Friday, July 10

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Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know for today’s games, while catching you up on fun and interesting stories you might have missed. Today we have a special MLB Draft edition of the newsletter.

The Draft starts tomorrow — and we’ve got you covered. 

The MLB Pipeline crew has put together an incredible amount of 2026 Draft coverage. We’re rounding up the very best of it for you right here. 

Here’s your complete guide to the 2026 Draft. Let’s start with the most important info for tomorrow.

When is the Draft and how can I watch it? 

The 2026 Draft will take place tomorrow and Sunday in Philadelphia, with the first round kicking off at 1 p.m. ET tomorrow. Coverage of the top 10 picks will be on NBC and Peacock. 

After that, picks 11-40 will be available on MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.TV and MLB+. And to wrap up Day 1 coverage, picks 41-135 can be seen on MLB.com, MLB.TV and MLB+.

Day 2 of the Draft — Rounds 5 through 20 — will be streamed on MLB.com, MLB.TV and MLB+, beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET.

How else can I follow along? 

You can follow every single pick live with the 2026 MLB Draft Tracker.

What is the Draft order? 

The White Sox hold the No. 1 overall pick after winning the MLB Draft Lottery last winter. The Rays follow at No. 2, the Twins at No. 3, the Giants at No. 4 and the Pirates at No. 5. 

See the complete Draft order here >>  

Who are the top Draft prospects? 

Shortstops are hot right now — five of MLB Pipeline’s top 10 Draft prospects play that premium position. So are college players — they represent 14 of the top 20 prospects. 

Here’s a quick rundown of the overall top 10:

1. Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
2. Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
3. Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech
4. Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
5. Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (FL)
6. Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove HS (MS)
7. Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
8. Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
9. Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
10. Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

For details on which teams have the biggest bonus pools, how long teams have to sign draftees and more, see the full Draft overview >> 

ESSENTIAL 2026 DRAFT COVERAGE

Now that you know the basics, here’s more essential pre-Draft coverage: 

The biggest Draft storylines to watch this weekend 

Our Draft gurus, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo, run through six key storylines to watchduring the 2026 Draft — including who will go No. 1 overall, which teams to keep an eye on and the biggest wild cards and potential surprises. 

1 thing to know about each Top 10 Draft prospect

We’ve put together guides on all of the top 2026 Draft prospects. You can learn about how No. 1 prospect Grady Emerson was mentored by Bobby Witt Jr. Or how No. 3 prospect Vahn Lackey played eight positions in one game while nearly hitting for the cycle. Or how No. 7 prospect Drew Burress had a four-homer game … on four swings. There are tons of great nuggets.

The latest Callis/Mayo mock Draft

Callis and Mayo have been running out fresh mock Drafts for the full first round every week. Here’s their latest version. But stay tuned — there will be one last mock Draft from the two of them dropping later tonight, on the eve of the real thing.

Best tools in the 2026 Draft class

Callis breaks down the Draft prospects with the best individual skills. For position players: best contact hitter, best power, fastest runner, strongest arm and best defender. For pitchers: best fastball, best curveball, best slider, best changeup, best specialty pitch and best control. 

MLB Pipeline’s updated Top 250 Draft rankings

With one week to go before the Draft, MLB Pipeline put out a fresh list of the Top 250 prospects. That includes a new No. 1 overall in Emerson and updated scouting grades for top prospects, like No. 2 Roch Cholowsky, whose defensive grade was upgraded from a 60 to a 65. 

THE COOLEST STORIES IN THE 2026 DRAFT CLASS

Some of the players entering the Draft have incredible personal stories. Here are five of the best ones we’ve found…

1 of the best hitters dances with knives — and they’re on fire 

UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu is the No. 62 overall prospect in the Draft. He’s also a Samoan fire knife dancer. That’s … exactly what it sounds like. In “fire-knifing,” known in Samoan as “Siva Afi” (siva means dance and afi means fire), performers spin and toss machete-like blades wrapped in ignited cloth. For Levu, it trains his hand-eye coordination and connects him to his culture and family. Read Levu’s story here >>

He hits in welding gloves, throws in a barn and struck out 570 batters

The first thing you might notice about Kolby Stringer if you scouted him in high school would be the yellow gloves. They’re work gloves (“I call them welding gloves,” he says), and he wore them to hit instead of batting gloves. Sadly, he’s in the Draft as a pitcher, so you won’t see those anymore, but we’ve got another fun fact: Stringer, whose team’s bullpen was literally in a barn, struck out 570 batters in his career at West Marion High School in Foxworth, Miss. Foxworth has a population of 523. That’s more K’s than people. Read Stringer’s story here >>  

The Draft prospect who risked it all for a better life 

To get to the United States from his native Venezuela, Alain Gomez-Gudiño traveled on foot and on bus for thousands of miles — along winding mountain roads, across flash-flooded rivers and through the dense rainforest, the jungle and the dangerous regions controlled by drug cartels. He navigated from Caracas through Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico on his way to the U.S. He was 15 years old. Now the young catcher has hopes of being drafted by an MLB team. Read Gomez-Gudiño’s story here >> 

Lebron could be a top-10 Draft pick

Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron — that’s Lebron with a lowercase “b,” not to be confused with the NBA legend — is ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 9 Draft prospect. His inspiration is his younger brother Jayden, who was born with the rare genetic disorder Williams syndrome. But that hasn’t stopped Jayden from playing ball himself in the Miracle League, which provides baseball opportunities to children and adults with physical and mental disabilities. So Justin might be headed to the Major Leagues, but as for the Miracle League? “I think it’s the coolest thing ever.” Read the Lebrons’ story here >>

The top pitcher in the Draft ranks every fried chicken sandwich he eats — and his own is No. 3

Jackson Flora is the top pitching prospect in the entire Draft. But he might know even more about fried chicken sandwiches than he does about throwing 100 mph fastballs. The UC Santa Barbara ace keeps a long list on his phone of every chicken sando he’s ever had, ranked from best to worst. No. 3 on that list? His own homemade fried chicken sandwich. Flora is an aspiring chef who spent a year perfecting his own recipe — and his fried chicken sandwich looks pretty darn tasty. But what holds the coveted No. 1 spot on his list? Read Flora’s story here >> 

MOST FAMOUS NAMES IN THE DRAFT

Every Draft always features some notable family ties. This year’s class is no exception. 

Here are five of the most famous names to watch out for in the 2026 Draft.

1) Landon Thome 

Jim Thome is a Hall of Famer. His son could be a first-round pick. Landon Thome is ranked the No. 34 prospect in the Draft, and while he has a lefty swing like his dad, who mashed 612 home runs, Landon is his own type of player with more of an all-around skill set. 

2) Peyton Bonds 

Yes, it’s that Bonds family. Peyton is Barry’s nephew. He’s an imposing hitter, too, at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds. The 20-year-old Rutgers outfielder still has to develop his power, but hopefully Peyton has inherited some of Uncle Barry’s MLB-record 762 home runs. 

3) Joseph Contreras 

The son of former pitcher José Contreras, Joseph made a name for himself at the World Baseball Classic, when he got Aaron Judge to ground into a bases-loaded double play while pitching for Brazil at just 17 years old. Now he’s the No. 64 prospect in the Draft.

4) Carsten Sabathia III 

A year after his dad CC was inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot, Carsten will enter the MLB Draft. Unlike CC, Carsten is not a pitcher. He’s a first baseman at the University of Houston.  

5) Codey Gauff 

Codey’s sister is Coco Gauff, the tennis star who just made it to the semifinals of Wimbledon this week. He says he can beat her at tennis, though — table tennis, that is. The 18-year-old catcher and outfielder has taken part in multiple MLB Develops events like the Hank Aaron Invitational and the DREAM Series.

See the full list of famous names in the 2026 Draft class here >> 

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CHEVROLET GRAND PRIX

IMSA’s annual trip to Canada occurs with the Chevrolet Grand Prix from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, roughly an hour outside Toronto, Ontario. The LMP2 competitors in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship get their showcase event as the fastest cars on track alongside the two GT classes for what is often one of the wild-card races of the season. The full race streams live, flag-to-flag, Sunday, July 12, at 2 p.m. ET on Peacock. International coverage is available via IMSA’s Official YouTube Channel and IMSA.TV.

Follow along on social media using #IMSA.

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Hello Peter,

Your weekend wine plans are here! 🍷 We’re pouring a fantastic lineup Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, with something for every palate—from refreshing Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé to elegant Chardonnay, silky Pinot Noir, and rich Cabernet Sauvignon. Plus, we’ll have craft beers Friday night to round out the fun.

Stop in, taste with us, and take advantage of 10% off all tasting table wines all weekend long!

Friday Evening Wine Tasting w/ Kyle & Craft Beers

The Icon Rock Signature Sauvignon Blanc 2023 – Bright and crisp, with aromas of guava, green apple, gooseberry, and fresh lime. Bone-dry with lively acidity, subtle flinty minerality, and a clean, refreshing finish. BUY NOW

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Saturday Afternoon Wine Tasting

Blackbird Dissonance Sauvignon Blanc 2024– Ruby red grapefruit, acacia flower, flint in the nose. Fruit cocktail on the attack, grapefruit, pineapple, orange nice acidity and very soft and smooth. Nice finish with pineapple, fruit cocktail, peach, and pineapple. BUY NOW

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Patz & Hall Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2022(92 pts, James Suckling) – “Beautiful layers of pure red fruit, excellent tannic structure and bright acidity. On the nose, and on the palate, gorgeous layers of cranberry, raspberry and smoky strawberry dominate, with sophisticated bass notes of black tea, forest floor, cocoa and spice acting as a foil to the vivid red fruit. This is a classic expression of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, with an appealingly dry and focused finish.” BUY NOW

Loren Crossing Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 – Rich and smooth with flavors of blackberry, black cherry, and plum, accented by hints of vanilla and spice. Silky tannins lead to a long, balanced finish. BUY NOW

See you this weekend and thank you for shopping local!

Kate, Donna P., Heidi, Valerie, Beth, Melanie, Mari, Patty, Donna B., Matt, Bill, Steve, Rande and Mike

The Wine Cabinet

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Matthew 24:28

(28) For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. 

Luke 17:34-37

(34) I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. (35) Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. (36) Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.” (37) And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” 
New King James Version   Change email Bible version

In addition to a wake of vultures being a symbol of God’s judgment of shame, a gathering of vultures also indicates a diseased spiritual condition. In Revelation 18:2, Babylon the Great is described as being “a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird.”

Vultures are undoubtedly at the top of the list of unclean and hated birds! End-time Babylon is the focal point of demonic spirits, which are likened to unclean birds. Both of them prey on the sick and the injured, and they gather where death is.

Even so, our greatest threat is not the Tribulation at the end! As bad as it will be, far worse is being spiritually unprepared when Christ returns and being judged as unworthy to enter the Kingdom. This is what the Parable of the Ten Virgins and the Parable of the Wedding Feast describe. This is the substance of the warnings about Christ’s return being like a thief in the night—coming when He is completely unexpected. This is why He warns us against neglecting so great a salvation and against being led astray by the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures of life. Jesus warns us to keep us on the path of life, so that we do not fall to the birds of prey that stalk the spiritually dying.

We are given the charge to come out of Babylon, so we do not share in her sins or in her judgment (Revelation 18:4). If we have a discerning heart, we should have a good idea of what will attract the vultures, as it will be giving off the smell of spiritual death. God gives us that discerning heart, so we can make good choices.

Do we really believe the scriptures about the swiftness of Christ’s return? It is easy to look at world events and compare them to our understanding of prophecy; we know that things are bad and getting worse—but the end still seems to be just over the horizon. Because it is not here yet, it is easy to conclude, even subconsciously, that there is no need to become serious just yet.

However, this conclusion is filled with assumptions. One is that our understanding of end-time events is correct! A second assumption is that, even if we do have correct understanding, we will never lose it through deception. A third is that our faith will remain constant until the end. A fourth is that, when we do decide to get serious, that we will have ample time to build character, take on the image of God, and complete our sanctification. A fifth is that our Creator will go along with our agenda of pushing Him off until the last minute.

These are a lot of assumptions! If we are misjudging these things, we may hear those terrible words, “I never knew you; depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23)!

If we are delaying the time to start seeking God, the vultures may be eyeing us as ones who may not spiritually survive what lies ahead. Perhaps all of us have seen this happen to people we care about. If we are spiritually sick or injured, there is no time like the present to seek our Healer and Protector to beat off the hated birds!

In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the foolish ones thought they had more time. They were probably aware that their reserves of oil were not as full as they could be, but they may have assumed that they could always attend to that later. They did not count on falling asleep. They did not count on life happening, that something would prohibit them from taking care of preparations they had put off.

A lesson we can draw is that, if we are not putting everything we have into our calling right now, how much time is left does not matter. If that is the case, we may find ourselves, like the foolish virgins, suddenly awake and realizing we cannot get ready in time. What we claimed we wanted will have slipped through our grasp, one day at a time.

Judgment is coming on the world, but it is on the house of God right now (I Peter 4:17). A gathering of eagles—a wake of vultures—is a symbol of God’s judgment on those who stubbornly resist coming into alignment with Him. Vultures will literally gather for those who rebel against God in the final battle (Revelation 19:17-21), and they are metaphorically already circling those who cannot tear themselves away from Babylon—those who are on such good terms with the world that they are giving off the scent of spiritual death.

The multitude of warnings and prophecies means that it is a possibility for us, because it is a certainty for some. Yet, with all that God makes available, there is no good reason for that judgment to fall on us.

— David C. Grabbe

To learn more, see:
Where the Eagles Are Gathered

Topics:

Babylon the Great 

Babylon, Coming out of

Cares of the World

Coming out of Babylon

Deceitfulness of Riches

Demonic Spirits Likened to Unclean Birds

Diseased Spiritual Condition

Judgment on House of God

Parable of the Ten Virgins

Spiritual Preparation

Vulture Imagery

Where the Eagles are Gathered

Commentary copyright © 1992-2026  Church of the Great God
New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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Friday, July 10

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TOP NEWS 

As the Trade Deadline looms, ‘every team needs a starter’

Those are the words of one AL executive, talking about a starting pitcher trade market that is starting to heat up. 

Bauers remembers the 5 D’s of Dodgeball to kickstart Brewers’ rally

After Kelly’s gem, D-backs hoping to play with ‘urgency’ to end 1st half

6 Draft storylines to follow this weekend

Rice in Derby form with 27th, 28th HRs in Yanks’ romp at Trop

Braves tee off vs. Bucs as Olson socks 25th HR before Jarvis, Yaz go yard 

Junk leads Marlins to 10 games over .500 in 1st start back from IL

Langford’s early return saves Rangers with walk-off winner

Valencia makes dream debut, becomes 10th Tiger to homer in first MLB at-bat

Luzardo struts stuff as newly minted All-Star with 7 scoreless in Cincy

Sox win 6th straight as Sandoval shines in 1st start since 2024

Alonso’s slide home rewards O’s for risky moves late vs. Cubs 

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TOP PERFORMANCES 

Longest Home Run

Gabriel Arias

442 ft

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Hardest Base Hit 

Fernando Tatis Jr.

114.5 mph

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Fastest Strikeout

Tyron Guerrero

102 mph

6th Inning

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Decisive Play

Orioles

47.4% WPA

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Ben Rice

6 HR in past 9 games; 1st Yankee with 4 HR in a series vs. Rays

Jesús Luzardo

7 IP, 0 R, 11 K’s; 1.45 ERA in last 6 starts

Otto Lopez

Slashing .450/.477/.900 during 9-game hitting streak

Gavin Williams

4 starts this year with 10+ K’s, most by CLE pitcher since ’21 (Bieber)

Nolan Arenado

32nd HR vs. Padres, most among active players

PLAY A SPORCLE BASEBALL QUIZ! 

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MUST-SEE PLAY 

Ceddanne Rafaela covered a lot of ground on his feet, then let his glove do the rest to make a key catch in the ninth inning of a one-run game.

MORE TOP PLAYS 

STAFF PICKS 

2 more add their names to Home Run Derby field

Phillies fans will have one of their own to cheer on in Monday’s T-Mobile Home Run Derby when Bryce Harperseeks his second title. The Cardinals’ Jordan Walker also announced he’ll be set to slug, bringing the field to six — so far.   

HBCU Swingman Classic on MLB Network

Harold Reynolds, Ken Griffey Jr., Dave Sims and Emily Haydel kick off the All-Star Week festivities with the Swingman Classic, featuring the top HBCU Division I talent going head-to-head at 7 p.m. ET.

3-homer games (well, 1 not exactly) make history

In her weekly look at sublime stats and fascinating facts, Sarah Langs delves into feats by Tyler Tolbert, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Jacob Misiorowski and more.

It’s always nice to have a good book on a rainy day

The weather didn’t keep figures like the Phillie Phanatic, Ryan Howard and Claire Smith away from getting their first look at renovations underway for Tree House Books’ All-Star Literary Clubhouse in North Philadelphia. 

109 years ago, All-Star festivities included throwing feats and … lassoing players?

Sixteen years before MLB’s first official All-Star Game, an exhibition at Fenway Park featured more than just a ballgame.

This ball didn’t go down under. It went UP and OVER

Almost four years ago, half a world away, a 19-year-old Junior Caminero hit what may be the longest home run in the history of Australia. Yes, Australia. They’re still talking about it today.

All-Star Sale! Get MLB+ for $49.99

New for 2026, enjoy access to MLB Network 24/7 and MLB Big Inning, live out-of-market games, and home and away radio broadcasts of every game blackout free. Plus, step into the batter’s box with Gameday 3D and watch live MiLB games throughout the season. Stream today for the entire year for only $49.99.

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SCOREBOARD 

ATL 10
PIT 5

KC 3
NYM 7

NYY 12
TB 4

CHC 2
BAL 3

CLE 5
MIN 2

BOS 2
CWS 1

ATH 1
DET 4

SEA 4
MIA 8

PHI 1
CIN 0

MIL 8
STL 4

LAA 6
TEX 7

AZ 3
SD 1

COL 2
SF 8 

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Wednesday, July 08

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Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know for today’s games, while catching you up on fun and interesting stories you might have missed. Today’s newsletter is brought to you by David Adler.

For more than two decades, Justin Verlander has dominated the Major Leagues. Now one of the greatest pitchers of his generation is hanging up his spikes.

Verlander will retire at the end of this season, wrapping up what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career. The three-time Cy Young Award winner made the announcement today. 

“I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar,” Verlander posted on social media. “I wanted the game to tell me when it was time. Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come.”

The Tigers legend will finish his career where it all began — in Detroit. Verlander returned to the Tigers this season after spending his first 12 1/2 seasons with the team, which drafted him second overall in 2004. 

The All-Star Game will be the start of Verlander’s farewell tour. Verlander was named to the American League All-Star team today as a “Legend Pick.” He’s following other iconic players who were named All-Star Legend Picks at the end of their careers, like Clayton Kershaw last season and Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera in 2022. 

Verlander, who started the All-Star Game in both 2012 and 2019, won’t pitch in this year’s game — he’s currently on the injured list — but he’ll be in Philadelphia next week and will be honored during the All-Star festivities. 

The 43-year-old is one of the defining pitchers of this century, along with Kershaw and Max Scherzer. Verlander has done it all in a 21-year Major League career with the Tigers, Astros, Mets and Giants that began in 2005. He’s won every award there is to win. He’s won the World Series. He’s in the 3,000-strikeout club. 

Few pitchers in baseball history have a career résumé like Verlander’s. Verlander is one of 11 pitchers with at least three Cy Young Awards— a list that is only all-time greats — winning in 2011 with the Tigers and in 2019 and 2022 with the Astros. In that 2011 season, Verlander also became one of the few pitchers to be named MVP. He even won the pitching Triple Crown, leading the American League with 24 wins, a 2.40 ERA and 250 strikeouts.

Verlander has collected all three major awardsthat a pitcher can win — MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year, which he earned with Detroit in 2006. The only other pitcher to win all three of those is Don Newcombe. With this year’s Legend selection, Verlander is also a 10-time All-Star, tied for second most among active players behind only Mike Trout. And he has two World Series rings, taking home championships with the Astros in 2017 and 2022.

Verlander is also MLB’s active leader in wins, with 266, and strikeouts, with 3,554, a mark that ranks eighth all-time. He’s thrown three no-hitters, one of only six pitchers to do so.

Tigers beat reporter Jason Beck reflects on Verlander’s legendary career here >>  

CAGS, CONTRERAS JOIN THE DERBY

The Home Run Derby bracket is halfway full. 

Two new sluggers announced their participation in the 2026 T-Mobile Home Run Derby today: Jac Caglianone and Willson Contreras. 

Caglianone and Contreras will join Ben Rice and Junior Caminero in the Derby in Philadelphia on Monday, leaving four of the eight players still to be announced. You can keep track of the Home Run Derby contestants here. 

• 2026 T-Mobile Home Run Derby: July 13, 8 p.m. ET (live on Netflix)

Caglianone, who has 14 homers this year, has some of the biggest raw power in the Majors. Sounds like the perfect Home Run Derby contestant to us. 

The Royals’ 23-year-old slugger has the chance to become the youngest Derby winner in history (so does Caminero, who just turned 23). Juan Gonzalez currently holds that mark — the Rangers star was 23 years, 265 days old when he won the 1993 Home Run Derby. Caglianone will be 23 years, 154 days old on Monday.

The Royals have never had a Home Run Derby winner. But their last participant came close: Bobby Witt Jr., who’s the AL’s starting shortstop for this year’s All-Star Game, smacked 50 total dingers and finished as the runner-up to Teoscar Hernández in 2024.

Contreras could become the second Red Sox player to win a Derby, after Boston legend David Ortiz won the home run hitting contestin 2010. 

Contreras, who was added to the AL All-Star team yesterday — his fourth career All-Star nod — has hit 20 home runs this season.  

GAMES OF THE NIGHT

Yankees at Rays (6:40 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video / MLB.TV) 

A few years ago, this would’ve been a duel of AL Cy Young contenders: Gerrit Cole vs. Shane McClanahan. But in 2026, it’s a duel of pitchers trying to get back to that old level. That still makes for an intriguing matchup — especially with the Yankees and Rays fighting for AL East supremacy. Tampa Bay still holds a four-game lead over New York after splitting the first two games of this four-game series.

Mariners at Marlins (6:40 p.m. ET, MLB.TV) 

The Marlins keep winning. They just reached the 50-win mark for the season after walking off the AL West-leading Mariners in yesterday’s series opener. Miami sits in the third NL Wild Card spot at 50-42 and has been the best team in the Majors since the start of June.

Phillies at Reds (7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN)

The Reds send Chase Burns to the mound for his final start before the breakout righty heads to his first career All-Star Game. He’ll be facing a dangerous lineup led by MLB home run leader Kyle Schwarber as well as fellow All-Stars Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh, who are representing the host Phils at the Midsummer Classic. 

THE COOLEST FACTS ABOUT SHOHEI’S 300TH HR

Shohei Ohtani hit his 300th MLB home run last night. MLB researcher extraordinaire Sarah Langs has all the cool facts and figuresabout Ohtani reaching the milestone, but here are three of the best ones: 

1) Ohtani hit his 300th home run in just his 1,101st career game as a hitter (aka, he had at least one plate appearance … we’re not counting the games where he only pitched). By that standard, he’s the fifth-fastest hitter to reach the 300-homer mark, after Aaron Judge (953 games), Ralph Kiner (1,086), Ryan Howard (1,091) and Juan Gonzalez (1,093). 

2) Shohei is one of 170 players with at least 300 career home runs. Eight of those players have recorded at least one strikeout as a pitcher. That’s actually more than we would’ve thought, but it’s true. Anyway … Ohtani’s 765 pitching K’s are by far the most of any player in the 300-home run club — he dwarfs Ruth (501 K’s), Jimmie Foxx (11), Dave Kingman (four), Rocky Colavito (two), Ted Williams (one), Gary Gaetti (one) and Anthony Rizzo (one very memorable one).

3) No. 300 was a leadoff home run for Ohtani, the 31st of his career and his 25th since joining the Dodgers. Only one other player in MLB history has hit a leadoff home run to get to the 300 milestone: Steve Finley, who did it on June 14, 2006.  

Read the rest of the cool facts about Ohtani’s 300th home run here >> 

AROUND THE LEAGUE

There was a lot of fun baseball around the Majors yesterday, including some crazy games and aces galore.

• To get the wackiness started: Brewers star Jackson Chourio turned around and batted lefty while facing a position player pitcher at the end of Milwaukee’s blowout win over the Cardinals. Chourio is not a switch-hitter. But he hit the ball 360 feet!

• The Royals beat the Mets in a wild 16-12affair that featured, among other things, a Carson Benge Little League home run on a tapper back to the mound and Royals speedster Tyler Tolbert tying the MLB record with hits in 12 consecutive plate appearances.

• Tarik Skubal was dominant again as the trade rumors swirl around him. The Tigers ace beat the A’s with five innings of one-run, nine-strikeout baseball. No one knows how many more games Skubal might pitch as a Tiger, but the Detroit faithful is savoring every start.

• Paul Skenes got his first win in 10 starts — hard to believe, we know — by shutting down the NL East-leading Braves. Skenes hadn’t won a game since May 12 against the Rockies, and the Pirates had somehow lost nine straight contests with their All-Star ace on the mound.

• Jacob Misiorowski showed once again why he’s an All-Star and a Cy Young favorite, striking out 11 against the Cardinals to raise his Major League-leading total to 167. Miz brought the heat as usual, recording six K’s on fastballs at 102 mph or faster, including one at 104 mph.

• Zack Wheeler isn’t an All-Star, but he’s sure pitching like one. Wheeler took out his All-Star snub on the Reds yesterday with a career-high-tying 14 K’s. The Phillies ace is now 9-1 with a 2.28 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 14 starts this season. 

FIRST ROUND OF ALL-STAR REPLACEMENTS

The first wave of All-Star roster replacements came in yesterday. 

First, Red Sox catcher Willson Contreras joined the AL roster in place of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who will miss the All-Star Game to rest his ailing lower back. 

A trio of pitchers were added to the NL roster as well — the Pirates’ Braxton Ashcraft, the Phillies’ Jesús Luzardo and the Cardinals’ Riley O’Brien. They’re replacing Jacob Misiorowski, Max Meyer and Paul Skenes, respectively, who will all be unavailable to pitch in the game next Tuesday. 

Keep track of the All-Star replacements here >>  

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Thursday, July 09

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TOP NEWS 

There’s no way the Padres would actually trade Miller … right??

San Diego gave up plenty to acquire Mason Miller at last year’s Trade Deadline. He’s been great, but the Friars have disappointed in ’26. We asked execs from around MLB if there’s a chance the closer could be dealt. 

‘Never doubt him’: Trout homers in 1st game back from IL with ASG in sight

Classic dominance helped propel E-Rod to 1st career All-Star selection  

PCA’s tear continues with 2 more homers as he again reaches 20-20

Cease comes 3 outs from ending 36-year no-no drought, then asks: ‘How many K’s did I have?’

Here is the top Draft prospect for every state

Bart stings former club with decisive HR after Braves break up perfecto in 7th

Streaking Marlins acing test against a defending division champ

Roki hangs tough before Betts breaks through late for LA

McClanahan holds Yankees scoreless in his longest start since 2023

If the guy starting for the Cards is celebrating a birthday, they’re probably going to win

Back-to-back-to-back … plus 1?! Reds’ 4-homer inning features 3 straight blasts 

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Longest Home Run

Alec Burleson

443 ft

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Jac Caglianone

113.1 mph

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Fastest Strikeout

Jared Jones

100.6 mph

1st Inning

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Decisive Play

Braves

36.8% WPA

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Dylan Cease

Career-high 118 pitches in no-hit bid; 2nd straight scoreless start

Jared Jones

Retired all 18 batters faced, including 6 K’s

Jake Bennett

7 scoreless IP; 1.39 ERA in last 5 starts

Jo Adell

2 HR in 1st career 5-RBI game

Tyler O’Neill

2 HRs after entering in 7th inning

PLAY A SPORCLE BASEBALL QUIZ! 

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MUST-SEE PLAY 

Daulton Varsho went all-out to keep Dylan Cease’s no-hitter alive in the eighth inning.

MORE TOP PLAYS 

STAFF PICKS 

When you’re Shohei Ohtani, 300 home runs is just the start

We expect Shohei Ohtani to exceed expectations at this point, but how many homers will the four-time MVP hit in his big league career? Can he get to 500 home runs? Or … dare we say it … 600? 

A power surge is reflected in the Hitter Power Rankings

Junior Caminero came roaring back onto our poll of the top hitters in the game at the moment.

Is an October repeat out of the question?

Five of last year’s playoff teams are on the outside — way outside — looking in at the moment. Can any of them claw their way back into contention?

The moments that defined Verlander’s career

With the news that 10-time All-Star Justin Verlander will retire after the season, let’s look back on what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career.

All-Star Sale! Get MLB+ for $49.99

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Thursday action on MLB Network

It’s the Yankees vs. Rays at 1 p.m. ET (or Braves vs. Pirates at 12:30), Phillies vs. Reds at 7 (or Mariners vs. Marlins at 6:30) followed by D-backs vs. Padres.

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SCOREBOARD 

TOR 10
SF 0

CHC 9
BAL 7

ATH 1
DET 6

ATL 3
PIT 0

SEA 0
MIA 2

NYY 0
TB 3

HOU 2
WSH 8

KC 2
NYM 6

PHI 5
CIN 11

CLE 5
MIN 6

BOS 5
CWS 0

MIL 1
STL 5

LAA 13
TEX 1

COL 3
LAD 4

AZ 4
SD 10 

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DAN GARTLAND 

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I was really hoping LeBron James would pick his new team on the World Cup off day, but I guess he isn’t thinking of all the poor sportswriters who need to produce a daily newsletter.  

In today’s SI:AM:

🎾 Wimbledon Cinderella story

⚾ Final MLB mock draft

🏈 Rams could flirt with perfection 

They can’t buy a run

Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images

The Bronx Bombers have been defused. 

The Yankees’ 3–0 loss to the Rays last night in Tampa Bay was the latest in a series of dismal offensive showings as New York continues to slip farther and farther out of first place. 

The Yankees are now 50–42 on the season, five games behind the first-place Rays after holding a three-game lead in the division as recently as June 24. But they’ve lost 11 of their last 13 games and 14 of their last 19. 

⚽ Check out SI’s World Cup Daily

The problem isn’t hard to diagnose. Aaron Judge has been sidelined since May 31 with a fractured rib. Without him, the offense has been completely inert. Judge’s teammates actually did a good job keeping the offense afloat when he first went down, but they’ve gone cold of late. 

In the first 13 games that Judge missed (from June 1 to June 17), the Yankees scored 75 runs, or 5.77 per game. That’s fourth best in the majors on a per-game basis over that span. But in the 20 games since then, they’ve been terrible. The Yankees have only scored 56 runs since June 18 (2.80 per game), the fewest in the majors. They’ve also posted the worst record (5–15) in the majors over that span. It’s their worst 20-game offensive stretch since 2016. 

On the bright side, the last time the Yankees failed to win more than five games in a 20-game period was 2024, when they won the American League pennant. But they’ll need their MVP back soon if they want a repeat of that turnaround. 

Another tennis Cinderella story brewing

Susan Mullane/Imagn Images

It’s been just a few weeks since Maja Chwalińska shocked the world by becoming the second qualifier in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam final, and something similar is happening again. 

Arthur Fery, a 23-year-old who grew up in the shadow of the All England Club, has come out of nowhere to advance to the semifinals at Wimbledon. Fery is just the second wild-card entry in Wimbledon history to advance at least this far. (The other is Goran Ivanisevic, who won the tournament in 2001 as a wild card.)

Fery defeated 2026 French Open finalist Flavio Cobolli (the No. 10 player in the world) in straight sets in the quarterfinals yesterday to set up a semifinal showdown with world No. 3 Alexander Zverev tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. ET. 

Fery was born in France but raised in the Wimbledon neighborhood of London. He attended Stanford, where he was the No. 1 men’s singles player in the NCAA. His father, Loïc Fery, is a hedge fund manager who owned the French soccer club FC Lorient for 14 years until he sold it in January to Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley. His mother, Olivia Fery, is a former professional tennis player. 

Chwalińska and Fery’s runs are similarly improbable. For the uninitiated, a wild card isn’t the same as a qualifier, but both are a way for players whose world ranking is too low for automatic inclusion in the bracket to receive a spot in the field. Chwalińska was ranked 116th in the world before the French Open, and Fery was 114th before Wimbledon. Chwalińska had to win a series of pre-tournament qualifying matches to earn a spot in the main draw at Roland-Garros, while Fery was given a spot in the main draw by a Wimbledon committee. 

The All England Club says that wild cards “are usually offered on the basis of past performance at Wimbledon or to increase British interest.” It’s hard to imagine how British interest could be any higher now that an underdog who grew up in the neighborhood is two wins away from lifting the trophy.  

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👀 The top five …

… things I saw last night: 

5. Dansby Swanson’s diving grab on a liner up the middle. 

4. Mike Trout’s 438-foot home run in his first game back from the injured list. (It also happened to be the 15th anniversary of Trout’s MLB debut.)

3. The packed “tarps off” section of Rangers fans who went crazy after Kyle Higashioka’s homer cut Texas’s deficit to 10 runs. 

2. Royals right fielder Tyler Tolbert’s tough leaping catch at the wall. 

1. Coby Mayo’s home run into the second deck in Baltimore. According to MLB, it’s just the eighth time a homer has landed in the upper deck in left field at Camden Yards, although Statcast measured it at a relatively modest 420 feet.  

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