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A week from today, we will wake up and wonder what the heck just happened. The trade deadline will still have heads spinning, fans buzzing and teams wondering if they did enough or made the right moves. The next week figures to be as fascinating as any trade deadline, with contenders likely to be trading with contenders as well as pretenders. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Today’s Headlines
Pirates? Wild Card? Walk-Off Has Bucs In Position
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in playoff position in the final few days of July? You betcha. Brandon Lowe capped a three-hit night with an RBI single with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Pirates edged the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2. The victory pulled the Pirates into a tie with the D’backs at 55-52 for the third and final NL wild-card spot. The D’backs were up 2-0 on Max Kepler’s two-run double in the top of the sixth, then Lowe singled home Jake Mangum, who had singled and advanced on a Merrill Kelly errant pickoff attempt, in the bottom half to slice the Pirates’ deficit to 2-1. Lowe was in the middle of things in the eighth as the Pirates tied it. He doubled with two outs and scored when Bryan Roberts also doubled. In the 10th, after the Pirates shut down the D’backs in the top half, Endy Rodríguez singled automatic runner Billy Cook to third. Mangum hit a grounder to second baseman Ketel Marte, who threw home and Cook was chased back to third while Rodriguez was out at third following the rundown. But Lowe save the day by rocketing a ball off a drawn-in first baseman Ildemaro Vargas for the walk-off. The Pirates saw rookie sensation Esmerlyn Valdez leave in the fourth inning after getting his on the left wrist by a pitch. More testing will be done today.
Stinky Fish No More: Marlins End Skid At 12
Scoring five runs in two innings against Zack Wheeler was a victory in itself. But as the owner of a 12-game losing streak, the Miami Marlins needed something more than an emotional win. That hope seemed to all but disappear as the Philadelphia Phillies bailed Wheeler out by scoring four in the sixth and another in the eighth for a 7-5 lead. But then the baseball gods smiled on the Marlins, who scored three times in the bottom of the ninth against Phillies closer Jhoan Duran to pull out an 8-7 triumph, snapping their franchise-worst losing skid. Heriberto Hernández drove in a pair with a single to tie the game, then Griffin Conine lined a walk-off single over a drawn-in infield with one out to score Hernandez.
Jays Win As Scherzer Returns On 42nd Birthday
What do you get a guy who already has most everything he wants? You let him start an MLB game on his birthday. On the day he turned 42 years old, Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer came off the 15-day injured list and battled his way through 75 pitches and 2⅔ innings in a 3-2 win over one of his former teams, the Washington Nationals. Scherzer hadn’t pitched since June 10 due to back spasms, with the three-time Cy Young Award winner walking three and striking out four while only allowing a run. Six relievers followed and kept the Nationals down. Journeyman Luis Urías homered, Ernie Clement doubled home a run and Myles Straw also drove in a run for the struggling Jays.
A Grand Red Sox Win With A Price
One of the benefits of adding Curtis Mead in a weekend trade with the Washington Nationals was the Boston Red Sox could move Ceddanne Rafaela down to fifth in the lineup, perhaps allowing him to tap into his power a bit more. That move certainly paid off in the first game with both in the lineup as Rafaela hit a grand slam in the Red Sox’s 4-2 victory over the A’s. But Boston’s 10th straight road win included bad news. Mead was hit on his left wrist by a pitch and was removed from the game. More testing will be done to determine his status. After the Red Sox could even manage a hit against A’s right-hander Jack Perkins for five innings, Connor Wong opened the sixth with a double, followed by two groundouts, a walk, a pitching change and another walk to load the bases. Rafaela then delivered his first career grand slam and 11th homer of the season to put the Red Sox up 4-1. After a nice 5⅓ innings from left-handed starter Payton Tolle, the Red Sox’s bullpen held the A’s to just one hit while striking out six.
Lindor’s 2 HRs Give Mets Reason To Smile
With the trade deadline now less than a week away, it still isn’t too late for a few teams to climb back into the playoff race. But it is too late for the New York Mets. Still, superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor is showing some fight as he drilled a pair of homers and a triple off the top of the wall to go along with six RBIs as the Mets enjoyed a laugher, beating Atlanta 14-3. Tyrone Taylor homered again and Marcus Semien also went deep as the Mets scored 11 runs over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to spoil the return of Ronald Acuña Jr. to Atlanta’s lineup.
By The Numbers
32 Texas Rangers slugger Joc Pederson hit the 32nd leadoff homer of his career, then added another in a 7-3 win over the Seattle Mariners.
1 The Houston Astros scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning with the benefit of just one hit to upend the Los Angeles Angels 6-4. The Angels committed two errors, hit two batters and walked two more while also having a traditional replay and ABS replay go against them in the final inning.
9 After going nine games without multiple homers, the Baltimore Orioles hit three, including two in one inning, during an 8-5 win over the Detroit Tigers.
Best Moments From Yesterday
SQUIRREL!!!
Wonder if this was the same black squirrel that was running around Comerica Park last year. Regardless, this show was much better.
Yeah, But Are You Smooth?
Check first career stolen base off the to-do list for Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto.
Play Like A Giant
Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Jake Bauers was just trying to fit in.
Brewers' Jake Bauers thought he caught it but didn't see a ball when he looked in his glove
— Talkin' Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-07-28T02:04:38.000Z
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Atlanta got superstar left fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. back from the 10-day injured list following a strained left hamstring.
⚾ Cincinnati Reds outfielder Spencer Steer was placed on the 10-day IL with a sprained right wrist. He was removed during an at-bat Sunday with the injury. Steer had been on the trade block, but this injury now likely scuttles that potential.
⚾ The Chicago Cubs, desperate for starting pitching, DFA’d right-handed starter Jameson Taillon, who had a 5.92 ERA in 15 starts this year.
⚾ Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter was put on the 10-day injured list with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Articles You Should Read
Preller’s creativity could come into play as Padres approach deadline — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune
Why the Cubs decided now was the time to part with Taillon — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune
With Bellinger sidelined, Yankees must add bats at deadline — Brendan Kuty, The Athletic
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