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Baseball put its best foot forward on Saturday. Several games, five, to be exact, were decided by two runs or fewer. Other games were blowouts. The New York Mets routed the San Francisco Giants, and the Milwaukee Brewers did much the same to the Washington Nationals. The variety of games, the drama, it was all building toward Bristol, Tennessee, and the Speedway Classic. And then came the rain. So, despite MLB’s best efforts, tomorrow will not be remembered for what happened, but what didn’t.
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Today’s Headlines
Speedway Classic Hits the Brakes
The Speedway Classic did its best but couldn’t outlast the rain. The game, after a two-plus hour wait and in an impossible-looking inning of play, was postponed until today, with the game resuming at 1:00 Eastern. When it does, Cincinnati will be up 1-0 over Atlanta in the first with runners on first and second with one out.
Tigers Earn Their Stripes
The Detroit Tigers versus the Philadelphia Phillies served as a litmus test. Unfortunately for the Phillies, it was a test only the Tigers passed. Much of that credit goes to Tarik Skubal, who manhandled the exam like a Mensa candidate, striking out 10 over six scoreless. The seventh, though, was a different story. A harmless Bryce Harper led to a J.T. Realmuto double and a Nick Castellanos two-run homer. Though Skubal rebounded, things quickly became a group project, with Detroit’s offense providing a much-needed cushion for new arm Kyle Finnegan. Finnegan waylaid the four batters he faced to close out the 7-5 win and earn a passing grade.
The Red Sox Are Rolling
Despite all the drama, the Boston Red Sox might be onto something. With a 15-5 record over their last twenty, the Sox are playing some of their best ball, and it was on display yesterday against the Houston Astros. Down 2-0 early, Boston battled back inning after inning, plating one in the first, three in the third, and a pair in the fourth. Trevor Story and Abraham Toro, once the jokes of Jersey Street, combined for five RBIs and carried things offensively in the 7-3 win. And the telltale sign that Boston’s back? They cleared the benches. Boston’s now won three series in a row and shoots for a series sweep tomorrow.
South Beach Blunders
How do you even describe the New York Yankees? At first glance, they’re a talented group. Yet there’s no sign of it as of late, losing 2-0 to the Miami Marlins yesterday and notching just two hits and one embarrassing out. With the loss, they’re 60-51 and third in the AL East. So perhaps the best way to describe the Yankees is this: They’re a paper tiger.
Figuring out the Marlins is a much easier task: They’re risers. They’re young, fun, hungry. They might not have a winning roster, but against all odds they’re a near .500 team — sporting a 54-55 record. Driving that success is rookie catcher Agustín Ramírez, whose two home runs decided yesterday’s match. It’s a tale of two teams — One in a rebirth, another in an identity crisis.
Texas Takes One Late
Unpacking yesterday’s bout between the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners could run 1,000 words. Let’s abbreviate things and start in extras: It’s 2-2, soon to be 3-2, Rangers following a Kyle Higashioka single. A Marcus Semien grounder soon makes it 4-2. Seattle, with its back against the wall, sends up Randy Arozarena. The outfielder takes two pitches before belting a fastball 424 feet to tie the game. T-Mobile Park explodes, Arozarena rounds the bases triumphant. And that was Seattle’s high-water mark. Texas plated a pair in the 11th, took a 6-4 lead and saw it through, sitting Seattle down one-two-three.
Mets Snap Skid
The New York Mets were losers of four straight entering Saturday. Their offense had gone cold, scoring one, zero, and three runs over their last three, and try as their pitching might, the center couldn’t hold. That center was restored on Saturday’s 12-6 victory. The Mets worked counts, hit with runners in scoring position, and played complete offensive baseball. It was a glimpse of a more perfect union, one that blended the potential of their bats with the strength of their bullpen. Whether that glimpse was an oasis or a mirage, well, only time will tell.
Baltimore Battles Back
Saturday shaped up to be yet another letdown for the Baltimore Orioles. It wouldn’t have hurt if it were. What’s one more in a season of them? But Orioles outfielder and shortstop Colton Cowser and Gunnar Henderson, one more loss was unacceptable. Cowser started a rally with a lead-off walk and would score three batters later to give Baltimore life. Henderson then hammered adrenaline into their system, cracking a middle-middle sweeper 416 feet for a go-ahead, three-run homer. Yennier Cano and Keegan Akin worked scoreless eighths and ninths to seal the 4-3 win and stave off another day of sadness for Baltimore.
Skenes Finds His Kryptonite
Paul Skenes is Superman. Dark of hair, capable of inhuman feats, he seems every bit the Man of Steel. But like him, he has a purple-clad nemesis — A villain who makes the impossible look mortal. Their name? The Colorado Rockies. The now 30-80 Rockies got the better of the two-time All-Star, scoring five hits, two walks, and four runs en route to a 8-5 win. Skenes would last just five innings, his shortest outing since May 1 against the Chicago Cubs.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Pit Stop Start
Cincy and Atlanta had a, let’s say, unprecedented introduction last night. Sadly, that’s as far as it went.
MUST SEE: A NASCAR pit crew helped introduce the starting lineups for the Speedway Classic 🤯 pic.twitter.com/LkuumAOOpZ
— MLB (@MLB) August 2, 2025
Cubs Tip Their Caps
For nine innings, #23 roamed around Wrigley Field once more.
The Cubs are all wearing number 23 today in honor of Ryne Sandberg pic.twitter.com/IVs32GzOE4
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 2, 2025
Pegeuro’s Three
Lost amongst a weird start from Paul Skenes and another loss to the Rockies was Liover Peguero’s three-homer game.
Liover Peguero hit 3 home runs and drove in all 5 runs today, so at least there's that
In his 29 MLB AB this year, he's slashing .310/.355/.759 for an OPS of 1.114 pic.twitter.com/qlQXu7CoOT
— Platinum Key (@PlatinumKey13) August 2, 2025
Pete Powers 250
Here’s a hand for Pete Alonso, who hit his 250th home run of his career yesterday. Alonso is the 23rd active player to reach the milestone and is now two shy of breaking Darryl Strawberry’s franchise record.
A NO-DOUBTER FOR NO. 250! 🐻❄️ pic.twitter.com/mQNGkfSqss
— New York Mets (@Mets) August 2, 2025
Greene Wants Gold
Riley Greene laid it all out, storming from left to make this sweet snag.
Riley Greene covers an ABSURD amount of ground to make the catch and Tarik Skubal is loving it! pic.twitter.com/pW5G7B00z7
— MLB (@MLB) August 2, 2025
Royce and the Reach
Not to be outdone, Royce Lewis dived into the net instead of sliding into the dirt.
Royce kept his eye on the ball on this one! pic.twitter.com/g7c0U1ccPX
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 2, 2025
Cowser Keeps It In
Colton Cowser did more to help the Orioles win than just walk.
Colton Cowser goes leaping into the Wrigley Field ivy to take extra bases away from the Cubs' Michael Busch.
🎥: @Orioles pic.twitter.com/ksGOBNcSLm
— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) August 2, 2025
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾The Los Angeles Dodgers finally received some reinforcements in the form of Blake Snell. The two-time Cy Young winner was removed from the 60-day IL on Saturday and made just his third start of the season later that afternoon. Snell struck out eight and allowed two runs over five innings of work. Right-hander Paul Gervase went down to Triple-A to make room for Snell on the MLB roster while lefty Zach Penrod was DFA’d to fit Snell onto the 40-man.
⚾Boston starter Tanner Houck’s year keeps getting worse. The Sox announced on Saturday that Houck would officially undergo Tommy John surgery. The announcement ends a frustrating year for Houck, who first landed on the IL in May. Since then, Houck’s has had setbacks and rehab starts, with neither leading to a long-term fix. Surgery might be the solution, but due to the timing, Houck will likely miss most of the 2026 season.
⚾One more move in Boston, flamethrowing right-hander Luis Guerrero is heading to the 60-day IL. Reliever Nick Burdi, on the other hand, is coming off the IL and will join Triple-A Worcester.
⚾Out with the old, in with the new. At least that’s the Kansas City Royals‘ latest motto. To fit trade acquisitions, pitchers Bailey Falter and Ryan Bergert reported for duty, pitcher Jonathan Bowlan was optioned to Triple-A, and fellow hurler Thomas Hatch was DFA’d. To top it off, the Royals activated infielder Michael Massey from a rehab stint.
⚾The Baltimore Orioles are adding to the nest. The club claimed first baseman Ryan Noda off waivers from the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. Noda, however, will not be staying in the Majors. Instead, the 29-year-old will be sent to Triple-A Norfolk.
⚾ The Los Angeles Angels released first baseman/outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. and, in turn, promoted outfielder Bryce Teodosio. Rounding out things, the Angels released infielder Kevin Newman while adding trade pickup infielder Oswald Peraza to the 40-man roster.
⚾ Pitcher Rico Garcia served the New York Mets well on Saturday. His reward? Being DFA’d. The move, though, has less to do with Garcia and more to do with the Mets, who need space on the 40-man and the active roster.
⚾Finally, there are some opt-outs to discuss. Outfielder Forrest Wall opted out of his minor league deal with the San Diego Padres yesterday. In 69 games with Triple-A El Paso, Wall was hitting .298/.385/.429 with a .813 OPS. Meanwhile, in Nashville, infielder Bobby Dalbec is cutting ties. The former top prospect is looking for a new organization after hitting .266/.356/.498 with 12 homers and 44 RBIs in 61 games with the Brewers’ affiliate.
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