Stay updated on everything baseball with our morning MLB News & Moments articles. We’ve got you covered to keep you in the know.
You never are quite sure what you are going to get with each new day of the MLB season. All you know is you are going to see terrific pitching, monster home runs and probably something else you have never seen before. Welcome to a new week.
Don’t forget to watch every game with the Pitcher List community on Playback!
Today’s Headlines
Skenes Stifles Jays; Vladdy Injured; Pham’s Flap
Paul Skenes will always be an obstacle for a contender to overcome. The right-handed starter struck out eight over six innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of late miscues to topple the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2. The loss could be compounded by a hamstring injury to Jays star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. An MRI exam was to be conducted to determine the extent of the injury. Skenes allowed two runs on five hits and a walk, putting his season ERA at 2.16. He has allowed two runs or fewer in 21 of 26 starts this season. Skenes did not factor in the decision, leaving with the score tied 2-2. Henry Davis opened the bottom of the seventh with a double and was bunted to third. A wild pitch by Brendon Little plated Davis with the go-ahead run. In the eighth, Jared Triolo walked, and Jays reliever Seranthony Domínguez committed an error on Alexander Canario’s grounder, sending Triolo to third. Canario stole second, but catcher Tyler Heineman’s throwing error allowed Triolo to score. Canario came in on Davis’ sacrifice fly. The game included a brief benches-clearing incident when Tommy Pham of the Pirates drew a walk, did a quick bat flip, and took issue with something Heineman, the Jays’ catcher, did during the at-bat.
Harper’s Two Blasts Power Phillies Past Mariners
Bryce Harper probably won’t reach the 30-homer plateau for the sixth time in his career. But the Philadelphia Phillies star showed that he is still a dangerous power threat. Harper hit two towering homers as the Phillies outslugged the Seattle Mariners 12-7. Harper hit a 440-foot blast in the sixth inning for a 7-0 Phillies lead, his longest homer since late in the 2023 season. After the Mariners pulled within 7-4, he then highlighted a four-run eighth inning by going just a tad farther, cranking another one to right-center 448 feet, giving him 21 on the season. Harper is the only player this year to hit two 440-foot homers in the same game. Trea Turner went 4-for-5 and drove in five runs, including a three-run homer in the second inning off Logan Gilbert. The homer was Turner’s 1,500th career hit. The Phillies pounded out 21 hits. The Phillies lead the second-place New York Mets by 5½ games in the NL East, while the Mariners remained 1½ games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the AL West with the Astros’ 10-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Peralta Wins 15th As Brewers Roll Past Cubs
The mantra for the Milwaukee Brewers has been to wash off the previous day and focus on the next. Never more was that needed following the end of their club-record 14-game winning streak and facing a huge five-game series against the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers lived up to their reputation as Freddy Peralta became MLB’s first 15-game winner, while Brice Turang and Caleb Durbin homered in a 7-0 triumph in what was supposed to be the first game of a doubleheader. Rain washed out the nightcap, so a doubleheader is set for today between the NL Central’s top two teams. The Brewers (79-45) lead the second-place Cubs by nine games. Peralta allowed just one hit over six shutout innings, walking three and striking out six. All three walks came in the fourth inning, but he danced his way out of trouble by striking out rookie Owen Caissie and getting Nico Hoerner to line out to right. Turang hit his career-high 13th homer in the third inning, and Durbin made it 2-0 in the fifth with his seventh of his rookie season.
Rockies Walk Off Dodgers, End 10-Game L.A. Skid
It is quite the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde routine the Los Angeles Dodgers are pulling off this season. After climbing back into first place with a series win over the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers nearly saw some of that work negated by dropping the series opener to the Colorado Rockies 4-3. Warming Bernabel provided the decisive blow with a single that scored Ezequiel Tovar with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning off left-hander Justin Wrobleski. The win snapped a 10-game losing streak by the Rockies to the Dodgers, who remained two games ahead of the second-place Padres after San Diego’s 4-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants. Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto turned in a nice start, allowing three runs over seven innings, walking two and striking out six. The Rockies have won six of their last seven.
Giants Pounce On Padres Early
The San Francisco Giants are in desperate need of anything to go right in this otherwise forgettable season. A quick start and a terrific pitching performance will do just fine. Heliot Ramos, Rafael Devers, and Wilmer Flores hit first-inning homers to back the pitching of left-hander Robbie Ray as the Giants edged the Padres 4-3. Ray took a one-hit shutout into the seventh before yielding two more hits and getting tagged for three runs. The Padres had a home run by Xander Bogaerts taken off the board in the second inning due to fan interference.
By The Numbers
⚾ The Astros were shut out for the third time in four games, falling to the Tigers 10-0 behind Jack Flaherty, who allowed three hits over seven innings.
⚾ Miami Marlins catcher Agustín Ramírez committed his MLB-worst eighth passed ball in an 8-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
⚾ The Chicago White Sox pounced on Atlanta right-hander Spencer Strider for seven runs in three-plus innings of a 13-9 win. Strider has given up 20 runs in his last 11⅔ innings.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Football Or Futbol?
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Brady Singer will do anything to prove that pitchers are athletes.
Brady Singer with the assist on this Ke'Bryan Hayes gem 💎(MLB X @MiniUSA)
Philosopher John
Phillies announcer and former player John Kruk is a gem to listen to.
So here's the discussion where John Kruk asks Tom McCarthy how the person who invented the first clock knew what time it was
Playing Tag
Christian Koss of the Giants did what he could to avoid being tagged on the way to first base by Padres left-hander Wandy Peralta.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ The Mariners are getting right-hander Bryce Miller back as he is scheduled to be activated from the 15-day injured list to start today. Miller has been out since June 67 due to inflammation in his right elbow.
⚾ Right-handed starter Shane Bieber will make his 2025 and Blue Jays debut Friday against the Miami Marlins. Bieber has been out since April 2024 due to Tommy John surgery and was traded at the deadline by the Cleveland Guardians.
⚾ Phillies ace right-hander Zack Wheeler had a thrombolysis procedure after he went on the 15-day injured list over the weekend with a blood clot near his right shoulder. No timeline for a return has been disclosed.
⚾ St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan was placed on the 10-day IL with a strained left groin.
⚾ Kansas City Royals outfielder Mark Canha was designated for assignment after being activated from the 10-day IL.
⚾ Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles apologized for throwing a bat at an opposing pitcher and an ensuing tirade during a rehab appearance. Robles has been out since April after crashing into protective netting while making a catch in San Francisco and dislocating his left shoulder.
Articles You Should Read
There’s a lesson for the rest of baseball in the Brewers’ recent success — Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic
D’backs’ Marte apologizes for missing games after All-Star break — David Brandt, Associated Press
One year later, Twins are still struggling to break free from last season’s collapse — Aaron Gleeman, The Athletic
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
