 2 1 1 4 0 Miguel Cienfuegos 1 2/3 1 0 0 1 1 0 Michael Flynn 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Ethan Routzahn 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Alek Jacob 1 2 3 0 0 1 0 Kai Roberts' 2-Run HR, Jagger Haynes Lift Missions Kai Roberts' two-run homer broke a seventh-inning tie and left-handed starter Jagger Haynes struck out eight and didn't allow an earned run for six innings in the host Double-A San Antonio Missions' 4-3 victory over the Corpus Christi Hooks, their fourth win in a row. Haynes, Padres Mission's No. 10 prospect, allowed one unearned run on three hits and a walk to go along with his eight punchouts, which tied his season high. Right-hander Josh Mallitz gave up an unearned run in two innings with a pair of strikeouts. The Missions' damage came from their Nos. 8-9-1 hitters as Francisco Acuna had a hit and scored twice from the eight-hole, Roberts also scored twice from the nine-spot and leadoff hitter Carson Tucker had two hits and two RBIs. In the third inning, Acuna doubled and scored one out later on Tucker's single to tie the game 1-1. Roberts walked with two outs in the fifth and, after a pitching change and stealing his 30th base of the season, scored on another Tucker single for a 2-1 lead. The Hooks tied it with a run in the top of the seventh, but Roberts launched his fourth homer of the season, a two-run blast, in the bottom half to put the Chihuahuas up 4-2. The Hooks scored one in the top of the ninth, with right fielder Braedon Karpathios (Padres Mission's No. 9 prospect) throwing out a runner at the plate on the same play to prevent the tying run from scoring. SA_0717.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker, 2B 4 0 2 2 0 1 Ethan Salas, C 4 0 0 0 0 2 Tirso Ornelas, DH 4 0 1 0 0 1 Jake Cunningham, LF 3 0 0 0 1 2 Braedon Karpathios, RF 4 0 1 0 0 0 Ryan Jackson, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 2 Albert Fabian, 1B 3 0 0 0 0 0 Francisco Acuna, SS 2 2 1 0 1 1 Kai Roberts, CF 2 2 1 2 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jagger Haynes 6 3 1 0 1 8 0 Josh Mallitz 2 2 1 0 0 2 0 Sadrac Franco 1/3 0 1 1 3 1 0 Francis Peña 2/3 1 0 0 0 1 0 TinCaps Get An Extra Day Following Postponement Poor air quality in Indiana due to the Canadian wildfires prompted the High-A Fort Wayne TinCap's home game against the Lansing Lugnuts to be postponed. It will be made up Sept. 2 as part of a doubleheader in Michigan. Right-hander Bryan Balzer had been scheduled to pitch Friday, with left-hander Kash Mayfield (Padres Mission's No. 2 prospect) slated to go Saturday. No immediate word on pitching plans, but both could go in Saturday's game, with Mayfield likely getting the start. Kruz Schoolcraft Goes 5 Shutout As Storm Surge Early In Rout Left-handed starter Kruz Schoolcraft pitched five scoreless innings and Jose Verdugo went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored as the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm crushed the Ontario Tower Buzzers 12-0. The Storm scored six runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back. Schoolcraft, Padres Mission's No. 5 prospect, allowed just three hits while walking three and punching out six. This was his first scoreless outing since May 15, the only other game he didn't allow a run in his 16 starts this season. It was another strong outing after Schoolcraft allowed one run in 5⅓ innings last week. Dawson Willis had a pair of triples, scored three runs and had an RBI, Yoiber Ocopio had a two-run double in the big first inning and Bradley Frye walked twice and scored twice with an RBI. After Schoolcraft, the bullpen continued to shut down the Tower Buzzers. Big right-hander Cameron Nohos, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound undrafted free agent last year, made his first Storm appearance after being promoted from the Arizona Complex League before the game. Nohos, who made three appearances for the Storm at the end of 2025, struck out two, walked one and allowed a hit in a scoreless inning. He had 58 strikeouts in 37⅔ innings in the ACL over 12 games, including seven starts. Right-hander Rordy Mejia, right-hander Yoesmerli Beltre and left-hander Cal Riehl also pitched scoreless innings, combining for four strikeouts. LE_0717.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Yimy Tovar, DH 4 1 1 1 1 1 Jorge Quintana, SS 5 1 1 1 0 2 Dawson Willis, 1B 4 3 2 1 1 1 Bradley Frye, 3B 3 2 0 1 2 1 Yoiber Ocopio, C 4 2 1 2 0 2 Jose Verdugo, 2B 5 2 3 2 0 0 George Bilecki, RF 3 1 1 0 1 1 Conner Westenburg, CF 5 0 1 1 0 2 Qrey Lott, LF 3 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kruz Schoolcraft 5 3 0 0 3 6 0 Cameron Nohos 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 Rordy Mejia 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Yoesmerli Beltre 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Cal Riehl 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas, C: 0-for-4, 2 K Kash Mayfield, LHP: DNP Miguel Mendez, RHP: DNP Ryan Wideman, CF: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K, W Jorge Quintana, SS: 1-for-5, RBI, 2 K Ty Harvey, C: On injured list (rehab assignment) Kale Fountain, OF: Injured, out for season Braedon Karpathios, OF: 1-for-4 Jagger Haynes, LHP: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K Lamar King Jr., C: DNP Tucker Musgrove, RHP: DNP Truitt Madonna, C: DNP Alex McCoy, OF: DNP Jesus Castro, RHP: DNP Rosman Verdugo, SS: DNP Garrett Hawkins, RHP: DNP Eric Yost, RHP: DNP Michael Salina, RHP: DNP Winyer Chourio, RHP: DNP View the full article

Box Score Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober – 5 ⅓ IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K Home Runs: Ryan Jeffers (8) Top 3 WPA: Ryan Jeffers (.130), Bailey Ober (.090), Tristan Gray (.090) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): Baseball has returned from its break. Even a sport needs a sojourn. The time off offered a reset—the kind of mental and physical break needed as players and coaches and executives gather their senses midway through the seasonal slog. In their foray into action rebooted, the Twins gathered at Wrigley Field to play against the Cubs. Bailey Ober took the mound, his first start in the hallowed grounds. With a shuttered sigh, he walked Pete Crow-Armstrong to start the game. Was anyone surprised when he immediately stole second? Then a second walk. Then an RBI single. Perhaps Ober should have considered himself lucky to escape the frame with just the lone run against him; he coaxed a strikeout from Alex Bregman and a double play off the bat of Ian Happ. The Twins responded with silence. If you choose not to decide, then you still have made a choice, of course. Colin Rea had them under his thumb. Alan Roden challenged a strike three obvious to the blind and dead. But it was a ruse; Minnesota had a plan after all. Luke Keaschall reached on an infield single in the third, and he made third while keeping Tristan Gray safe on a soft chopper with subtle acumen. The grounder found the second baseman, and the second baseman should have found the shortstop on a force play, but Keaschall blocked the line of sight—and slightly deflected the ball with an unruly, flailing arm—and caused the ball to smack Dansby Swanson square in the jaw, bloodying his square jaw. He would be fine. The Cubs lead would not be. Trevor Larnach slashed a single to left to score one. Then Ryan Jeffers swatted a sweeper that caught too much of the plate, sending the offering 369 feet out to left field for a short, yet potent three-run homer. The teams traded zeroes for two frames, with little resistance from either offense. Attempts were stifled. Balls in play found unforgiving gloves. It was a usual seesaw baseball streak; with scoreless innings and defeated hitters trudging back to the dugout after unsuccessful attempts to add on. The score changed but the deficit righted itself, as the Cubs plated a run on a wild pitch in sixth, and the Twins pushed across a run of their own thanks to a Ryan Kreidler pinch-hit single in the seventh. By now, the entering of the bullpens hadn’t changed either side’s fortune; matters were as they stood when the starters roamed the field. Andrew Morris gave way to Yoendrys Gómez and the lead remained true: Minnesota held still as the victors, besting the Cubs with only tepid resistance from the home team lineup. The Twins bullpen held them scoreless, a statement seemingly impossible in games past. Perhaps something has finally changed. Perhaps this iteration of the Twins have finally found themselves. We shall soon see. Post-Game Interview: Coming soon What’s Next? The Twins and Cubs trek back to Wrigley Field on Saturday, with Taj Bradley set to start against Matt Boyd. First pitch arrives at 1:20 PM. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet MON TUE WED THUR FRI TOT Nance 0 0 0 0 25 25 Gómez 0 0 0 0 22 22 Morris 0 0 0 0 14 14 Rogers 0 0 0 0 2 2 Rojas 0 0 0 0 0 0 Go 0 0 0 0 0 0 Adams 0 0 0 0 0 0 Funderburk 0 0 0 0 0 0 View the full article

The San Diego Padres' catching situation is back to full strength. Freddy Fermin was activated off the 10-day injured list just two weeks after sustaining a head contusion. Catcher Rodolfo Duran, who made his MLB debut after 11 seasons in the minors, was sent back to Triple-A El Paso. Fermin was hit in the mask by a foul from Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the July 2 game. While he stayed in the game for a few batters, Fermin was removed during a mound visit by manager Craig Stammen when he showed signs of the injury. This came about 10 days after Fermin returned from the seven-day concussion list. Fermin's two injuries plus Luis Campusano breaking his left big toe in early May and not returning until July 3 tested the Padres' catching depth. That led to Duran making his debut as well as Blake Hunt getting his first taste of MLB action after nine seasons in the minors. Duran at one point was the No. 1 catcher with Hunt his backup. Duran endeared himself to Padres pitchers with his defense and game-calling. However, he only had a slash line of .146/.222/.305 in 35 games, with three homers and eight RBIs. He allowed just 16 stolen bases in 27 chances, a very good caught-stealing rate of 40.7% (the MLB average is 24%). View the full article

Let's take a look at some of the rising prospects across the minor-league affiliates of the Chicago Cubs organization and see how their respective seasons are going. Pitchers Alvin De Leon (DSL Cubs Blue) - De Leon has had a great start to his career, having a 0.00 ERA and a 0.61 WHIP in eight games pitched. In 18 innings on the mound, he has 17 strikeouts and has given up ten strikeouts. Preventing runs is his specialty this season as he has only given up two (none earned) in eight games pitched in the 2026 season. Yoendris Gonzalez (Myrtle Beach Pelicans) - In the ACL and Low-A levels this season, Gonzalez has done good striking batters out as he has 39 of them in 24 innings. For every nine innings, he averages over 14 strikeouts. Gonzalez also knows how to keep the bases empty, having 12 hits and eight walks given up. In 11 games this season, Gonzalez has a 2.25 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. Evan Taylor (Knoxville Smokies) - In Taylor's first full Double-A season, he has done a fair job limiting hits (6.64 H/9) and limiting runs (14 given up, 11 earned). He has 63 strikeouts on the year, he has done a great job gaining punchouts. With 26 games on the hill so far in 2026, Taylor has a 2.43 ERA along with a 1.38 WHIP. Catchers Henniel Alcala (ACL Cubs) - Across Low-A and the ACL this season, Alcala has 18 strikeouts in 70 at-bats, which is a little bit concerning. He has good plate discipline, drawing 12 walks in the 2026 campaign. Alcala has 13 RBIs and 15 runs scored in 22 games. He has played 133 innings behind the plate and 16 innings at first base (two errors on 13 total chances) along with three games started as a designated hitter. With a 0.391 wOBA, he has done a good job getting on base. Casey Opitz (Iowa Cubs) - Although Opitz has only played in 16 games this season, he has done a great job getting hits as he has nine so far. Two things that are concerning are his 37.5 strikeout percentage and the .240 wOBA he currently has. Along with being a catcher for 39 innings this year, he has played first base in 18 other innings, having no errors on 12 total chances. With ten innings pitched this year (yes, you read that right), he has no errors on four total chances along with eleven earned runs and 20 hits given up. Daniel Campos (ACL Cubs) - Campos has caught 21 games and has started 20 of them this season. When he has not been catching, he was a designated hitter where he did that for one game. With a .306 wOBA and nine walks, plate discipline has been very good this season. Striking out is a bit of a concern for Campos this year, having 21 in 71 at-bats (nearly 30%). Infielders Jose Escobar (South Bend Cubs) - Although he is officially listed as an infielder, Escobar has spent more time in left field this season (406.1 innings) while only playing 185.1 at second base. When in the outfield, he has only one error on 78 total chances while he has four errors on 70 total chances. He also has started three games as a designated hitter in 2026. At the plate, he has around 15% of his at-bats being strikeouts (41 K's in 279 at-bats), which is amazing. With 49 RBIs and 35 runs scored this season, he has produced runs and run scoring chances for the Cubs. Escobar has 32 walks and a .402 wOBA, which shows that getting on base has been great. Derniche Valdez (Myrtle Beach Pelicans) - In 72 games this season, Valdez has 83 strikeouts in 285 at-bats, which shows a bit of a concern at the plate. With only 12 walks and a wOBA of .274, the ability to get on base is another struggle in 2026.While playing the infield for 585 innings (286 at third, 299 at short), he has 15 errors (five at third, 10 at short) on 210 total chances (81 at third, 129 at short). When Valdez is not playing games on the field, he is a designated hitter, having started three games there. Fernando Cruz (ACL Cubs) - Cruz has been on fire at the plate in 2026, having nine home runs in 172 at-bats. The only concern of his offense is his strikeout percentage, which is around 41% (71 K's in 172 at-bats). With 43 hits, 24 walks, and a wOBA at .383, he has done a good job with getting on base. On the dirt, he has spent 118.2 innings at second base and 221.1 innings at shortstop. He has two errors on 62 total chances at second base and has eight errors on 100 total chances. Cruz has also spent two games as a designated hitter. He is probably the top prospects for the Chicago Cubs organization at the rookie levels. Outfielders Kane Kepley (South Bend Cubs) - In his first High-A season, this prospect has made a name for himself. Kepley has no errors on 138 total chances (125 in center, 13 in left). He has spent 499 innings played in the outfield this season (448 in center, 51 in left). On offense, he has been a big aspect in run scoring, having 44 RBIs and 88 runs scored in 2026. With 54 strikeouts in 283 total at-bats (just over 19%), 73 hits, 76 walks, and a .403 wOBA, he has done a good job getting on base. His speed also is shown on the base path as he has stolen 41 bases. Eli Lovich (Myrtle Beach Pelicans) - On offense, Lovich has been dominating this season, boasting 8 home runs and 46 walks this season. However, he has 102 strikeouts in 256 at bats (nearly 40%) and a .335 wOBA, which are very concerning. Spending time in all three areas of the outfield (410.2 innings in right, 100.1 innings in left, 8.0 innings in center), he only has two errors (one in left, one in right) on 99 total chances (87 in right, 11 in left, one in center). Lovich has also been a designated hitter for 20 games this season. Alexey Lumpuy (Myrtle Beach Pelicans) - In 457.1 innings in center field and 77 innings in right field, he has no errors on 137 total chances (136 in center, 11 in right). He has spent three games being a designated hitter as well. In 65 games this year. Lumpuy has 37 RBIs and has touched home plate 33 times, showing another prospect contributing to scoring. Although he has a .245 batting average, he has 90 strikeouts in 257 at-bats (35%), which is very concerning. Another concern is his .348 wOBA, but when he does get on base, he can show his speed as he has 35 stolen bases in 2026. View the full article

While the MLB Draft concluded one big piece of work for the San Diego Padres, there was still some immediate work left to do to help their minor-league system. Sign undrafted free agents, something they do pretty well. Two undrafted free agents are currently in Padres Mission's Top 20 prospects in Braedon Karpathios, who went undrafted in 2024, and Alex McCoy, who wasn't picked last summer. As of Thursday, Baseball America had reported that the Padres had signed nine players who were not selected, including two that were in the publication's top 500 draft prospects (there were 613 picked). All but two were out of college, with the others from high school. Leading the way are Mississippi State right-hander Tyler Pitzer and Winthrop outfielder Josh Skowronski. Pritzer (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) is a reliever who spent his first two seasons at South Carolina before transferring to Mississippi State. He struck out 38 in 30 innings over 22 appearances, posting a 3.20 ERA and a .193 opponent average. Pitzer was Baseball America's No. 307 draft prospect. Skowronski is a physical presence at 6-5 and 220 pounds and can play center field. After starting his career at Kentucky, he transferred to Winthrop for the past two seasons. The left-handed hitter slashed .305/.436/.588 with 13 homers and 49 RBIs in 58 games his first year at Winthrop, but followed that up with a .251/.414/.410 year with four homers and 23 RBIs in 55 games this season. Skowronski was Baseball America's 380th-ranked draft prospect. Here are the other seven at this point: Aidan Cochrane, RHP, East Lyme (Conn.) HS Drew Detlefsen, OF, Texas-San Antonio Ryan Gerety, OF, Northeastern Mac Moyer, OF, Nebraska Jack Pineau, RHP, Creighton Logan Satter, RHP Legion Collegiate Academy (S.C.) Andrew Wright, LHP, Cal State Fullerton Moyer has MLB bloodlines as the son of 25-year MLB left-hander Jamie Moyer. All of these players can sign for up to $150,000 without affecting the Padres' draft-bonus pool. None of the Padres' draft picks have signed thus far. View the full article

One somewhat surprising move led to another somewhat surprising move. The Milwaukee Brewers on Friday activated right-handed starter Lance McCullers Jr., who was on the 15-day injured list at the time he was acquired Wednesday from the Houston Astros, and optioned veteran left-handed reliever Jared Koenig to Triple-A Nashville. McCullers had been on the IL since May 19 due to right shoulder inflammation. He had been due to make another rehab start Friday for the Astros' Double-A affiliate before the trade went down. McCullers is not scheduled to start any of the three games this weekend at home against the Miami Marlins. It is possible that he goes in one of the three games against the New York Mets to begin next week. A bullpen role feels unlikely as McCullers has made just three relief appearances since the 2020 season, with all three coming last year. A few days before his first Brewers appearance allows pitching coach Chris Hook to do a little work with McCullers. McCullers made eight starts this year before his IL stint, posting a 5.06 FIP (6.86 ERA) with a poor 12.8% walk rate and just-below-average 25% strikeout rate. Koenig has appeared in six games since returning from the 15-day IL with a sprained left elbow. While his first two outings went as expected, with a scoreless inning each, the final four have not. Koenig has allowed seven runs in 2⅔ innings on seven hits and five walk with two strikeouts. Five of those runs and five of those hits came in his last appearance Sunday in a 14-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in which he did not record an out. Also, infielder-outfielder Greg Jones, who was designated for assignment Sunday and went unclaimed, was outrighted to Triple-A, but chose to become a free agent instead. Players can be outrighted once in their career before having the choice to become a free agent. View the full article

Cole Carlon and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a contract with a $2.4 million bonus, according to a report from MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis. The Jays took the left-hander with the No. 39 overall pick, which came with a slot value of $2,571,700. According to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson, the Blue Jays are expected to use the money they saved on Carlon's underslot bonus to woo No. 131 overall pick Will Brick with an overslot offer. You can read more about Carlon on Jays Centre at this link. You can also follow along with our Blue Jays Draft Tracker as the team comes to terms with more draft picks in the coming days. View the full article

The Miami Marlins made 21 selections earlier this month in the 2026 MLB Draft. They successfully signed all of their draftees last year, but had a much larger bonus pool available to them. On this page, Fish On First will be tracking their efforts to reach deals with their 2026 class. The Marlins have a bonus pool of $11,960,100. They can spend up to 5% above that—a total of $12,558,105—without forfeiting future picks. As of 3:00 p.m. ET on Friday, the Marlins have committed $5,897,500 in bonus pool money. The signing deadline is 5:00 p.m. ET on July 27. Dollar amounts in bold count toward the Marlins' bonus pool. Round 1: SS Jacob Lombard signed for $5 million ($444,900 under slot value) Round 2: LHP Ethan Kleinschmit (slot value: $1,892,500) Competitive Balance Round B: RHP Ryan Peterson signed for $897,500 ($295,100 under slot value) Round 3: SS Cam Kozeal (slot value: $929,700) Round 4: OF Wessley Roberson (slot value: $677,500) Round 5: LHP Trey Beard (slot value: $496,400) Round 6: RHP Cole Selvig (slot value: $380,200) Round 7: SS Eric Guevara (slot value: $299,700) Round 8: 1B Rintaro Sasaki (slot value: $239,200) Round 9: 3B Nic Tolbert (slot value: $210,200) Round 10: RHP Zach Peters (slot value: $197,200) Round 11: RHP Fabio Bundi Round 12: RHP Bane Barker Round 13: RHP Connor Benge Round 14: RHP Tyler Kapa Round 15: RHP Colin Linder Round 16: RHP Porter Buursema Round 17: RHP Duke McCarron Round 18: OF Jatniel McCloud Round 19: RHP Jackson Mitchell Round 20: C Joey Lawson View the full article

The Ebel brothers are officially Milwaukee Brewers teammates. Infielder Trey Ebel, the first-round pick (25th overall) by the Brewers in last weekend's MLB Draft, has signed with the Crew. MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis reported that Ebel signed for $2.8 million. That pick had an assigned slot value of $3,696,000, so the Brewers can use that nearly $900,000 on other picks. Ebel joins brother Brady Ebel, who was the 32nd overall pick in last year's draft and is now at High-A Wilson. Both played together at Corona on the same team as Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Seth Hernandez. The Ebels' father, Dino, is the thrid-base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Brewers also reportedly signed sixth-round selection Ryan Oshinskie, a right-hander out of Brown. Baseball America has Oshinskie signing for $222,500, an underslot deal. His slot value was $333,200. Like his brother, the 17-year-old Trey Ebel worked hard to become a top prospects. He has a good eye for the strike zone and had a career slash line of .345/.453/.596 with 12 homers and 77 RBIs. He walked 39 times, while striking out just 34. The 21-year-old Oshinskie broke out last summer during the Cape Cod League, with a 1.93 ERA and striking out 38 while walking seven. Ebel and Oshinskie are the only signed draft picks thus far. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins officially unveiled their 2027 regular season schedule, providing fans with their first look at next year's road map. While game times and promotions will come later, the schedule already offers several intriguing storylines, including the earliest Opening Day in franchise history, another road opener, and a summer packed with marquee opponents at Target Field. Here's a closer look at what stands out from Minnesota's 2027 schedule. Earliest Opening Day in Twins History The Twins will begin the 2027 season on Thursday, March 25, when they travel to Kauffman Stadium to face the Kansas City Royals. It marks the earliest Opening Day in franchise history, one day earlier than last season's March 26 opener. Minnesota will spend the opening week on the road before returning to Target Field for its home opener on Friday, April 2 against the Tampa Bay Rays. The club will play six games during March, the most the franchise has ever played before the calendar flips to April. It also continues a recent trend, as the Twins will open the season away from Target Field for the fifth consecutive year and for the 14th time in the past 18 seasons. Target Field Loaded with Summer Marquee Matchups Fans won't have to wait long for attractive home series. The Twins will play 16 home games during April, welcoming the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres alongside several American League opponents. Once summer arrives, the home schedule becomes even more appealing. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Minnesota will play 44 of its 81 home games, giving fans plenty of opportunities to catch baseball during the warmest months of the season. Some of the biggest draws coming to Target Field include the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants. The schedule also includes two separate seven-game homestands in June featuring opponents such as the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians. Balanced Schedule Continues Across Baseball Major League Baseball's balanced scheduling format remains in place for 2027, meaning the Twins will once again play every other club in the league. Minnesota will face each of its four American League Central rivals 13 times, splitting home and road games against the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. The interleague schedule brings 24 National League games to Target Field. Home opponents include the Nationals, Padres, Pirates, Mets, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Brewers and Giants. On the road, the Twins will visit the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins. One of the highlights comes during MLB's annual Rivalry Weekend, when Minnesota travels to Milwaukee from July 16-18 before welcoming the Cubs to Target Field the following weekend, July 23-25. Road Trips and September Finish The longest trip away from home comes early in the season. Minnesota's toughest stretch will run from May 28 through June 6, a nine-game, 10-day trip that includes stops in Toronto, Detroit and Atlanta. When September arrives, the Twins will finish the regular season at Target Field. They'll host the San Francisco Giants from Sept. 21-23 before closing the regular season with a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers from Sept. 24-26. Ending the season at home could prove significant if Minnesota finds itself battling for an American League Central title or postseason berth down the stretch. Still Waiting on the Details While the schedule is now official, several pieces of information remain to be announced. Game times, television schedules, promotional nights, giveaways and ticket sale dates will all be released at a later date. Those announcements typically come throughout the offseason as clubs finalize broadcast schedules and promotional calendars. For now, Twins fans can begin planning around an early Opening Day, another full slate against every Major League club and a summer schedule filled with some of baseball's biggest attractions. View the full article

You can listen by downloading us from: iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, GleemanAndTheGeek.com, or by clicking this link, or by watching/listening below. View the full article

Owen and Jesse are back to preview the second half of the Blue Jays season. They begin by breaking down Toronto's All-Star Game performances before discussing the three biggest areas the Blue Jays need to improve if they're going to get back to their winning ways. Next, they make their bold predictions for the second half before wrapping things up with the first-ever Jays Centre Expansion Draft. Looking across the entire organization, each of them builds a 10-player protection list to determine who they'd keep if the Blue Jays were forced to start from scratch. Some of the selections may surprise you. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jays-centre-podcast/id1846108462 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bi7SzfpcqMo5xYWnbCeoL Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-jays-centre-podcast-300304824/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/2qk9wqxd Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayscentre View the full article

Maurice Samuel Mo Vaughn, nicknamed The Hit Dog, played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball. Vaughn made his legacy with the Boston Red Sox, posting all of his best seasons in front of the Fenway Faithful. Vaughn played for the Boston Red Sox, Anaheim Angels, and New York Mets. Like so many others, his time in MLB was derailed by injuries, and he was forced to retire in 2003. View the full article

With the Cubs' bullpen battered by injuries, adding relief help should be a top priority. Alex Lange, Victor Vodnik, and Keaton Winn are three intriguing trade targets who could help stabilize the late innings. View the full article

When Connor Prielipp arrived in the big leagues this season, the conversation was never going to be solely about results. The former second-round pick has long possessed some of the best pure stuff in the Twins organization, but his development path has been defined as much by innings restrictions and injuries as strikeouts and prospect rankings. Now, as Minnesota pushes toward the postseason, the Twins face a challenging question: How do they maximize Prielipp's value while protecting a pitcher who has rarely handled a full professional workload? The answer could have a significant impact on both Prielipp's long-term future and the Twins' chances of playing deep into October. The Workload Challenge Is Real Prielipp is currently on the 15-day injured list with a blister on his left middle finger, an issue that has surfaced before during his professional career. Before landing on the IL, Prielipp started against Cleveland and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out six over five innings. Through his first 13 major-league starts, he has posted a 5.00 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 71 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings. While the ERA may not jump off the page, his 3.90 FIP and underlying metrics suggest he has pitched better than the surface numbers indicate. The blister issue provides a temporary pause, but it also gives Minnesota something valuable: time. Prielipp has already thrown 82 1/3 innings between Triple-A and the major leagues in 2026. That's essentially matching the career-high 82 2/3 innings he logged across the minors last season. Even more remarkable is the fact that from 2020 through 2024, dating back to his senior year of high school, he threw only 58 total innings because of injuries and surgeries. That's why the Twins have approached every outing with caution. “I think any chance that we can give him a day or two, we’ll do that,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “There’s a big difference between monitoring a guy when he comes to the big leagues to be cautious, and then there’s the difference [with] this guy, who has 150 innings since he was a 17-year-old in high school. We have to be very thoughtful of that.” Letting Him Reach 120 Innings Is the Simple Solution The most straightforward path would be allowing Prielipp to remain in the rotation until he reaches roughly 120 innings before shutting him down. From a developmental standpoint, that makes sense. It would represent a significant increase from last year's workload while still keeping him within a manageable range. The Twins have already shown they are willing to carefully monitor his usage. Extra rest days, shorter outings, and strategic scheduling decisions could help stretch those innings further into September. As Shelton explained, there is no universal formula for managing pitchers with limited workloads. “I know there’s no perfect science to it, because if somebody had that figured out, you would always see getting an extra day, always getting two extra days, or you would see shortened starts,” said Shelton. “I don’t think there’s a perfect science. I think it’s kind of monitoring the situation day-to-day. It’s also monitoring where our bullpen’s at going into an off-day. If we’re not, if at the start of our series, so I think there’s a lot of factors.” The problem with the innings-limit approach is timing. If Prielipp continues averaging five to six innings per start after returning from the injured list, he could reach that threshold before the regular season ends. For a rebuilding club, that might be acceptable. For a team chasing a playoff spot, voluntarily removing one of its most talented arms from the roster becomes much harder to justify. The Bullpen Could Offer the Best Compromise That's why a move to the bullpen may ultimately be the most practical solution. With Bailey Ober returning from the IL, Minnesota could shift Prielipp into a multi-inning relief role. This could also allow Mike Paredes to stay in the rotation as the fifth starter. For Prielipp, he could work one to three innings at a time while maintaining a regular workload schedule instead of throwing five or six innings every fifth day. The benefits are significant. First, it would allow the Twins to better control his innings total. A pitcher who might accumulate 30-40 innings over the final two months as a starter could potentially throw half that amount in relief. Second, it would keep him available for the entire season instead of forcing a September shutdown. Third, his stuff could play up even more in shorter outings. Prielipp's secondary pitches have already proven capable of missing bats at the highest level. The curveball he added during the offseason has generated whiffs on 36.3 Whiff%, while his slider continues to be a legitimate weapon (27.7 Whiff%) against both right-handed and left-handed hitters. The next step remains finding more consistency with his fastball. Working in shorter bursts could allow him to attack hitters more aggressively and potentially add a little extra velocity. A bullpen role would also provide valuable postseason experience should Minnesota qualify for October baseball. The Twins Haven't Made a Decision Yet For now, the organization remains in evaluation mode. Prielipp's current IL stint delays the decision and gives the club additional time to assess its pitching depth. The Twins know they must manage his volume carefully, but they haven't yet determined exactly what that will look like over the season's final months. “I wish I had the answer to that,” said Shelton last month. “We will definitely have to monitor the volume regardless of if it’s within starts or throughout the year. I don’t think we’re at the point in the year where we will determine, or we have determined where we’re at with that yet.” The uncertainty is understandable, but the season timeline might force the Twins to make a decision sooner rather than later. Prielipp's health history makes every inning important, but so does his value to a team with postseason aspirations. Finding the Right Balance The Twins always envisioned Prielipp becoming a difference-maker. The challenge has never been talent. It has been availability. This season has finally provided a glimpse of what he can be when healthy. Even with some growing pains, he has missed bats, shown the ability to navigate major-league lineups, and demonstrated why he remains one of the organization's most important young pitchers. Shutting him down entirely once he reaches an innings threshold would certainly be the safest option. It would also remove a potentially impactful arm from the roster during the most important part of the season. A move to the bullpen feels like the better compromise. It allows Minnesota to continue protecting his health while keeping him available for meaningful games down the stretch and, potentially, into October. The Twins don't need to decide today. But as Prielipp inches closer to his workload limit, that decision is coming. And it could become one of the organization's most important roster choices of the second half. What is the best option with Prielipp? Should he continue to start and hit an innings limit or move to the bullpen? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

No one knows how CBA negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA will affect the 2027 season. However, we now know what the schedule will look like, presuming no prolonged work stoppage. The season will begin with one game on Wednesday, March 24. The teams for that game have not yet been announced. Opening Day for the Blue Jays will be Thursday, March 25, 2027, unless they're chosen to play the day before. They will take on the Yankees in a three-game set in the Bronx, before travelling to Baltimore for a series with the Orioles. The home opener is set for Friday, April 2, against the Mariners. The Jays will be home for Canada Day (facing the Angels) before departing on a 10-game road trip heading into the All-Star break. The Midsummer Classic is scheduled for July 13 at Wrigley Field. Finally, the Blue Jays will end their 2027 regular season at home with series against the Yankees and Rays, wrapping up on September 26. You can find their full 2027 schedule here. View the full article

Jack and Spencer react to the Lance McCullers Jr. trade and recap the Brewers' selections in this year's draft. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

The Twins selected TCU right-hander Tommy LaPour with the No. 107 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. In this video, we cover his fastball that sits 95-98 and touches 101, his standout 2025 season, where he posted a 3.09 ERA with 88 strikeouts as TCU's ace, the elbow soreness that limited him to 17 innings in 2026 and dropped him down draft boards, and the starter-versus-bullpen debate around his future. View the full article

Walker Buehler is having a confounding season on the mound, and if the San Diego Padres want to salvage any chance at a playoff run down the stretch, he’s going to have to figure out how to be more consistnet. Fresh off of a brief stint where he flashed signs of his old self in 2025, the veteran right-handed pitcher has struggled mightily. Let’s break down what’s going wrong, and more importantly, if this is fixable. Walker Buehler’s Updated Padres Scouting Report Before fully diving into his struggles this year, it’s important to understand what type of pitcher Buehler is at this point in his career. The 31-year-old Vanderbilt alum was a first-round pick in 2015 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he holds a 62-34 career record with a 3.69 earned run average. The righty has managed to strike out 927 hitters in just about the same amount of innings, but his main issue has been staying on the field. Buehler had a stretch between 2019-2021 where he struck out 200 hitters in back-to-back full seasons (with COVID-19 shortening the 2020 campaign). After 2021, he hasn’t managed to toss 150 innings. In fact, 2019 and 2021 were the only two times the starter has accomplished that feat in his nine-season career. A Magical 2025 (But Short) Run Buehler’s injuries have made him a rather inconsistent rotation piece in the last few years, but he seemed to have turned back the clock in a couple of appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies last year. Buehler logged a 3-0 record, allowing just one earned run over 13.2 innings for a really impressive 0.66 ERA. He struck out just eight hitters while relinquishing six walks, and it was an extremely small sample size, but the signs of him being able to unlock performances reminiscent of his prime were there. Diminishing Velocity In 2026, his numbers have tumbled. Buehler is on pace to break the 150 innings mark for the first time in five years, but his 5.36 ERA and 1.44 WHIP shows that hitters aren’t having nearly the amount of trouble they once did while facing him. The diminishing velocity is the first rung to address. What was once a firm, high-90s four-seam fastball has fallen to an average of 94.0 mph, putting Buehler in the 40th percentile among all MLB pitchers (per Baseball Savant). There are ways to offset this issue, and building a more diversified pitch arsenal is a great way to start. Buehler has explored that route, featuring a mix that now includes the following seven pitches: a cutter, four-seamer, sinker, slider, knuckle curve, changeup and sweeper. He’s had to lean off of the four-seamer, as opposing hitters are collecting a .393 batting average against it. The slider has been his best tool, as he’s allowed just five hits in 42 plate appearances (.122 AVG) that have ended with the pitch. Quality Contact Control Unfortunately for the veteran hurler, the quality of contact has really spiked. Batters are managing a 42.2 percent hard-hit rate (batted balls with an exit velocity of 95 mph or greater), which puts him in the 25th percentile league-wide. The average exit velocity of 90.5 mph (15th percentile) that he's allowing falls right in line, and with below-average whiff and chase rates, he’s been hit around quite a bit in his age-31 season. Silver Lining: Contact Trajectory The silver lining for Buehler is two-fold: he has his varied arsenal, and he’s not allowing opposing hitters to launch the ball on him very often. While he’s allowing hard-hit balls, a lot of them are on the ground, as shown by his 46.3 percent ground ball rate (72nd percentile). His 4.48 expected ERA implies he’s run into his fair share of bad luck, but at this stage of his career, Buehler needs to be a finesse pitcher, keeping hitters off balance and forcing weaker contact. If he combines that with an already remarkable groundball rate, we could see Buehler return to form and serve as a pivotal part in a Padres playoff run. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins are about to return from the All-Star break, and in my eyes, they're set to begin the most important week of their season. They avoided being muscled out of the playoff picture by midseason, but otherwise, nothing has been decided. They've run hot and cold all year, and now find themselves in the mangled middle. Despite the inconsistency, though, the Twins are still very much in the hunt. They're currently tied with Seattle for the final American League Wild Card spot, and they also sit just three games behind both the White Sox and Guardians in the AL Central. As it happens, Cleveland is the team they'll see four times early next week. Before that, however, Minnesota opens the second half with a three-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Chicago has established itself as one of the better teams in the National League, and they look well on their way to a postseason berth. In short, with the seasonal leverage index already cranked up, the Twins have seven games coming up against two playoff-caliber opponents. That stretch is going to tell us a lot about what this team is made of. More importantly, it could legitimately determine what this roster looks like for the rest of the season. The Twins are still in that awkward position where it's difficult to know exactly how they should approach the trade deadline. They're close enough to the playoff picture that buying makes sense, but they're also inconsistent enough that selling isn't out of the question. The next seven games could go a long way toward answering that question. Let's say the Twins stumble to a 2-5 showing against the Cubs and Guardians. That would leave them at 50-54. Even in the best-case scenario (assuming, among other things, both of those wins came against Cleveland), they'd still be at least three games behind the Guardians. Depending on how the rest of the Wild Card race develops, they'd probably find themselves slipping further behind there as well. At that point, the front office would have to ask itself some difficult questions. On the other hand, imagine the Twins stay hot and go 5-2 over the next week. Suddenly, they're 53-51 and right back in the thick of everything. They'd be firmly alive in the Wild Card race and could find themselves right on the heels of the division leaders, or maybe even sitting atop the AL Central. That would completely change the conversation. Winning is one thing. Winning against high-quality competition is another. If the Twins take care of business against the Cubs and Guardians, what kind of message does that send to the front office? To me, it would be a sign that this team deserves reinforcements, especially if they're able to do it without Byron Buxton in the lineup. If the Twins can beat two playoff-caliber teams while missing their best player, I'd have a hard time sitting on the sidelines at the trade deadline. At that point, I'd be looking for pitching help wherever I could find it. Whether that's another starting pitcher, bullpen help, or both, the goal should be maximizing this team's chances to win the division—or, at the very least, lock down a Wild Card spot. The opportunity is there, but the opposite is also true. If the Twins lose both series and struggle against quality competition, that may be the clearest sign yet that they simply aren't on the same level as the league's contenders. If that's the case, selling becomes a much more realistic option. Maybe you move some of your veteran pieces. Players like Kody Clemens, Josh Bell, Trevor Larnach, Ryan Jeffers, and others could all generate interest from contenders looking to add before the deadline. While none of those players would bring back franchise-altering returns on their own, collectively, they could help Minnesota add future value while opening opportunities for younger players. It's not just about where the Twins stand in the race after seven games. It's about what direction the organization chooses over the next couple of weeks. Another thing I'll be watching closely is how the Twins decide to structure their starting rotation. With seven games over the next week, there's an opportunity for two starters to throw twice. Ideally, those two would be Joe Ryan and Taj Bradley. Those are your two best starters, and if you're trying to maximize your chances of winning the biggest week of the season, it makes sense to have your best arms on the mound as often as possible. The complication, of course, is timing. Ryan and Bradley both pitched against the Angels last weekend, with Ryan throwing on Saturday and Bradley following on Sunday. Ryan also made an appearance in Tuesday night's All-Star Game, even if it was only for one inning. That could make it difficult to line everything up exactly the way you'd like. So how do the Twins approach it? In deference to some of those concerns, they elected to start Bailey Ober to open the second half. Bradley will follow him, and Zebby Matthews gets the ball Sunday. Ryan will, presumably, open the Cleveland series; Bradley is positioned to close it. The priority right now should be putting your team in the best position to win. They've done that, while also giving Ryan a bit of time to recover from the whirlwind of All-Star Week and an intense between-starts appearance in the cauldron of Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park. No matter how the rotation shakes out, though, one thing feels certain. This next week of baseball is going to tell us a lot about who the 2026 Minnesota Twins really are. And depending on how it unfolds, it could have a major impact on what this team looks like for the rest of the season. View the full article

To say the Miami Marlins have extracted the most from their pitching to this point would be an understatement. Somehow, someway, despite all the injuries, Miami has made it work to this point. Having two pitchers like Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez certainly helps. Max Meyer's All-Star breakout has been essential, as has Joe Mack emerging as the caliber of catcher that the entire pitching staff can implicitly trust to perform his job. However, it wouldn't be too hard to argue that the most indispensable part of this has been Tyler Phillips. At one point, Miami was down to two healthy starting pitchers. All season long, Phillips has been an absolute weapon, following up on his strong 2025 campaign as well as any Marlins fan could have dared hope for. His ability to actually make the transformation from bulk reliever to starter, after moonlighting as a high-leverage guy, has been a godsend for Miami. As long as his arm remains attached, it would appear that he can do whatever the front office asks him to, and do it well to boot. Yet the time has come for the Marlins front office to replace him. As soon as possible. No, this isn't about the fact that Phillips had the temerity to not be awesome last Sunday afternoon on short rest. Plenty of blame to go around in that loss. You'd be reading this same article whether he had thrown nine perfect innings or given up nine earned runs. Well, alright, maybe the tone would be a little different if he'd thrown a perfecto. Still, you'd be reading something like this. Part of the problem is that, just like Meyer and Perez, Phillips is looking at a massive innings increase from the prior season. If he makes it into the third inning of his next start, he'll have topped his total IP for the entire 2025 campaign. That's a huge workload jump, and for a team looking to compete that is already stretched very thin on pitching, load management is going to be a major issue. Fans have already seen that with Perez being pulled early from an actual bid for perfection and Meyer being both pushed back from his regular start and opting not to participate in the All-Star Game. Most of the issue here is about that thin pitching depth though. The Marlins can't afford to lose Phillips. Really, they can't afford to lose anyone, but Phillips is on the short list of real tragedies. They simply can't lose Phillips. More to the point, they can't afford to lose him again. For if you think about it, the team already did lose him once, removing one of their most effective weapons from the bullpen to press into service as a starting pitcher. Other names in the 'pen have stepped up, sure, but with Anthony Bender out and Peter Fairbanks continuing to be as consistent as the South Florida weather, help is needed. Frankly, as a contender, it would have been needed anyway. Same goes for that starting rotation. If Miami does make the playoffs, they may well only need Alcantara, Perez, and Meyer starting games. But to get there? It's going to take a full staff. Which is why, for me, Phillips is the swing piece in the middle of all this. He can do either job, and do it well. If he keeps starting though? He could be clearing his career high before September. Putting him back in a relief role, or even limiting him to a more traditional opener workload, feels more likely to result in his arm being available all year. However, that absolutely would have Miami shopping for a starting pitcher, and probably two. Either way, it boils down to the Marlins needing a Phillips replacement. That, and the team recognizing that some preventative maintenance is needed in this particular case. All season long they have found a way to plug holes as they come up. That's to their credit, but a healthy Phillips has been key to that. Miami would be wise to take some steps to help ensure their most versatile pitcher stays that way. The only question is which Phillips they are able to replace—the starter or the reliever. View the full article

The facts are the facts. The Minnesota Twins are a legitimate playoff contender. It's weird to read those words about this team. I'm uncomfortable writing them. I'm aware of the flaws. I'm aware the American League is a dumpy little college bar--everyone agrees it sucks and the bathrooms don't work, but the specials are amazing for those who can't afford anything better. (For the purposes of this metaphor, the specials are the Wild Card spots.) This might give you pause. Indeed, it's easy to lapse into Minnesota sports fatalism. It's our reflex position, our muscle memory. They're NOT EVEN .500. In 16 games, they could go 4-12, and Joe Ryan could be a Dodger. Or they could go 10-6, and the Pohlads might say "Uh, we just don't have the money, guys. Sorry about that. We just traded Josh Bell for a Toyota." They're both possible outcomes! But I'm not going to do that. Nor should you. That feeling you're feeling—that I'm feeling, too—is optimism. There is a non-zero chance that this team could make the playoffs. They might even win the division, because if the AL is a dumpy college bar, the AL Central is a dumpy college bar with a kitchen that makes you sick every time you order something that isn't tater tots. And it's in Cleveland, even though you went to school in Moorhead. It's such an unlikely place to land after last year's trade deadline slaughter and the slumbering offseason. None of this should be happening. One of their most critical players is a nepo baby journeyman! You're caught off-guard and don't really know what to do with your hands. Here's what I recommend: Hug this feeling tight to your chest, because you deserve this. You're still following this team, despite ownership not loving it nearly as much as you do. Know going into the next 2-3 weeks that they could break your heart one more time. Accept that, even in the best-case scenario, they'll probably get wiped out in a short, ugly playoff series. But they might not. Think about how wild that is, after all the nonsense you put up with. That's optimism. It doesn't last. It never does. Why not ****ing enjoy it? View the full article

Something that has struck me, as I have listened to David Ross and Anthony Rizzo’s podcast, The Lovable Reunion (where they reminisce with those that were a part of that team), is how inevitable that 2016 Cubs group felt. I feel like I live and die with every pitch of the 2026 Cubs, because I have to. If they lose three or four in a row, that could easily be devastating to their playoff chances. The 2016 team, though, was different. With 103 wins, they finished with the best record in the National League by a full eight wins. They won the division by 17.5 games, and were never less than 6.5 games up on second place during the second half of the season. They started 25-6, for crying out loud—and they didn't follow it up with some 10-game losing skein. All of this is to say, the 2026 Cubs are probably a good baseball team, but the 2016 Cubs were an elite baseball team. How would the 2026 Cubs fare if they faced the 2016 Cubs? With the new baseball simulation tool at FanGraphs, we can figure this out! First, we have to decide on our lineups. I thought we’d simulate one game with lefties on the mound for both teams, and then another with righties on the mound. We’re going to use the Marcel projection system, since it is one of the only systems that will project back in time, which is necessary for the 2016 team. I’ve also disabled home-field advantage. These games are played at Wrigley Field, in theory, where fans are cheering for both teams. Game 1 Lineups 2026 Cubs Pete Crow-Armstrong Seiya Suzuki Alex Bregman Carson Kelly Michael Busch Ian Happ Nico Hoerner Matt Shaw Dansby Swanson Pitchers - Matthew Boyd, Ryan Rolison, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, Daniel Palencia 2016 Cubs Dexter Fowler Kris Bryant Anthony Rizzo Ben Zobrist Addison Russell Willson Contreras Jorge Soler Javier Báez Kyle Schwarber Pitchers - Jon Lester, Carl Edwards Jr., Héctor Rondón, Pedro Strop, Aroldis Chapman Here's how it went down. The 2016 Cubs, of course, win this matchup much more often than the 2026 Cubs. However, I was shocked to discover that they win the matchup 65.3% of the time. On any given day in MLB, it’s hard to find any team that has almost a two-in-three chance of winning. Some of this is probably accounted for by the fact that the league-average hitter in 2016 was better than the league-average hitter in 2026. That was just a better offensive environment, and that might make this slightly unfair—although the difference should be counterbalanced by the easier pitching environment, right? Indeed, the lion's share of the difference, in my opinion—and this won’t shock you—is in the pitching. Cubs hitters this year have a 109 wRC+. The 2016 Cubs had a 106 wRC+. Cubs pitchers in 2016 had an ERA- of 76. That figure is at 104 this year. ERA- is basically wRC+ for pitchers. It’s adjusted for league average and park factors, and 100 is average. Unlike wRC+ (and more like ERA), you want this number to be below 100. In other terms, Cubs pitchers were 24 percent better than league average in 2016. In 2026, they are 4 percent worse than average. The simulation bears this out. The 2016 Cubs crush to the tune of a .274/.353/.465 slash line, while the 2026 Cubs manage a line of just .233/.300/.384. This gives the 2016 Cubs 5.35 average runs scored, and the 2026 Cubs just an average of 3.92. Fun fact: when I first tried this simulation with Shota Imanaga pitching instead of Boyd, I noticed that Kris Bryant projects to hit a home run off of Imanaga in 7.3 percent of plate appearances. That didn’t seem very fair, but it also does bring back a smile, doesn't it? Bryant, especially against a pitcher prone to fly balls anyway, was that kind of lethal in his MVP-winning season. Will the 2026 squad fare any better with right-handed starters? Game 2 Lineups 2026 Cubs Crow-Armstrong Bregman Busch Suzuki Happ Michael Conforto Kelly Hoerner Swanson Pitchers - Ben Brown, Rolison, Milner, Webb, Palencia 2016 Cubs Fowler Schwarber Bryant Rizzo Zobrist Russell Contreras Jason Heyward Báez Pitchers - Kyle Hendricks, Edwards Jr., Rondón, Strop, Chapman It, uh, didn't get any better for the current Men in Blue. Having Brown on the mound instead of Boyd certainly helps the present day iteration of the Cubs. (Alas: we might even be giving the 2026 squad an unfair advantage here. Brown might be out for the year.) The 2016 group hits for a slash line of .266/.346/.443 and scores 4.99 runs per game in this one, over a third of a run less. Having Hendricks on the mound instead of Lester, though, is of no help. The 2026 Cubs hit a paltry .228/.296/.375 and score only 3.77 runs per game. It turns out, the 2016 team still wins this 64.4 percent of the time. Crow-Armstrong does what he can for the 2026 Cubs: he pops a home run in 17 percent of the games in this simulation. That pales in comparison to the middle of the 2016 lineup, though: Schwarber homers in 20 percent of the games, Bryant 21 percent, and Rizzo 19 percent. This brings me all the way back to my original point: the 2016 Cubs were inevitable. The 2026 team has been fun, at times, and frustrating at others. The 2016 team was an unstoppable force. And if these projections are any indication, they would demolish the Cubs that we see playing baseball just 10 years later. If that seems to augur ill for the current club's playoff chances, well, yeah. It does. But it also highlights the historic thunder of that drought-snapping team. View the full article

With the second half of the season kicking off, here's an updated crack at next year’s Opening Day roster. December’s aggressive projection may have gotten a little ahead of itself. Many of the prospects added to that version have performed well, but most are still in Double-A and may not be ready for the Opening Day roster. The new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) may also decrease the number of years that teams have control over players and incentivise the Brewers to delay bringing up some of their top prospects. We know there's uncertainty; that's why this is fun. Catchers (2) William Contreras Jeferson Quero William Contreras represented the Brewers in the All-Star Game and remains one of the top catchers in baseball. The Brewers kept Willy Adames all the way to free agency, and barring a major change in the way the new CBA handles compensation for teams losing top free agents, Contreras seems likely to remain in Milwaukee next season. Quero has turned things around in Triple-A after a slow start to the season, and he should be ready to share time with Contreras next season. V 2.0 changes: None Infielders (6) Andrew Vaughn (1B) Brice Turang (2B) David Hamilton (3B) Cooper Pratt (SS) Joey Ortiz (INF) Andrew Fischer (1B/3B) Brice Turang has fulfilled the breakout that he foreshadowed last August, and is the best all-around second baseman in baseball, despite MLB somehow excluding him from the All-Star team. Other than Turang, the infield is almost a complete rewrite from the December projection. The Brewers have multiple options at every position, possibly pointing to trades at this year’s deadline or over the winter The Brewers faith in Cooper Pratt was much greater than anticipated, and he looks set to hold down shortstop through this season and into next. Hamilton quickly became a Pat Murphy favorite, and his bat has been doing more damage of late. He’s still a bit of a wild card defensively, and will have to get back on the field in good shape after being shelved with a leg injury, but he has a strong toehold. Joey Ortiz remains the best defensive infielder on the team and the backup shortstop. Andrew Fischer has shown a level of power the Brewers haven’t had since Prince Fielder. This projection anticipates Fischer joining the Brewers in September, contributing in the postseason and then earning a spot on the 2027 team, replacing Jake Bauers (who will be a free agent after this season). Jesus Made will probably be ready sometime during 2027, but will he displace Pratt at shortstop or take over third base? Blake Burke or Luke Adams could also have a case to win the first base job, but unless Andrew Vaughn is traded, they will both wait in Triple-A for an opportunity. V 2.0 Changes: Vaughn, Pratt and Hamilton in; Made, Burke and Caleb Durbin out Outfield (5) Jackson Chourio (LF) Garrett Mitchell (CF) Sal Frelick (RF) Luis Lara (OF) Christian Yelich (DH) Garrett Mitchell’s breakout was not baked into the first version of this projection. His health and production have both been welcome surprises. It seemed reasonable to doubt that Mitchell would put a season like this together, since despite having accrued more than three years of service time prior to this season, he's likely to have more plate appearances this year than in the rest of his career combined. Mitchell’s defense has taken a step back this year, and his BABIP is unsustainable, but he is locked into this lineup and helping win games. Chourio was greatly missed after going down just before the season started. Since his return, he has played like an All-Star and the outfield anchor the Brewers envisioned when signing him to a record-breaking extension. Luis Lara was projected to make this roster, and his contract extension and subsequent call-up seem to lock that in. If either Mitchell or Frelick are traded between now and the start of 2027, Lara is already on the roster to fill that role. As it stands, the Brewers have outstanding outfield depth and flexibility. V 2.0 Changes: Mitchell in; Blake Perkins out Starting Pitchers (5) Jacob Misiorowski Kyle Harrison Brandon Sproat Logan Henderson Robert Gasser The Miz has been the best pitcher in baseball this year and is primed to lead the Brewers rotation for the foreseeable future. Harrison and Sproat arrived in trades this year and appear locked into rotation roles. Harrison has been excellent, while Sproat has flashed at times and (importantly) remained available. Henderson continues to be excellent when he is available to pitch and should have a spot in next season’s rotation. The fifth spot feels like a battle between Gasser, Shane Drohan and Chad Patrick. All are solid pitchers, worthy of a rotation spot. Patrick has proved he can excel from the bullpen in both high-leverage and volume roles, while Drohan’s arsenal should set him up to do the same. V 2.0 Changes: Harrison and Sproat in; Quinn Priester and Patrick out Bullpen (8) Trevor Megill Abner Uribe Aaron Ashby Chad Patrick Shane Drohan Craig Yoho DL Hall Colton Gordon The last projection assumed Trevor Megill would be traded either this past winter or in the coming one. However, with the Brewers primed to be in contention for the World Series both this season and next, keeping Megill (along with stars Contreras and Turang) could make more sense than trading him. Ashby appears tired right now, but he is an elite reliever. Patrick and Drohan would be starters for most teams. Here, they provide the Brewers with valuable innings. Yoho has dominated the minors and needs to prove he can consistently throw strikes in the majors, he’s been much better during his most recent call-up. When Hall is healthy and pitching to his ability, he will have a place in this bullpen. Here’s betting the Brewers will turn the newly acquired Gordon into a contributor. The Brewers will have a host of pitchers available in Triple-A for depth, including: Coleman Crow, Grant Anderson, Jared Koenig, Brian Fitzpatrick, Cameron Wagoner and Brett Wichrowski. Eventually, Ángel Zerpa and Priester will rejoin the team, as well. V 2.0 Changes: Patrick, Drohan, Megill and Gordon in; Koenig, Wichrowski, Crow and Myers out View the full article