The Opener

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Red Sox roster moves incoming:

The Red Sox are nearing a deal with first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who was designated for assignment by the Nationals last week. Once that deal is finalized, the Red Sox will need to make corresponding moves in order to accommodate the addition of Lowe to both the club’s 40-man and active rosters. That 40-man move could simply come by way of transferring infielder Marcelo Mayer to the 60-day injured list after yesterday’s announcement that he’ll miss the remainder of the season due to wrist surgery, but it’s also worth noting that bench bats like Abraham Toro and Ali Sanchez, whose roster spots could be at risk with Lowe set to join the club, do not have options remaining and would need to be designated for assignment if removed from the roster.

2. Series Preview: Brewers @ Cubs

The Brewers just saw their incredible 14-game winning streak come to an end, but they still hold an eight-game NL Central lead thanks to excellent pitching and timely hitting — not only from regulars like William Contreras and Christian Yelich but also surprise heroes like Andruw Monasterio. Their win streak has coincided with some weak play from the Cubs, who have scuffled to a 6-8 record so far in August and a 12-14 record since the All-Star break. Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong aren’t hitting like the superstars they were in the first half, and the bullpen has begun to show cracks after being carried by unexpected contributors like Brad Keller and Drew Pomeranz earlier this summer.

That leads into what could be the biggest series of the regular season for both clubs, with the Brewers headed to Wrigley Field for five games in four days — starting with a doubleheader today. Cade Horton (3.07 ERA in 16 outings) will face off against Freddy Peralta (2.90 ERA in 25 starts) in Game 1, followed by a second game with two as-of-yet unannounced starters. Tuesday’s game will feature southpaw Matthew Boyd (2.46 ERA in 24 starts) against longtime Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff (2.06 ERA in seven starts). The Brewers are slated to start rookie Jacob Misiorowski (3.89 ERA in eight starts) and righty Quinn Priester (3.48 ERA in 23 outings) for Games 4 and 5. Chicago has not yet announced its starters for those games. Former Brewer Colin Rea and ace Shota Imanaga would be on schedule, but the impending return of Jameson Taillon from the injured list could impact the club’s rotation at some point this week.

3. Pitchers’ Duel in Philadelphia:

The Mariners are in Philadelphia, and the their series against the Phillies will kick off with a particularly exciting pitching matchup. Seattle ace Logan Gilbert is scheduled to take the mound today amid a season where he’s posted a 3.31 ERA with a career-best 2.99 FIP across 17 starts. The Phillies counter with southpaw Ranger Suarez, who’s having a strong year himself ahead of reaching free agency this winter. Suarez sports a 3.28 ERA and 3.27 FIP across 18 starts, though he’s had a rough patch of late (6.59 ERA over his past five starts). With the Mariners just 1.5 games back of the Astros in the AL West and the Phillies tied with the Dodgers for the second playoff bye in the NL, it’s a high-stakes game — and series — for both clubs.

Here are three things we’ll be watching for around baseball over the weekend:

1. Braves to activate Ronald Acuña Jr. tonight:

The Braves might not be playing for much except their pride anymore, but it will still be nice for them to have their superstar back in the lineup. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit the injured list at the end of July with a Grade 1 calf strain. Yesterday, the Braves told reporters (including David O’Brien of The Athletic) that Acuña will rejoin the club tonight in Cleveland. Acuña won the NL MVP unanimously in 2023, the only season in the last five in which he has stayed completely healthy. He looked a lot like the MVP version of himself this year in between two stints on the IL, slashing .306/.429/.577 with 14 home runs and a 178 wRC+ in 55 games from May to July. Atlanta will hope he can pick up where he left off.

2. Nolan McLean to debut Saturday:

The Mets are looking to snap out of a downward spiral, and perhaps one of their top prospects is the answer. Right-hander Nolan McLean is widely considered one of the top prospects in the organization and one of the top pitching prospects in the sport. On Saturday, he’ll take the ball for his MLB debut, as he takes over from struggling veteran Frankie Montas in New York’s rotation. The 24-year-old will be in for a challenge in his first taste of MLB action, as he takes on the red-hot Mariners (8-2 in their last 10) and 2025 All-Star Bryan Woo. However, if his performance at Triple-A Syracuse is any indication, he should be up for the task. McLean has a 2.78 ERA in 16 games (13 starts) since his promotion to the Syracuse Mets, with 97 strikeouts in 87 1/3 innings and a groundball rate over 50%. While walks have given him trouble at times, his strikeout rate has only continued to climb; he’s struck out one-third of all batters he’s faced in his last seven games.

It should be noted that Saturday, the day McLean is set to debut, is the earliest date that a team can call up a prospect without the chance that he could accrue enough service to exhaust his rookie eligibility. This means McLean will most likely still be eligible for the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) program in 2026. With this in mind, there’s a good chance he won’t be the only top prospect promoted in the coming days.

3. Phillies moving to six-man rotation:

Aaron Nola, injured since mid-May, will make his long-awaited return to the Phillies on Sunday, the club revealed to reporters (including The Athletic’s Charlotte Varnes). Upon his return, the team will move to a six-man rotation, at least temporarily. Manager Rob Thomson said he will cycle through the six of Nola, Ranger Suárez, Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Zack Wheeler, and Taijuan Walker “once for sure.” After that, he has “some other ideas how to attack this thing going forward” (per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Scott Lauber).

Lauber notes that those ideas for the future could include pairing up two starters in a piggyback situation or skipping each starter entirely once through the cycle. For now, however, the Phillies will take the simplest approach. No one in the current starting five deserves a demotion, but they could all use a little extra rest amid a stretch of 24 games in 25 days. The Phillies have enough optionable bullpen arms that they can afford to roster six starters – and therefore only seven relievers. Philadelphia can cycle through arms like Max Lazar, Seth Johnson, Alan Rangel, Michael Mercado, Josh Walker, and the recently-acquired Matt Manning to help keep the bullpen fresh.

Here are three things to keep an eye on around MLB today…

1. Goldschmidt injury watch:

Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt was unavailable for yesterday’s game after suffering a knee injury in Tuesday’s rout of the Twins. The team announced yesterday that Goldschmidt has a low-grade sprain with some inflammation. Goldschmidt told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com that he’s hoping for a “short-term” absence and thinks there’s a chance he could avoid the injured list entirely. The Yankees are off today, though it’s hardly uncommon for clubs to provide medical updates even on off-days. Goldschmidt, who’ll turn 38 next month, has cooled considerably since a blistering start to the season. He’s still hitting .276/.331/.422 overall (108 wRC+), but nearly all of his production came in April and May. Since June 1, he’s hitting just .207/.259/.340 (63 wRC+) in 203 trips to the plate.

2. Muncy being evaluated for potential injury:

Max Muncy was scratched from yesterday’s game after feeling discomfort in his right side, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. He’ll be further evaluated today. Muncy’s season has been the opposite of Goldschmidt. The 34-year-old slugger got out to a brutal start but caught fire in late April and has been in vintage form ever since. Muncy drew the ire of Dodgers fans when he opened the season with a woeful .167/.283/.231 performance through his first 25 games (92 plate appearances). Since then? Things look a little different. Muncy has turned in a mammoth .294/.427/.592 batting line with 17 home runs and more walks (18.8%) than strikeouts (15.7%) in his past 255 plate appearances. He’s averaging 91.6 mph off the bat in that time and sporting an enormous 53.3% hard-hit rate. By measure of wRC+, he’s been 80% better than average at the plate since late April.

Obviously, an absence of any note would sting terribly for Los Angeles, particularly in light of the team’s recent slide in the standings. The Dodgers have dropped four games in a row and are just 12-21 over their past 33 games. Making matters worse for L.A. is that the red-hot Padres have won five straight games, leapfrogging the Dodgers for sole possession of first place in the National League West.

3. Top Cubs prospect set for debut in home country:

Cubs fans should get their first look at top outfield prospect Owen Caissie today, as he’s reportedly set to be recalled from Triple-A as catcher Miguel Amaya heads to the injured list. As if his first call to the majors isn’t sweet enough, the Canadian-born Caissie will get the opportunity to make his debut in his home country, as the Cubs wrap up a road series against the Jays in Toronto.

Caissie’s name has kicked up in trade rumors both in the offseason and at the recent trade deadline, but the Cubs held onto him — and all of their other most highly regarded prospects — amid a surprisingly quiet deadline. Caissie, a 2020 second-round pick, has slashed .289/.389/.566 (143 wRC+) with 22 homers, 26 doubles and two triples in 404 plate appearances during his second run through the Triple-A level. While his production has improved in his second stint at the level, Caissie’s problematic strikeout rate remains largely unchanged. He fanned in 28.4% of his plate appearances in 127 Triple-A games last year and is at 28.2% through 93 games in 2025.

Here are three things to watch for around the baseball world Wednesday…

1. Can anyone stop the Brewers or Mariners?

The Brewers haven’t lost a game since before the trade deadline. Their last defeat was a 10-3 loss to the archrival Cubs on July 30. Milwaukee has won 11 straight games and 14 of their past 15, catapulting them into a commanding 7.5-game lead in the NL Central. The Brewers bludgeoned the Pirates with 14 runs last night in a game started by arguably the best pitcher in the league, Paul Skenes (though “only” four of the runs came against Skenes). They’ll go for 12 in a row today when resurgent ace Brandon Woodruff (2.29 ERA in 35 1/3 innings) takes on Pirates righty Mitch Keller (3.86 ERA in 137 2/3 innings) in a day game being broadcast on MLB Network.

The Mariners are on their own blistering win streak, having picked up their eighth straight win in a 1-0 victory over the Orioles last night. Deadline pickup Josh Naylor singled home a run in the top of the first inning, and that proved to be the lone run scored on either side of the box score in a brilliantly pitched duel between Seattle’s George Kirby and Baltimore’s Dean Kremer. Logan Gilbert heads to the mound Wednesday to try to secure Seattle’s ninth consecutive victory, but he’ll have a tough opponent in lefty Trevor Rogers, whose miserable partial season with the O’s last year feels like a distant memory. Rogers (1.44 ERA in 62 1/3 innings) hasn’t looked this good since finishing runner-up in 2021 NL Rookie of the Year voting. Can he quell Seattle’s momentum? A win today for the M’s and a loss for the Astros would give the Mariners sole possession of the AL West lead.

2. Health updates on star closers?

The Orioles declared closer Felix Bautista out for the season yesterday, with manager Tony Mansolino citing a “significant” shoulder injury as the cause. Just a couple hours later, the Astros placed Josh Hader on the 15-day IL with a shoulder strain — the first arm injury of his outstanding career. Both pitchers were slated to continue undergoing testing as their teams gathered additional information on their respective injuries.

With regard to Bautista, there’s obviously greater cause for concern. He missed all of the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery and returned with good bottom-line results but diminished velocity and a walk rate near 16%. He was placed on the injured list due to shoulder inflammation late last month and has now been ruled out entirely with more than six weeks of the season yet to play out.

There’s no indication Hader’s season is in jeopardy, and until the Astros gather additional opinions, they’ll be tight-lipped on the left-hander’s outlook. It’s possible that we could get updates on one or both pitchers today, and we should certainly know more about at least one of them by the end of the week.

3. Kelly faces his old team:

The D-backs traded right-hander Merrill Kelly to the Rangers back on July 31, parting ways with a right-hander who’s spent the past six-plus seasons as a fixture in the rotation. A 2010 Rays draftee, Kelly never made it to the majors with Tampa Bay before heading to the Korea Baseball Organization and reinventing himself overseas. He’s become not just a stable big league arm but a high-end, playoff-caliber starter who’s enjoying one of his best seasons at age 36. Kelly was sharp in his first Rangers start but struggled in his second. He’ll now face Arizona for the first time since the deal and square off against longtime rotation-mate Zac Gallen.

Gallen, like Kelly, is an impending free agent whose name was heavily discussed prior to the trade deadline. The D-backs ultimately held onto Gallen, whose 5.31 ERA and huge spike in home runs allowed this season combined to tamp down his trade value. Gallen has put together two strong starts since the deadline (12 innings, three runs, 13 hits, three walks, nine strikeouts) and will look to keep building momentum against a Texas club whose offense has continued to struggle. Even with the rough season, he’s still a qualifying offer candidate — particularly if he can string together a series of strong starts to close out the year.

Here are three things MLBTR readers should keep an eye out for today:

1. AL West injury updates:

Astros closer Josh Hader was unavailable to pitch last night, and manager Joe Espada revealed after the game that the left-hander was nursing some “discomfort” in his shoulder. Houston is now awaiting imaging results and will presumably provide an update later today. Needless to say, losing Hader for any amount of time would be difficult for the team to survive. Hader, who leads all relievers in Win Probability Added, is a huge reason why the Astros have been able to cling to their lead over the Mariners in the AL West – a lead that has fallen to just one game.

On a more positive note, Athletics manager Mark Kotsay told Jessica Kleinschmidt that injured starter Luis Severino was recently evaluated, and the results were more promising than expected. The A’s will provide more information when it is available, likely later today. Severino landed on the IL on Saturday (retroactive to August 6) with a left oblique strain, but the A’s were still waiting to determine the severity of the strain. While the A’s are not fighting for a postseason spot, they would certainly like to have their highest-paid player back in a stretched-thin rotation as soon as possible. Severino might not be having the 2025 season he hoped for when he signed his three-year, $67MM contract, but he still leads the A’s in starts, innings pitched, and FanGraphs WAR.

2. Can the Padres catch the Dodgers?

The Dodgers have now lost two straight, while the Padres have won three in a row, putting San Diego just one game back of the top spot in the NL West. If the Padres win tonight against the Giants, and if the Dodgers lose a sixth consecutive game against the Angels (dating back to last season), the Padres will pull into a tie with the Dodgers for first place in the division. The Dodgers have held sole possession of first place since June 14 and have been ahead of the Padres in the standings since April 27. According to MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell, San Diego has not been this close to catching L.A. post-All-Star break in 15 years. The Dodgers remain the heavy favorites to win the NL West for the 12th time in the last 13 years, but after an active trade deadline, the Padres are making things interesting.

3. MLBTR chat today:

The trade deadline is in the rearview mirror, and the stretch run has officially begun. There is no shortage of close postseason races, and it’s never too early to look ahead to the offseason and what free agency and the winter trade market might bring. MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be hosting a live chat this afternoon at 1pm CT to discuss it all. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

Here are three things we’ll be watching around baseball today:

1. Cristian Javier makes his return:

Cristian Javier was a key piece of the Astros’ World Series-winning squad in 2022, earning himself a five-year, $64MM contract extension with his performance that year. He followed that up with his first qualified season as a full-time starter in 2023. While he wasn’t as sharp as he’d been the year before, he was still an important innings eater, tying for the team lead in starts (31) and starting another three contests in October. Unfortunately for Javier and the Astros, he wasn’t able to participate in the team’s next postseason push. The right-hander suffered a UCL injury in May 2024, ultimately requiring Tommy John surgery after just seven starts.

Over the offseason, Javier suggested he’d be back at some point following the 2025 All-Star break, while GM Dana Brown said he could be pitching for the Astros again as soon as late July. On Sunday, manager Joe Espada told reporters (including Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle) that Javier would take the ball tonight against the Red Sox. If late July was the original goal, a mid-August return is only slightly behind schedule. Considering how long and difficult the road to come back from Tommy John can be, Javier’s timely return is a good sign for Houston. With the Mariners breathing down their necks in the AL West and a serious lack of rotation depth behind co-aces Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown, the Astros are surely glad to have Javier back in the fold. They’ll hope he can rediscover his 2022 form, but even the 2023 version of Javier would be a much-needed reinforcement for this club.

2. Will the Twins activate Byron Buxton today?

On Sunday, The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman reported that oft-injured superstar Byron Buxton was likely to rejoin the Twins during their upcoming series against the Yankees, possibly as soon as tonight. Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune offered a similar update, noting that Buxton is traveling with the team to New York and could be activated for the series opener.

The center fielder has been on the shelf since just before the trade deadline with inflammation in his left rib cage. Prior to his injury, he was enjoying arguably the best season of his career to date, and Minnesota will hope to see him pick up right where he left off. Despite selling big before the deadline, the Twins have been playing well in August, taking their last two series against the Tigers and Royals – a pair of division rivals with playoff aspirations. While their playoff chances are still slim, they’re now only five games below .500. Having a healthy Buxton for the final seven weeks of the schedule could perhaps help them to salvage something from a highly disappointing season.

3. Can the Brewers make it 10 in a row?

The Brewers have yet to lose a game in August. After sweeping the Nationals, Braves, and Mets, they’re 9-0 on the month and comfortably ahead of the Phillies for the best record in MLB. Tonight, they’ll go for a 1oth consecutive win, this time against the Pirates. Staff ace Freddy Peralta was originally expected to take the bump, but he’s been swapped out for former Pirate Jose Quintana, who will face off against Andrew Heaney in a battle of veteran left-handers. Peralta will take the ball tomorrow instead, when he’ll face fellow 2025 All-Star Paul Skenes.

After winning 11 in a row from July 6-21, Milwaukee already boasts the longest winning streak in the NL this year. They’re still four wins away from tying the Twins for the longest winning streak in MLB this season (Minnesota won 13 straight in May), but with a win tonight, the Brewers will become the only team with multiple 10-game winning streaks in 2025. The Red Sox and Blue Jays are the only other clubs with double-digit win streaks so far.

Here are three things to keep an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Trout approaching milestone:

Angels franchise face Mike Trout is in the midst of his healthiest season in years, even as he’s been relegated to DH-only duties by knee issues. He’s made it into 87 games this year and clobbered his 20th home run of the season in his last game on Wednesday night. Trout’s .240/.364/.471 (126 wRC+) slash line this year isn’t quite on the level of his previous MVP-caliber performances, but that hasn’t stopped him from progressing towards major career milestones.

Trout currently sits at 398 home runs for his career, leaving him just two long balls away from joining the 400 homer club. He’d be the 59th member of the club in MLB history and join Giancarlo Stanton as the second active player to reach the 400-homer plateau. He’ll have his work cut out for him in tonight’s game against the Tigers given that reigning AL Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal (2.18 ERA) is poised to take the mound for Detroit. Trout and the Angels will face Charlie Morton and Casey Mize on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. He’s had three multi-homer games this season, most recently against the Rangers on July 9, so fans can be on milestone watch for any of the three-time MVPs upcoming games.

2. Naylor day-to-day:

Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor has been everything fans in Seattle hoped he would be in 13 games with the club so far. He’s slashed .261/.320/.478 with three home runs, a double, and a shocking ten-for-ten record on the basepaths since arriving in the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, his impressive start may be slowed somewhat going forward. As noted by MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer, Naylor exited yesterday’s game in the top of the fourth inning due to shoulder soreness. Manager Dan Wilson told reporters (including Kramer) yesterday that he believes the injury to be “just a day-to-day kind of thing,” so perhaps the 28-year-old won’t require a trip to the injured list. Losing Naylor would be a particularly significant blow to the Mariners given the fact that the depth options behind him have dwindled substantially recently. Luke Raley is already on the IL himself, while Tyler Locklear was traded to the Diamondbacks as part of the Eugenio Suarez deal.

3. Future Hall of Famers face off in L.A.:

Today’s contest between the Blue Jays and the Dodgers figures to be a very special one, as a pair of future Hall of Famers will be battling it out on the mound. Max Scherzer is taking the ball for Toronto in his eighth start of the 2025 season, while Clayton Kershaw is poised to suit up for the Dodgers in his 13th start of the year. Neither veteran is exactly in top form in 2025. Both have missed significant time due to injuries, and neither’s rate numbers are where they used to be. Scherzer’s 4.39 ERA is the second-highest of his storied career, while Kershaw’s 3.29 is (impressively) the third-highest figure of his own 18 years in the majors. Even though both hurlers are in the twilight of their careers, a duel between a pair of three-time Cy Young winners who’ve combined for 19 All-Star appearances and four World Series rings is sure to be one worth watching.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Pérez on a hot streak:

The Marlins suffered their first series loss in a month when they dropped two of three against the Astros this week, though they avoided a sweep with yesterday’s victory. They’ll send their best starting pitcher to the mound today in hopes of starting a new streak of series wins. Most think of Sandy Alcantara or Edward Cabrera when thinking of the Miami rotation, but it’s 22-year-old right-hander Eury Pérez who increasingly looks like the staff leader for the Fish. The towering 6’8″ righty was regarded as the top pitching prospect in baseball prior to his 2023 debut, and he’s picked up right where he left off after missing 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. Pérez has roared back with a 2.70 earned run average, 26% strikeout rate and 9.2% walk rate in 50 innings.

That’s impressive in and of itself, but it includes a handful of short and uninspiring performances as he eased back into the league. Over his past six turns, Pérez has been borderline untouchable. He’s pitched 34 innings and held opponents to four runs (1.06 ERA) on just 15 hits and eight walks with 37 strikeouts. Pérez squares off against an underperforming Braves lineup that has lost Austin Riley and Ronald Acuña Jr. to the injured list within the past ten days. A win today would get Miami back to .500, but the Marlins are still six back in the Wild Card chase.

2. Reds push for Wild Card:

The Reds took a step forward in the NL Wild Card this week when they took two of three from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Chicago is the top Wild Card team, but that series win coincided with a four-game slide in Queens that leaves Cincinnati just three games behind the Mets entering play today. New York is off today, meaning that the Reds have an uncontested opportunity to make up ground as they push towards a potential spot in the postseason. In order to capitalize on that opportunity, however, they’ll need to take down the Pirates during a game started by superstar Paul Skenes. The righty has a 2.02 ERA and 2.41 FIP in 138 innings of work this year.

Despite his status as a frontrunner for the NL Cy Young award, Skenes enters today looking to bounce back from a rough start at Coors Field where he surrendered four runs in five innings of work against the Rockies. The Reds will counter with Brady Singer, who has a 4.36 ERA in 22 starts but is coming off back-to-back gems against Tampa Bay and Atlanta where he struck out 18 batters in 13 1/3 innings of one-run ball.

3. Encarnacion to undergo MRI:

It sounds as though Jerar Encarnacion’s stretch of poor injury luck is continuing. Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters (including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle) that the slugging outfielder will miss some time after suffering a hamstring injury in yesterday’s game. He’s scheduled to undergo an MRI today to determine the severity of the issue. Encarnacion has made it into just ten games this year due to a broken hand, an oblique strain and now this hamstring issue. The 27-year-old made an improbable return to the majors in 2024 after demolishing Mexican League pitching, signing with the Giants and going on a similar tear through Triple-A. He’s belted seven homers in 149 plate appearances since reaching the bigs late last year, though a lack of walks (3.4%) and plenty of strikeouts (27.5%) has left him with an overall .231/.255/.420 slash.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Arrighetti to return:

The Astros have been without Spencer Arrighetti since April due to a thumb fracture, but the right-hander is finally ready to return to action. He’s listed as the club’s probable starter for today’s game against the Marlins, which will pit him against right-hander Janson Junk (3.86 ERA in 13 appearances). Arrighetti made just two starts before getting shelved earlier this year but posted a 4.53 ERA and 4.18 FIP in 145 innings of work during his rookie campaign last year. The 25-year-old’s return should help offer some certainty to a rotation that has largely lacked it this season outside of Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown. Corresponding moves will be necessary to clear both 40-man and active roster space for Arrighetti.

2. Cavalli returns to the majors:

Former Nationals top prospect Cade Cavalli made his MLB debut back in 2022. He surrendered seven runs on six hits, two walks, and three hit batters over 4 1/3 innings of work while striking out six opponents, and he hasn’t pitched in the majors since. That’s not because of his poor performance in his debut, but because he missed the entire 2023 and ’24 seasons while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Cavalli has now made 15 starts at Triple-A but has struggled badly in his last six starts, leaving him with a 6.01 ERA despite solid peripheral numbers. Despite those recent struggles, he’ll now get the opportunity to pitch in the majors for the first time in three years. He’ll take the mound in front of the home crowd in D.C. opposite Athletics lefty Jeffrey Springs, who has a 4.00 ERA in 23 appearances this year.

3. Red Sox streaking ahead of May’s team debut:

The Red Sox have been surging in recent days, with wins in each of their last seven games. They’ll now look to keep the good times rolling as deadline addition Dustin May makes his Red Sox debut at Fenway Park this evening in a game against the Royals scheduled for 7:10pm local time. May’s 104 innings of work this year for the Dodgers are already a career high, but he’s posted a middling 4.85 ERA with a 4.72 FIP. He’ll look to put up stronger numbers in Boston, starting tonight against Michael Wacha (3.38 ERA in 22 starts). If May can help lead the Red Sox to a win, the club’s eight-game win streak would be their second streak of that length after they won ten straight earlier this year. Only the Brewers have two win streaks of eight games or longer this season.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day today:

1. Alonso chasing down Strawberry:

Mets slugger Pete Alonso bashed the 251st home run of his career in a game against the Guardians yesterday, and his next home run will tie him with former Mets, Dodgers, and Yankees star Darryl Strawberry for the most home runs in Mets history. Strawberry hit 252 homers across 1109 games for the Mets in his career, while Alonso is at just 959 games; Strawberry has one additional season with the club and Alonso is further limited by the 60-game shortened season in 2020. Fans in Queens are surely hoping that Alonso’s latest homer will help their first baseman turn things back around, as he’s been hitting a paltry .188/.280/.426 since the start of July. Alonso will try to tie Strawberry’s record today against Guardians left-hander Logan Allen, who has a 4.06 ERA in 108 2/3 innings of work this year.

2. Keaschall to return from IL:

Multiple reports (including that from Dan Hayes of The Athletic) have indicated that the Twins are poised to activate top prospect Luke Keaschall from the injured list today. The 22-year-old’s return to action has been much anticipated, as he jumped out to a hot start when he went 7-for-19 with three doubles and five walks against just two strikeouts in his first seven games as a big leaguer earlier this year. Keaschall’s heroics were cut short, however, when he suffered a fractured forearm back in April. He’s been sidelined ever since, but now appears to finally be ready to return to the majors. The well-regarded youngster is very versatile, capable of handling first, second, and third base as well as center field. He mostly played second for the Twins earlier this year, however, and could push Edouard Julien out of the lineup for the Twins.

3. Soroka to the IL:

The Cubs are expected to place right-hander Michael Soroka on the 15-day injured list later today after he exited his start against the Reds last night after just two innings of work due to shoulder discomfort. It’s unclear exactly how long the 28-year-old will be on the shelf, but it’s a tough blow to a Cubs team that dealt two prospects to the Nationals for Soroka’s services ahead of the trade deadline in order to fortify a beleaguered rotation. It’s possible right-hander Ben Brown steps back into the rotation with Soroka unavailable, though southpaw Jordan Wicks is another option while right-hander Javier Assad is on a rehab assignment at Triple-A as he works towards his season debut. Regardless of who will eventually take what would have been Soroka’s next start, the Cubs will need to add another pitcher to their bullpen mix today to replace Soroka on the roster.