BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles acquired catcher Jake Rogers from the Detroit Tigers on Thursday for minor league right-hander Zane Barnhart.
The Tigers designated Rogers for ******* ignment earlier in the week, and it wasn't a huge surprise Baltimore was interested. The Orioles' top two catchers — Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo — are on the injured list. They used Sam Huff and Chadwick Tromp as replacements, getting almost no offense from either, before designating Huff for ******* ignment and bringing up Yohel Pozo from Double-A.
Rogers is batting .161 with three home runs and nine RBIs this season. His career average is .197.
Since July 19, Huff, Tromp and Pozo have gone 2 for 35 at the plate for the Orioles.
Barnhart has gone 2-3 with a 4.05 ERA in 31 relief appearances this year for Double-A Chesapeake.

#baltimore #barnhart #double

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning at Tropicana Field on July 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
In the aftermath of a 3-0 win over the Rangers on Wednesday evening, Ryan Vilade said he did not want to face Bryan Baker. The Rays' infielder/outfielder shares a clubhouse with the righthanded closer, so stepping into the batter's box against Baker is not a concern. For Rays' opponents, facing Baker has been a nightmare in 2026.
"To see 'Big Bake' running in from the bullpen with the lights (flashing on and off) and (music) playing, it gets everyone fired up," said Vilade, whose exceptional work (9 HR, 35 RBI, .804 OPS) in a part-time role has often aided the Rays in getting to their closer. "I'm glad he's on our team and whenever we get to the ninth with him on the ***** p, we feel pretty good."
For good reason. The 6-foot-6 Baker nailed down his 30th save of the season Thursday afternoon in the series finale with Texas to tie with Cleveland's Cade Smith for the MLB lead. The 31-year-old heads into a weekend series versus the visiting White Sox having converted 19 straight save opportunities, a stretch that began May 17. During that span, which totals 24 appearances, Baker has allowed one run. That was a solo homer to Kansas City's Josh Rojas on June 24, an outing in which Baker shrugged it off to record his 20th save.
"I have been feeding off the catchers and going for what they see and what they've kind of seen the whole game and let the defenders work behind me," said Baker, when asked about the run he is on. "It's been a lot more (pitching to) contact lately, which as long as there's zeros are on board, I'm good."

#rays #ninth #work

Quarterback Rocco Becht is intent on setting things right in 2026. Becht's transfer to Penn State after a rough 2025 season, along with several of his teammates, gives him a unique opportunity to start anew. Along with pass catchers Chase Sowell, Brett Eskildsen, and Benjamin Brahmer, Becht is looking to elevate the production of the offense. However, during Big Ten media day, Becht highlighted the role that a returner could play in the offense.
"That guy is really special," Becht said of sophomore wideout Koby Howard. "He did a lot of good things in spring ball and he's probably going to do a lot of great things in fall camp [and] in the season for us. So, hopefully I can get him over 1,000 yards receiving, but something I'm looking forward to is just playing with him." While that is a lofty goal to set for a receiver you have never worked with, it is one that should intrigue Penn State fans.
Howard is the youngest member of Penn State's new-look receiving corps and is also the only player who got meaningful snaps at the position. Still, being a true freshman meant that he didn't receive many targets either. He only caught seven passes for 133 yards. This year, with Becht now at the helm, Howard will almost certainly see more snaps.
Whether or not he breaks 1,000 yards remains to be seen. After all, Penn State receivers have not covered themselves in glory in that regard over the past several years. Still, both Becht and Howard have apparently built a nice rapport with each other during fall camp, with Howard serving as a potential touchstone to Becht during his transition to life in Happy Valley. That connection may not result in a breakout season for Howard, but it could definitely be better than last season for Howard as well.
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#becht #penn #season #along

The Green Bay Packers are adding to the wide receiver room after two days of training camp. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Packers are signing Kaden Prather -- a 2025 draft pick of the Buffalo Bills who played in the UFL during the 2026 season -- to a one-year deal after a tryout on Thursday.
The Packers have 10 wide receivers on the current roster, although Brenden Rice was placed on the non-football injury list with a hamstring injury after Wednesday's practice. It's possible Prather (6-3, 209) could be a replacement for Rice as the 10th receiver. A corresponding roster move will be required.
Prather was the 240th overall pick in the 2025 draft. He was released from injured reserve by the Bills at final cuts last August and then played most recently with the UFL champion Louisville Kings, catching nine passes for 148 yards over nine games. Prather dealt with a hamstring injury during his only training camp in Buffalo.
Prather played two seasons at West Virginia before finishing his collegiate career at Maryland. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick in 2023 after catching 42 passes for 666 yards and five touchdowns, and his senior season included a career-high 56 catches for 624 yards and four scores.
Prather's scouting report from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com: "Outside receiver with size and speed to create advantages downfield. Prather is not explosive -- though he builds and carries speed to create deep windows -- and needs to do a better job of finishing routes and catches. He's too leggy and tight-hipped to beat man coverage over the first two levels and he's not a natural pass catcher in traffic. Prather is a niche option as a field-stretcher with good height, weight and speed, but he might need to prove he can play special teams to give himself a legitimate roster shot."

#prather #receiver

With neither team scoring through nine innings on Thursday afternoon, the White Sox lineup had a little more juice in extra innings to outlast the Yankees in a 2-1 walk-off win. The decisive plate appearance was a bases-loaded free pass from Tristan Peters against a clearly gassed Fernando Cruz. In a game in which neither team hit well, it was fitting that the winning run would score without a bat being swung.
Wasted opportunities in the first are not something a team normally dwells on for too long, but in this matchup, both clubs had reasons to lament not opening the scoring right from the get-go. Sean Burke saw the first two hitters reach safely with a catcher's interference and a walk, only for the Yankees offense to go 0-for-3 with a runner in scoring position. In Ryan Weathers' turn, the left-hander had a dose of luck as Colson Montgomery swung at a middle-middle 3-0 fastball but couldn't square it, rolling over to second with runners at second and third.
The lament stems from a lack of scoring on both sides that lasted until the ninth inning. ***** sing the big picture, one cannot praise Weathers enough for the job he did today. Despite needing 27 pitches to complete that tumultuous first, Weathers recalibrated to complete seven scoreless innings efficiently. Perhaps not as overpowering as Burke with four strikeouts to Burke's eventual 10, Weathers succeeded by relentlessly keeping the ball on the ground, recording over half of his 21 outs on the ground. The value of this lengthy outing for a tired bullpen in the middle of 13 games on 13 days is immense and could very well mean an extra win or two when all is said and done.
On the other side, having created his own mess in the first, Burke went on to dominate the Yankees with an outing even more impressive than his win at Yankee Stadium—at one point, the right-hander had a stretch of nine strikeouts in 11 at-bats.
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#nine

Jake Rogers has a new home.
Rogers, the veteran Tigers catcher who was designated for **** ignment earlier this week, has been traded to the Baltimore Orioles. The Tigers and Orioles announced the trade Thursday afternoon.
The Tigers have acquired minor-league right-hander Zane Barnhart, who will report to Double-A Erie. Barnhart is an alum of Hillsdale College.
Barnhart, 24, was a 17th-round pick by the Orioles in 2023. This season at Double A, he is 2-3 with a 4.05 ERA in 40 appearances, all in relief. He was 45 strikeouts and 19 walks.
Rogers, 31, was acquired by the Tigers in 2017 from the Houston Astros in the Justin Verlander trade and debuted with Detroit in 2019. He was replaced as starting catcher in 2025 by Dillon Dingler.

#barnhart #double

It's trade deadline season, and though this has been a tame deadline period so far, the continuous swirl of rumors and (eventually) actual transactions will be the focus of much of the baseball world in the coming days. Yesterday, we discussed which players the Yankees were most likely to move, and today, we ask: what weakness do the Yankees most need to address, and which one are they most likely to address?
The answer to this question has been fluid throughout the year. Early on, it seemed obvious to most that the Yankees would need to make big additions to their bullpen, yet here we are at the end of July, and the Yankee relief corps has the second-best ERA in the majors. Paul Blackburn has proven to be the second coming of Luke Weaver, Brent Headrick almost never allows runs, David Bednar has been the top-tier closer the team envisioned, and Matt Blake's latest reclamation project, Angel Chivilli, has looked dynamite since his most recent call-up. Add in the fact that players like Will Warren and Ryan Weathers (and perhaps Carlos Lagrange?) could get shifted to the bullpen if they're not traded, and the unit looks like an area of strength, not weakness.
At other times, the matter of the infield appeared to be most pressing. Ryan McMahon and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each got off to nightmarish starts, and the shortstop duo of Anthony Volpe and José Caballero has had its ups and downs. But even on the dirt, things don't look nearly as shaky as they did two or three months ago. Since seeing his OPS bottom out at .498 on April 22nd, Chisholm has played exactly as expected, with a .239/.309/.463 slash line and 16 homers plus 21 steals. McMahon has run a roughly .750 OPS over the last two months while bringing his usual quality defense at third base. And despite his penchant for high-profile miscues, Volpe's combination of high-OBP and good range at short has made him a valuable contributor.
Then, there's the most obvious need now, at catcher, with Yankee backstops having combined to "hit" .181/.261/.284. But even adding a catcher comes with major complications, as most teams are loath to make significant changes to their caching room midseason. For as awful as Austin Wells and Co. have been with the bat this year, a catcher's primary job is to catch, to field his position, to manage his pitching staff. The Yankee backstops have done that portion of their job with aplomb this year (it's probably not a coincidence that the Yankees prioritize defense at catcher and have the best team ERA in baseball), and it's not trivial to just add a plus bat to that room without shaking things up on the run-prevention front.
Add it all up, and it leaves the Yankee roster in a weird spot heading into a crucial deadline. The roster has been slammed by injuries and has some seemingly clear places to upgrade, but actually making those upgrades is less straightforward than it might appear. What do you think? Where are the Yankees most likely to make moves in the next four

ESPN insider reveals Yankees priority at MLB trade deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Yankees are heading towards the 2026 MLB trade deadline with a clear need at a few different spots. Another righty-hitting outfielder, a new catcher, and some bullpen help all would be useful for the Yankees.
But, which of those needs do the Yankees require the most? It's an interesting question, and one that the Yankees need to answer themselves to figure out where they should allocate the most resources.
ESPN's Buster Olney revealed the Yankees' trade deadline priority this summer, indicating that the team's bullpen is the top need for Brian Cashman and the Yankees.
"But bullpen help is the priority, and if the Yankees can get a Miller or a Morejon, they might have the sort of pitching staff that could win in October," Olney writes.

#bullpen #Help

One of the most intriguing players across the NFL this season is Chicago Bears second-year wide receiver Luther Burden III, who has a massive opportunity in front of him.
After veteran DJ Moore was traded this offseason to the Buffalo Bills, Burden jumped up the depth chart alongside former first-round pick Rome Odunze, where both young receivers will likely compete to be the primary pass catcher for quarterback Caleb Williams.
Burden's name has come up in discussions about potential breakout stars this year, including in the fantasy football world. As a rookie last season, Burden totaled 47 receptions for 652 yards and two touchdowns with limited opportunities. But Williams, as well as the Bears coaching staff, has high hopes for the young and talented receiver.
In an interview with Kay Adams of "Up & Adams" on Monday, Williams discussed Burden's potential breakout in 2026, sharing telling comments about the young wideout.
"He makes the first guy miss, every time," Williams said. "That's his trait. He catches every thing, easy passes, hard passes, he's a friendly receiver to the QB. His route running and things like that are super friendly. When you put the ball in his hands, he makes the first player miss quite often."

#williams #first #young #Potential

Well, this one was a dud. Coming off a series sweep of the Cleveland Guardians, the Tampa Bay Rays' offense remained quiet at the plate and dropped the opener to the Texas Rangers by a score of 4-1.
Griffin Jax got the start for the Rays and was serviceable, allowing just a pair of runs over 5.2 innings of work. He punched out ten, walked three, and allowed five hits. Only one of the two runs he allowed was earned. The effort should have been enough to earn his seventh win of the season. Instead, he left with his eighth loss of the year.
The real story of the night was the Rays offense, or lack thereof. Outside of Aranda and Caminero, who each tallied a pair of hits, the rest of the lineup mustered just one hit. Cal Quantrill held the Rays to just one run an two hits over 5.1 innings of work. He punched out seven and walked just one.
Trailing 2-0, the Rays did threaten in the bottom of the fourth and for a brief moment it looked as if they were poised to take the lead and potentially send Cal Quantrill to the showers early. After a leadoff strikeout by Yandy Diaz, who's struggles at the plate continued Tuesday night, Jonathan Aranda singled and later advance to third on a double by Caminero. Mullins then reached on catcher's interference to load the bases for Chandler Simpson. Then, shockingly, Simpson found a way to hit into a groundball double play as he slapped a groundball right back to Quantrill who quickly threw home to start a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.
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#rays #hits #double #start

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees finally added a catcher on Tuesday … via a minor league contract.
The team signed veteran backstop Christian Bethancourt and ***** igned him to Triple-A before beating the White Sox, 3-2, in Chicago. The move shouldn't have any impact on the Yankees' pursuit of a righty-swinging catcher prior to the Aug. 3 trade deadline, though options appear limited for them and a handful of other needy clubs.
While Bethancourt is a right-handed hitter, he's ideally just another experienced Triple-A depth catcher for the Yankees alongside J.C. Escarra, a lefty. That depth could prove useful down the road since big league backup Ali Sánchez is out of minor league options.
Sánchez, a right-handed hitter who crushed the first homer of his career in Tuesday's win, would likely be forced out if the Yankees trade for a catcher to pair with the lefty-swinging Austin Wells.
Bethancourt has played in parts of eight big league seasons with the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs, but he hasn't appeared in an MLB game since 2024. He had a .775 OPS (.783 vs. righties, .736 vs. lefties) over 59 games for the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate this year.

#league #triple #minor #swinging

A beloved player amongst the Detroit Tigers players, coaches and fanbase had to make way for another on Tuesday, July 28.
The Tigers reinstated shortstop/center fielder Javier Báez from the 60-day injured list ahead of Tuesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Detroit had to clear a roster spot on both the 26-man and 40-man roster since Báez was removed when he was placed on the 60-day list in June.
On Monday night following an 8-5 loss to the Orioles, manager A.J. Hinch and president of baseball operations Scott Harris sat down with backup catcher Jake Rogers and let him know he would be designated for ***** ignment.
Rogers, 31, has been a member of the Tigers' organization since he came over in the trade package for Justin Verlander from the Houston Astros in 2017. He made his major league debut with Detroit in 2019 and proceeded to appear in 362 games across six different seasons.
"Jake has been here as long as I have been here," Hinch said. "Scott, Jake and I met last night and did everything to walk down memory lane to just explain the timing and how decisions get made."

#orioles #list

Well this is a peculiar first move for trade deadline season. Jake Rogers, the longest tenured Detroit Tigers player, has been designated for ***** ignment. Eduardo Valencia was recalled on Sunday and will be taking over the backup catcher duties. Rogers' roster spot will go to Javier Báez, who returns from a three-month absence after suffering a high ankle sprain at the end of April.
The 31-year-old Rogers made his major league debut with the Tigers back on July 30, 2019 after coming to the Tigers in the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros in August of 2017. He finally became the Tigers primary catcher in 2021 before tearing his UCL and requiring reconstruction surgery that cost him all of the 2022 season. In 2023 and 2024 Rogers put together good seasons based around his defensive ability, plate discipline, and the occasional burst of home run power. He was worth 4.7 fWAR across those two years, but since that point his offensive contributions collapsed as Dillon Dingler took over the everyday catching role. This season, Rogers' defense finally showed real signs of cracking as well. He's hitting .161/.266/.301 for a 60 wRC+ which ranks him 48th out of 59 catchers with 100 plate appearances or more this season.
Despite his struggles, two part-time White Sox catchers, and numerous others, are even worse offensive players than Rogers. It won't be a surprise if he gets claimed, but it's too bad no one would flip a lottery ticket prospect to acquire him. The problem is that Rogers defensive numbers have declined this year and he's finally grading out a little below average as a defender. Whether that's partly the result of lack of playing time is hard to say, but hopefully he'll be claimed somewhere. If he clears waivers and is outrighted the Tigers will still be on the hook for the rest of his $3.05M salary for 2026.
Valencia is far and away a better hitter than Rogers, so that should provide a little support to the offense. On the other hand, Valencia isn't that good behind the plate, particularly in terms of holding opponents' running game in check. Still with Rogers defensive numbers in decline, perhaps Valencia won't do worse.
Getting Báez back could be pretty helpful to the Tigers although it's just funny to look at Báez as a way to trim strikeouts in the lineup by taking over some of the workload from James Outman. It will be interesting to see how he's deployed. With Kerry Carpenter out with a foot injury, the outfield needs help. It needed help anyway. We'll see if Báez is back to full speed and can get back to playing a solid enough center field. If he's back to 100 percent, that also gives the Tigers options, with Báez getting some time at shortstop and around the infield to get another right-handed bat into the lineup. Either way, it's good to have Javy Báez back, and hopefully further support for the outfield isn't too far away as Max Clark will be available to be called up without spoiling his 2027 rookie eligibi

Why Tigers are parting ways with catcher Jake Rogers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jake Rogers may not have hit much in recent years, but he was a reliable backup catcher for the Detroit Tigers.
Now, they're moving on from Rogers just days ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Rogers has been designated for ***** ignment, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale:
The DFA means Rogers is removed from the 40-man roster and has to pass through waivers.

#preferred

Tigers cut ties with fan favorite catcher amid Javier Baez news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Detroit Tigers made a notable change to their roster before tonight's game against the Baltimore Orioles.
According to MLB.com's Jason Beck, infielder/outfielder Javier Baez will return from the injured list and play center field.
Baez missed several weeks with a right ankle sprain. He takes the roster spot of catcher Jake Rogers, who was designated for ***** ignment by the Tigers on Tuesday, per a team announcement.
"The Detroit Tigers announce that popular catcher Jake Rogers is being DFA'd, and yes, Tarik Skubal will be making his start tomorrow, perhaps the last one in a Tigers' uniform," USA Today's Bob Nightengale wrote on X.

#rogers

The Detroit Tigers made a significant roster change Tuesday, activating Javier Báez from the injured list and designating catcher Jake Rogers for ******* ignment.
Báez will immediately return to the lineup and start in center field, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck.
The move brings Báez back after a lengthy absence and ends Rogers' run on Detroit's active roster, at least for now.
Báez had been sidelined since late April before beginning a rehabilitation ******* ignment with Triple-A Toledo.
The 33-year-old was hitting .256 with two home runs, six RBIs and a .678 OPS in 78 at-bats before landing on the injured list. Detroit has increasingly used Báez as a center fielder, giving manager A.J. Hinch another athletic and versatile option in the outfield.

#detroit #injured #tigers #tuesday

Yankees among 5 teams who will 'inquire' on trade for Tigers' Tarik Skubal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Yankees are one of the top teams in the American League but still trail the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East.
They're expected to be aggressive at this year's trade deadline, with catcher and bullpen as the most glaring positional needs.
But to make a run to the World Series, general manager Brian Cashman should consider all options and upgrades to the roster.
According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Yankees are expected to be one of five teams that will inquire with the Detroit Tigers about two-time Cy Young Award winner and impending free agent Tarik Skubal.

#expected #preferred

The Yankees (60-46) continue their four-game series at Rate Field tonight looking to build on last night's come from behind 9-5 win over the White Sox (55-50). New York remains 2.5 games behind the Rays in the AL East and comfortably atop the Wild Card standings. Thanks to the Guardians' loss last night, the Sox remain two games up in the AL Central.
Last night, the Sox jumped Max Fried early scoring three times in the first inning, highlighted by RBI hits from Colson Montgomery and Braden Montgomery. New York rallied in the fourth. The Yankees plated four runs. Ben Rice drove in a run with a groundout before Jazz Chisholm Jr. delivered the biggest hit of the inning, a two-run double to tie the game. Spencer Jones closed the scoring that inning with an RBI groundout. Chicago tied it in the fifth before the Yankees blew it open with a run in the seventh and four more in the eighth. Backup catcher Alí Sánchez delivered the knockout blow with a three-run homer to left in that decisive eighth inning.
Chicago managed 10 hits, matching New York's total, but defensive miscues proved costly. The White Sox committed three errors which extended rallies and certainly did not help Chicago's comeback efforts.
Tonight, the Yankees are expected to hand the ball to veteran ace Gerrit Cole (3-5, 3.92 ERA). Cole's last outing was against the Pirates last Wednesday. He threw a season-best seven innings allowing four hits and three runs while striking out 11. Two of the four Bucs' hits were home runs. Cole has now served up 11 home runs over his last 9 starts. Chicago is expected to counter with left-hander Anthony Kay (7-4, 4.21 ERA), who has been consistently good for much of the season. In July, Kay has given up seven runs in 18.1 innings of work. The issue has been stamina for the southpaw as Kay has not pitched more than 5.1 innings in any of his last 5 starts and has not reached the fifth in three of those five.
Lets dive further into tonight's game and find a sweat or two.

#yankees #runs #hits #innings

With training camp for the Jacksonville Jaguars getting closer, which players should be on our radars as these practices and preseason games unfold?
As part of our training camp preview, we'll be highlighting one player from each position group to keep your eyes on. In some instances, it may be one of the Jaguars' top players that we'll be watching closely, or it could be a player fighting for playing time or a roster spot.
Up next are the safeties.
Johnson put together a breakout season in 2025. Although he wasn't one of the starters on paper, keeping him off the field became a very difficult task so as the season unfolded, Johnson earned more playing time.
He graded out well as a run defender by PFF's metrics, held pass catchers to under 10 yards per reception this season, and came away with five interceptions and three pass breakups.

#johnson #camp #players

Covenant Health Park will return to form as a baseball diamond, with the Knoxville Smokies back in town for their July 28-Aug. 2 series against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos after two weeks away.
The playoff-bound Smokies − still first place in the Southern League North − went 3-6 on their road trip following the MLB All-Star break.
The Smokies have been missing catcher Owen Ayers, who was promoted after Knoxville's last homestand to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs alongside the Southern League Pitcher of the Month for June, Jace Beck. Ayers is now the Cubs' No. 3 prospect, according to the MLB Pipeline's updated top prospects list.
Right-handed pitcher Luis Gomez-Martinez highlighted the Smokies' 3-3 split with the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Activated from the 60-day injured list July 17, Martinez-Gomez struck out a career-best 12 batters in the Smokies' win July 24. He didn't walk a batter in six innings and gave up just one earned run.
Get tickets to see the Knoxville Smokies play

#league #pitcher

It wasn't a pretty opening to the series, but the Yankees found their way Monday night in Chicago. Max Fried struggled mightily in his second start returning from the IL, putting them in a big hole early with an offense that hasn't been ****** e to exploding lately, but a pair of big innings turned this game from a deficit to a 9-5 win.
Last time out Fried was extremely sharp, going five strong despite a low pitch limit blanking the Pirates with just a single hit and walk going against him. Randal Grichuk greeted him with a leadoff double, and the wheels fell off from there. Munetaka Murakami followed up with a single to put runners on the corners, and after Fried struck out Miguel Vargas for the first out of the inning Colson Montgomery ripped a single to the right side that Jazz Chisholm Jr. barely couldn't corral scoring Grichuk. Chase Meridoth was up next and lifted a sacrifice fly to bring in a second run, and then Braden Montgomery lined a triple over the head of a diving Max Schuemann that brought in a third. It looked like Schuemann might've gotten messed up leaping for the ball, which would've complicated things for a Yankees team that is already down two of their starting outfielders, but thankfully he shook it off and stayed in the game.
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Fried calmed down from there, working two straight clean frames, but the Yankee offense wasn't getting anything going at first against the rookie Noah Schultz, who entered the game with a gaudy 6.04 ERA. Paul Goldschmidt managed a two-out single in the top of the first, but the lineup otherwise went down in order the first time through. The fourth inning finally saw them break though, starting off with a pair of walks from Ben Rice and Goldschmidt to set up a rally. Jasson Domínguez singled to left but it was hit hard enough to prevent a run from coming in, bringing Anthony Volpe up with the bases loaded and no outs. Volpe managed to bring in a run, hitting a soft grounder to short that Luisangel Acuña was just barely able to scoop up and throw to first in time to convert an out from the play.
That would be all for Schultz, as the White Sox went to their 'pen and brought in Chris Murphy. The tide was turning though, and Chisholm provided the big blow of the inning with a double out to center to tie the game at three. Chisholm then stole third base on a head's up play noticing that the catcher was lazily flicking the ball back to the pitcher, and José Caballero walked to pass the baton over to Spencer Jones. Jones managed to convert, fighting off three foul ****** before grounding a ball in front of Caballero who was running on the pitch to prevent a double play opportunity and give the Yankees a 4-3 lead.

#fried

Alejandro Kirk completely lost his grip on Monday night and managed to shatter a glass window inside of Nationals Park.
The Toronto Blue Jays catcher, in the fifth inning of their 3-2 win over Washington, missed on a swing and sent his bat flying behind him after letting it go accidentally. The bat went straight into the camera well in the Toronto dugout behind him and smashed a window.
Thankfully, everyone in the area was fine and the glass didn't go flying — though the bat did go directly over MLB's Hazel Mae's head.
Kirk ended up striking out in the at-bat, though the Blue Jays were up 3-1 at the time. The Nationals cut it to a one-run game in the bottom of the inning after a Andres Chaparro homer, but that was as close as they got.
Kirk did not get a hit in his three at-bats in the win. He's holding a .224 batting average with three home runs and 12 RBI.

#toronto

The Diamondbacks dropped the opener of The Most Important Series of the Season™, losing 3-2 in ten innings to the Pirates. Merrill Kelly pitched well, and Max Kepler gave Arizona a 2-0 lead. But a throwing error by Kelly allowed a key Pittsburgh run, and Juan Morillo then gave up the tying score, which pushed the contest into extras. The Diamondbacks were unable to take advantage of a major Pirates gaffe, stranding the Manfred Man. A ball which was clanked off the glove of Ildemaro Vargas let the home team walk off, but the key stat tonight was the D-backs going just 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position. And one of those hits didn't score a run either.
But to focus on the positives. Merrill Kelly continued his resurgence. He finished June with an ERA above six (6.11, to be precise). But since the calendar turned to July, he has been much improved. Tonight, he allowed only an unearned run over 5.2 innings, on four hits – all of which were singles. He walked one and struck out six. [That is still an area of concern. Through nineteen starts last year, he had 7 or more K's eight times: he hasn't gone past six at all this year] He did hit a batter, Pirates' rookie Esmerlyn Valdez wearing a pitch around the wrist area, and having to leave the game in obvious discomfort. Hopefully, there's no serious damage there.
Through five innings, both Kelley and his opposite number – confusingly, called M. Keller – were basically cruising. Each side has managed to advance only one runner past first-base to that point. In the top of the second, Max Kepler led off with a single, advanced to third on a pair of outs, but was stranded there when Ildemaro Vargas grounded out. For the Pirates, they got a two-out single in the bottom of the fifth, and the runner stole second before being left there. Kelly even got a pick-off, ending the fourth by nailing the pinch-runner who had come in to replace Valdez. Rather embarrassing for them, I imagine.
Both pitchers were also being highly efficient. Through five innings, Keller had needed just 63 pitches, and Kelly less than a handful more at 67. I particularly enjoyed this strikeout by Kelly which ended the fifth inning. None of the six pitches in the zone, and zero contact by the batter on his three swings. However, my hopes of a quick recap foundered thereafter, as neither starting pitcher would make it through the sixth. Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo singled to lead off the top of the frame, though Gabriel Moreno would strike out looking, on a master-class of ABS by the Pirates catcher, which reversed two ******* to strikes, by very narrow margins.
[Conversely, Moreno was 0-for-2 in his challenges tonight. Though it is worth noting that the team's overall challenge rate when on defense is still 66.7%, significantly better than the MLB average of 58.1%.]

#innings #tonight #runner

Sure, there have been a lot of stories in the MLB media about Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman. Some of those stories have indicated that Goodman might be solid trade bait as the MLB Trade Deadline draws closer on Aug. 3.
But one media outlet is making a prediction. What is it? The Rockies will extend Goodman on his contract.
This season, Goodman has been the power hitter in the middle of the Rockies' lineup. He has 30-plus home runs already and reaching the 40-home run level is not out of the realm of possibilities.
Keeping Goodman is a wise choice for Colorado, should they not trade him at all. A couple of other stories have come out in the past couple of days indicating that the asks that the Rockies are making for any deal is too steep.
Another factor involved not only for the Rockies, but for all of the MLB world, is that some executives believe there will be a play stoppage in the 2027 MLB season. There are those even wondering how many games will happen, too.

#goodman #couple

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: L, 1-8 vs. Syracuse Mets
SS George Lombard Jr. 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K — no fretting about him not starting this time
C J.C. Escarra 1-4, 3 K, catchers' interference
CF Spencer Jones 0-4, 2 K
DH Marco Luciano 0-3, 1 BB, 3 K
RF Yanquiel Fernández 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB
2B Oswaldo Cabrera 2-4
3B Tyler Hardman 0-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 1-4, 2 K
LF Kenedy Corona 0-4, 3 K

Adam Kloffenstein 4 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 4 BB, 5 K, 1 HR (loss)
Chris Kean 1 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 BB
Carson Coleman 0.2 IP, 3 R, 4 H
Danny Watson 1.1 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Yerry De Los Santos 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 K
Double-A Somerset Patriots: W, 5-4 at New Hampshire Fisher Cats
2B Connor McGinnis 2-4, 1 BB, 1 K
DH Jace Avina 2-5, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 K
3B Coby Morales 3-5, 1 R, 1 SB
CF DJ Gladney 3-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 K, 1 SB — go-ahead RBI single in the ninth
LF Jackson Castillo 2-5, 1 RBI, 1 SB
RF Cole Gabrielson 1-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB
1B Josh Moylan 1-4, 1 RBI
C Manuel Palencia 1-4, 1 K, throwing error
SS Owen Cobb 0-4, 1 K, throwing error

Jack Cebert 5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 7 K — 1.74 ERA in July after being north of five in May and June
Geoffrey Gilbert 1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Kevin Stevens 1.2 IP, 0 R, 2 K
Michael Arias 0.2 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 K (win)
Tony Rossi 0.2 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (save)
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: L, 1-9 at Wilmington Blue Rocks

#scranton #wilkes #barre

MLB Trade Rumors | Charlie Wright: The Yankees rearranged their planned starters for this weekend's series in Philadelphia. Cam Schlittler was **** ped up to start Friday on normal rest, with Will Warren pushed back to Sunday. Warren appeared in relief Wednesday to help provide some coverage during a doubleheader. With Max Fried back in the rotation and Carlos Rodón on the comeback trail, Warren's recent usage suggests his spot in the rotation could be in jeopardy.
MLB.com | Thomas Harrigan: The Yankees have gotten virtually no offensive production from the catcher position this season. With the trade deadline looming, expect them to pursue an upgrade. The most likely candidate is Minnesota's Ryan Jeffers, a righty bat who's a free agent after the season. The Athletics' Shea Langeliers and Colorado's Hunter Goodman are higher-upside plays with more years of club control, but there's no guarantee either will be moved. The Mets' Francisco Alvarez and Baltimore's Adley Rutschman loom as longshots, with Cincinnati's Tyler Stephenson and Minnesota's Victor Caratini less exciting backup plans should the rest fall through.
NJ.com | James Mertz: Paul Blackburn has broken out with the Yankees this year after moving to the bullpen full-time, posting a 2.00 ERA in 35 outings. He attributes the career renaissance in part with the consistency the Yankees have provided. The veteran contrasts that with his tenure with the Mets, who constantly shuttled him between the rotation and the bullpen. "I felt like we were just playing a video game," he said of his time across town, during which he posted a 6.00 ERA in 12 games.
CBS Sports | Rotowire Staff: Luis Gil faced live batters on Friday for the first time since early May, throwing BP. He's been on the minor-league IL, working back from right shoulder inflammation. The former Rookie of the Year was disastrous in four starts early this year and has no guaranteed role upon his return.

#warren #trade

CARROLL — Brayden Kennedy was not going to let his team be denied another Class 2A Iowa high school state baseball championship.
Kennedy threw a masterful game and also drove in three runs to lead Pleasantville to an 8-1 rout of Durant in the state ***** le game on Friday, July 24, at Merchants Park.
The Pleasantville ace went the full seven innings and only allowed one run on six hits. He struck out eight batters and walked only two to help the Trojans cruise to the ***** le.
"I had my stuff working pretty well tonight," Kennedy said. "Throwing the sliders and then working in some fastballs. Catcher (Logan Roff) called a great game. I just had to fill the zone up for my guys and they're going to have the bats behind me."
The only time Kennedy got into trouble was in the top of the third inning.

#game #working

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Dodgers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Even great teams have room for improvement, and for the Dodgers in 2026, one of those paths is in the acquisition of a catcher. Will Smith has been out since early June with neck inflammation, and updates on his condition have put into question if and when the veteran might be back. We asked the fans if the Dodgers should proceed with the current depth chart believing in Smith's return or plan for the worst while they still can.
All in all, with the resources that this team possesses and the lack of holes to fill, to look for a catching addition feels like a given. Perhaps more than what we may see with the bat, the Dodgers ought to look at adding a steady presence, a catcher who can be relied on to not only do his job but also excel behind the plate defensively.
What adds layers to this debate is that for a team on the market for a catcher, there are legit game-changing options to at least call about. Although none of them are explicitly on the block, controllable beyond just this current campaign, Hunter Goodman, Shea Langeliers, and Adley Rutschman each could be seen within reason as trade candidates. Acquiring any of them, though, would inevitably back the Dodgers into a corner down the line since Smith is going nowhere long-term.
Perhaps in Minnesota, the Dodgers might find targets that are more their speed in Ryan Jeffers or Victor Caratini. Quietly, one of the better-hitting catchers in the AL over the last four seasons, Jeffers has been phenomenal with a .933 OPS in a short sample (44 games) due to missed time this year. With Caratini, who is under contract through next season at a reasonable rate, the Dodgers would be getting stability above all else, adding a player perfectly willing to fade into a backup role down the line. Caratini might even provide Rushing insurance if the youngster hits his way into staying on as a starter in the playoffs.

#Dodgers #fans #smith #jeffers

The Pittsburgh Pirates (53-50) return home on Friday night with a new bullpen arm as they open a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs (57-45) at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
Jul 20, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Henry Davis (32) singles during the fourth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Date: Friday, July 24, 2026
Time: 6:30 PM ET
Channel: Marquee Sports Network, SportsNet Pittsburgh

#Chicago #bronx #davis

The Kansas City Chiefs always seem to get their tight ends involved in the passing game, and as Patrick Mahomes returns to the field after suffering a serious lower-body injury last season, head coach Andy Reid is sure to be scheming up new and exciting ways to get all of his pass-catchers involved in the air attack.
Take a look at these brief profiles of Travis Kelce and every other tight end currently on Kansas City's 90-man roster before training camp kicks off in St. Joseph, Missouri, later this month:
One of the Chiefs' most recognizable stars, Kelce is widely regarded as a top tight end in NFL history. After re-signing with Kansas City as a free agent earlier this year, the former Cincinnati Bearcat is set to play a key role in the Chiefs' offense next season and should be expected to be one of Patrick Mahomes' favorite targets during every game the pair competes in.
2026 cap number: $4,896,667
Pline is likely to be featured in Kansas City's game plans during the preseason, but his chances of making the Chiefs' 53-man roster are extremely slim. A former San Francisco 49er and New Orleans Saint, Pline entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2024 after a collegiate career with the Ferris State Bulldogs and Furman Paladins.

#chiefs #city #patrick #involved