The Opener

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

1. Blue Jays go for ten straight wins:

The Blue Jays have ridden a nine-game winning streak to a comfortable 3.5-game lead over the Yankees for the top spot in the American League East. Toronto is tied with Philadelphia for the fifth-best record in the majors. The Jays are set to go for their tenth consecutive victory today in a road date with the White Sox. Veteran righty Chris Bassitt (4.32 ERA) takes on right-hander Aaron Civale, whom the Sox acquired just under one month ago. Civale has a 4.60 ERA in nine starts this year but a 3.83 mark in 40 innings since returning from the injured list in late May.

2. Setback for Greene?

Reds ace Hunter Greene has been on the injured list since June 4 due to a groin strain — his second of the season — but has been expected to return to the majors not long after the All-Star break. That timeline is being thrown off course, however, as Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer noted yesterday that the righty has been scratched from his scheduled rehab start today after consulting with the team’s medical staff. Neither Greene nor manager Terry Francona provided much clarity on a timeline for the right-hander’s return, but Wittenmyer suggests that Greene’s timeline could be pushed back into August.

The Reds are just 46-45 this year despite going 15-11 in June without Greene, who has posted a 2.72 ERA in 11 starts this year. As the trade deadline looms, the Reds face an increasing deficit in both the NL Central (8.5 games) and the Wild Card race (3.5 games). Will they be able to stay afloat long enough for Greene to make an impact down the stretch? Will his murky outlook spur the front office to pursue additional help?

3. MLBTR Chat today:

We’re now into the second week of July, which means we’re just a few short weeks away from this year’s trade deadline. While it will be difficult for another in-season blockbuster to top the Rafael Devers deal from June, MLBTR recently published our Top 40 Trade Candidates For The 2025 Deadline list with a number of intriguing names in the mix. Whether you’re looking ahead to the deadline or still trying to sort between the contenders and pretenders, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. 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 keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Nationals leadership changes:

Yesterday, the Nationals made the decision to part ways with both GM Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez. The team has already named Mike DeBartolo as the team’s interim GM who will handle baseball operations for the remainder of the season. He’ll be thrown right into the thick of things, with the 2025 draft (where the Nationals have the first overall pick) just a week away and trade season already upon us. It seems one of his first tasks while in charge will be selecting an interim manager to help guide the club, as the Nationals did not initially announce a replacement for Martinez. That decision is expected sometime today, and whoever is selected will join Warren Schaeffer, Don Kelly, and Tony Mansolino as in-season managerial hires this year.

2. Series Preview: Tigers vs Rays

A series between two of the AL’s top contenders begins today as the Rays head to Detroit for a three-game set against the Tigers. Tampa enters the series having recently pulled into a tie with the Yankees for second place in the AL East, just three games back of the division-leading Blue Jays. Detroit, meanwhile, has the best record in the majors and has won seven of their last ten games. The Rays, meanwhile, have gone just 4-6 in that time. The series kicks off later today with right-hander Shane Baz (4.33 ERA) on the mound for Tampa. The Tigers don’t have an announced starter for today’s game but could turn to Dietrich Enns (who has a 7.00 ERA in nine innings this year) for bulk innings if they opt for a bullpen game. The series will have more traditional pitching matchups the rest of the way, with right-hander Ryan Pepiot (3.34 ERA) taking on Jack Flaherty (4.84 ERA) tomorrow. The series wraps up Wednesday with right-hander Zack Littell (3.50 ERA) on the mound against righty Reese Olson (2.89 ERA in ten starts).

3. Pitchers’ Duel in Milwaukee:

Another series between two contending clubs is taking place today in Milwaukee, where the Dodgers will be taking on the Brewers in a series that will kick off with an exciting pitchers’ duel today between two hurlers who will represent the National League in this year’s All-Star game. Right-hander Freddy Peralta is on the mound for the Brewers against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto has made just 17 starts this year as the Dodgers have monitored his workload closely, but those starts have been dominant with a 2.51 ERA and a 28.6% strikeout rate. Peralta has been no slouch either, as he’s posted a 2.91 ERA in 99 innings of work with a 25.5% strikeout rate. First pitch in this intriguing matchup is scheduled for 6:40pm local time.

Happy Independence Day to those who celebrate! Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on headed into Fourth of July weekend:

1. MLBTR’s Top 40 Trade Candidates:

We’re less than a month away from the 2025 Trade Deadline, and the rumor mill has begun to heat up. That means it’s time for another addition of MLBTR’s Top Trade Candidates list. Last year, we covered the Top 50 Trade Candidates for the 2024 deadline. Nine of the top eleven names on our list wound up traded that summer, and a tenth (southpaw Garrett Crochet) was dealt over the winter. This year, we’ll be looking in-depth at this summer’s 40 biggest trade candidates, though with so many teams on the bubble of playoff relevance more than 100 plausible trade candidates are mentioned in some capacity. Our list will be published this afternoon, so be sure to check back later today!

2. Schmidt headed to the IL?

The Yankees suffered a tough loss to the Blue Jays yesterday that knocked them out of the AL East lead and things took a turn for the worse after it was revealed that right-hander Clarke Schmidt’s early exit from the game was due to an issue in his forearm. Schmidt is slated to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the problem, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports this morning that both Scott Effross and Jayvien Sandridge are expected to be recalled by the Yankees today. The addition of Effross to the roster is hardly noteworthy given that the Yankees already optioned Clayton Beeter to the minors to open a spot in the bullpen, but Sandridge can only be recalled if he’s replacing an injured player. That would certainly seem to suggests that Schmidt, who has 3.32 ERA in 14 starts this year, is ticketed for the shelf. We’ll surely know more about his status later today, as well as the Yankees’ rotation plans without him in the fold.

3. Montgomery to debut:

It’s been a brutal few years for White Sox fans, as their once-vaunted core of the early 2020s fizzled out and was dismantled. That’s left the fans on the south side with little reason for optimism in recent years, but this season’s club has boasted encouraging performances from young players like Shane Smith and Kyle Teel. Another exciting youngster is set to debut this weekend, as Chicago is reportedly poised to promote longtime top prospect Colson Montgomery to the majors. The 23-year-old is hitting just .218/.298/.435 across 55 games at the Triple-A level this year, but was a consensus top-15 prospect in the sport as recently as last season and heated up considerably this past month. With Montgomery doing his best work of the season, the White Sox clearly feel that now is the time to get him a taste of the big leagues. His first assignment will come against the Rockies in Colorado this weekend, for whom Antonio Senzatela (6.69 ERA) will be on the mound tonight.

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

1. Mariners rotation shuffle:

The Mariners optioned fifth starter Emerson Hancock to the minors yesterday. While they don’t necessarily need a fifth starter for a few days, manager Dan Wilson told reporters yesterday right-hander Logan Evans will be getting the start in today’s game (via Andrew Destin of the Associated Press). That will allow the Mariners to push righty Bryan Woo and the rest of the rotation back a day to get some extra rest ahead of the All-Star break. A rookie who made his MLB debut earlier this year, Evans has a 3.38 ERA in seven MLB starts despite a 4.76 FIP. He’ll be tasked with taking on the Royals and righty Seth Lugo later today, and his performance could end up deciding whether he remains in the rotation for the remainder of the first half or if he’s replaced with another spot starter down the line.

2. Muncy to undergo MRI:

Dodgers infielder Max Muncy needed to be helped off the field yesterday after suffering a knee injury on the bases, but after the game manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including MLB.com’s Sonja Chen) that the team is “optimistic” after initial testing. Still, Muncy is being sent for an MRI today to determine the severity of the injury. Those results could be back in time for the club’s game against the White Sox tonight. An IL trip for Muncy would likely mean an opening for Hyeseong Kim to receive more frequent playing time, though losing a .252/.377/.461 hitter like Muncy from the lineup would certainly be a blow for the Dodgers.

3. Blue Jays challenge for the AL East lead:

Yesterday’s game between the Blue Jays and Yankees was a wild one. The Jays broke out to an 8-0 lead, only for the Yankees to come all the way back before Toronto ultimately won 11-9. After that exciting win, the two clubs now sit tied atop the AL East heading into the final game of the series. Veteran Chris Bassitt has a 4.29 ERA in 17 starts this year and will be on the mound for Toronto coming off a blow-up outing where he surrendered nine runs (eight earned) in just two innings against the Red Sox. He’ll try to turn things around against Yankees righty Clarke Schmidt, who has a 3.09 ERA in 13 starts this season.

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

1. Profar returns from suspension:

Jurickson Profar played in just four games with the Braves before being hit with an 80-game PED suspension, which is set to expire today. The switch-hitting outfielder signed a three-year, $42MM deal in free agency but has thus far been a non-factor. His last performance of any real substance was the 2024 season where he slashed .280/.380/.459 with credible peripherals in 158 games for the Padres. The PED suspension could call some of that breakout into question, but Atlanta is surely hoping that he’s still the same player they thought he was when they gave him that three-year deal over the offseason. The Braves, currently 38-46, have fallen below the Marlins in the NL East standings. They’re 7.5 games out of a playoff spot and recently lost ace Chris Sale for the foreseeable future. Can Profar provide a spark?

2. Kershaw on the cusp of 3,000 Ks:

Three-time Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw is knocking on history’s door. The southpaw currently sits at 2,997 strikeouts for his career, leaving him just three away from becoming the 20th pitcher in MLB history to reach 3,000. Kershaw isn’t missing bats like he did in his prime — his 18.6% strikeout rate is several percentage points shy of league average — but he still boasts a 3.03 ERA in 38 2/3 innings of work this year. He’s very likely to reach this illustrious milestone in front of the home crowd at Dodger Stadium tonight when he takes the mound opposite the White Sox at 7:10pm local time.

3. Doubleheaders galore:

Three games were postponed due to inclement weather yesterday, and all three are set to be made up for today as part of split-admission doubleheaders. Fans with tickets to the game between the Padres and Phillies that was postponed yesterday can use their tickets to attend Game 2 at 6:15pm local time in Philadelphia. Fans with paid tickets to the Mets’ postponed game against the Brewers will be able to use them for Game 1 at 1:10pm local time in New York. Fans with tickets to the Nationals’ postponed game against the Tigers can use their tickets to attend Game 1 at 1:05pm local time in the nation’s capital. You can click the following links for more information on the postponed games between the Padres and Phillies, the Mets and Brewers, and the Nationals/Tigers courtesy of MLB.com, including information on potential refunds or ticket exchanges.

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

1. Orioles catching conundrum:

Orioles catcher Chadwick Tromp was pulled from yesterday’s game due to lower back tightness, a move that forced the Orioles to lose the DH for the remainder of the game so Gary Sánchez could come into the game to take over behind the plate. That suggested Tromp might be dealing with something serious, and interim manager Tony Mansolino confirmed as much to reporters (including Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner) after the game. Mansolino suggested that Tromp was “likely” headed to the IL due to a back strain. That creates a real issue for the Orioles given that they’ve already lost Adley Rutschman and Maverick Handley to the injured list recently. The club will need to add a fourth catcher to the 40-man roster in order to have a healthy backup to Sánchez. Jacob Stallings would seem to be the top candidate, although 20-year-old top prospect Samuel Basallo is already knocking on the doors of the majors with fantastic offense in Triple-A: .264/.390/.579, 16 home runs in 218 plate appearances.

2. Milestones on the horizon:

Several veteran players are on the cusp of crossing some milestone thresholds. Phillies shortstop Trea Turner is sitting on 299 steals in his career, placing him just one shy of becoming the 171st player in MLB history to reach the 300 milestone. He’ll tie B.J. Upton and Frank Taveras when he gets that 300th bag, though he currently has 42 fewer attempts than Upton and 56 fewer than Taveras. Turner is at 20 steals on the season right now — already one more than he tallied in 2024. Starling Marte and Jose Altuve are the only active players with more steals than Turner.

Guardians first baseman Carlos Santana, meanwhile, is just one two-bagger away from becoming the 198th player to reach 400 doubles in his career. He’d join Nolan Arenado (who just reached that milestone Sunday), Altuve, Paul Goldschmidt, Andrew McCutchen and Freddie Freeman as the only active players with 400-plus doubles — not bad company!

Over in San Diego, the countdown to 2000 hits is on for Manny Machado, who currently sits just six knocks shy of that threshold. He won’t get there tonight, but within the next few days Machado could become the 298th player in MLB history to reach that illustrious round number. He trails only Freeman, McCutchen, Goldschmidt and Altuve for the lead among active players.

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

It’s now July 1, which means we’re officially just a month away from this year’s trade deadline. Chatter about trade season has already begun in earnest, with clubs on the fence between buying and selling nearing decision time. While it will be difficult for another in-season blockbuster to top the Rafael Devers deal from June, a handful of smaller deals have started to come together around the league as well. Whether you’re looking ahead to the deadline or still trying to sort between the contenders and pretenders, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. 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 keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Brown to sign?

Outfielder Seth Brown elected free agency last week after being designated for assignment by the Athletics, and a report from MLBTR’s Anthony Franco yesterday afternoon indicates that Brown is deciding between three teams and is likely to sign somewhere within the coming days. The 32-year-old outfielder struggled badly through 38 games with the A’s this year, slashing just .185/.303/.262 across 76 plate appearances. Tough as this season has been for Brown, however, he hit a respectable .225/.289/.426 with 73 homers and 102 wRC+ from 2021 to 2024. He also boasts a career 109 wRC+ against right-handed pitching, so a club that struggles to produce against righties could benefit from his services if they’re willing to look past his poor start to the year.

2. Waldron to make season debut:

Right-hander Matt Waldron is set to make his season debut later today, per a report from Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Waldron will be on the mound for the Padres in Philadelphia when they take on the Phillies at 6:35pm local time (3:35pm CT). The knuckleballer posted a pedestrian 4.91 ERA (84 ERA+) in 146 2/3 innings of work last year, but his 4.26 FIP and a 4.13 SIERA both indicated that he could benefit from some positive regression in the future. He’s made five starts at Triple-A this year since returning from an oblique strain that sidelined him at the beginning of the season, and now that he’s back in the big leagues he’ll face off against Phillies ace Zack Wheeler (2.45 ERA).

3. Schmitt to undergo MRI:

The Giants’ infield has been stretched thin lately as third baseman Casey Schmitt has been forced to sit since he was hit in the wrist by a pitch on June 25. A CT scan showed no fracture and he was diagnosed with a bone bruise, but Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that Schmitt is set to undergo an MRI once they arrive in Arizona for tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks. That could mean that more details on Schmitt’s injury and whether or not he’ll ultimately require a trip to the injured list will be available as soon as today. Christian Koss has been at third base with Brett Wisely at second while Schmitt has been on the mend so far, though a trip to the IL would mean a tough loss for the Giants’ lineup as Schmitt has slashed .276/.360/.439 in 34 games this year.

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

1. Ford on the way?

Top prospect Harry Ford traveled with the Mariners to Texas for their series against the Rangers and could be in line to make his major league debut this weekend, per Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. As Daniel Kramer of MLB.com notes, Ford was scratched from the Triple-A Tacoma lineup yesterday after veteran catcher Mitch Garver left yesterday’s game when a foul tip struck his chin/neck area. Garver is slated to undergo further evaluation today, and if he requires a trip to the injured list Seattle is expected to select Ford’s contract to serve as the backup to Cal Raleigh. Ford, the 12th overall pick in the 2021 draft, is not yet on the 40-man roster. The Mariners have an open spot after Rowdy Tellez was designated for assignment earlier this week, however, and would not need to make a corresponding move beyond placing Garver on the IL. Through 60 games at Triple-A this year, Ford is hitting .311/.426/.469 (135 wRC+) with eight home runs, a huge 15.5% walk rate and just a 17% strikeout rate.

2. Eovaldi to return:

While Ford’s status for the upcoming series between the Mariners and Rangers is up in the air, there’s one roster addition in the series that’s more or less assured at this point: right-hander Nathan Eovaldi has been announced as today’s probable starter for the Rangers after a month spent on the injured list due to triceps inflammation. The veteran right-hander was in the midst of a Cy Young-caliber season when he hit the shelf due to injury, with a 1.56 ERA and 2.32 FIP across 12 starts. He’ll try to pick up where he left off at 7:05pm local time in Dallas against Seattle ace Logan Gilbert, who recently returned from the injured list himself and has a 3.12 ERA in eight starts this year.

3. Mets roster moves incoming?

The Mets lost a key piece of their rotation yesterday when right-hander Griffin Canning suffered what is believed to be an Achilles injury. Will Sammon of The Athletic writes that righty Blade Tidwell, one of the club’s top pitching prospects, is expected to join the Mets in Pittsburgh for this weekend’s series. An off-day on the schedule for Monday means a fifth starter won’t be needed for some time, so it’s not a guarantee that Tidwell is going to slot into the rotation in Canning’s place. Sammon also suggests that there could be additional roster moves on the way beyond the anticipated swap of Canning for Tidwell. Right-handers Justin Garza, Tyler Zuber, and Chris Devenski are among the pure relief options already on the 40-man roster who the Mets could use to freshen up their bullpen after they covered 7 1/3 innings following Canning’s early exit last night.

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

1. Kershaw on the cusp of 3,000 strikeouts:

Three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw is a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest pitchers of his generation. He’s now seven starts into his 2025 campaign, and in that time he’s pitched to a 3.31 ERA in 32 2/3 innings of work despite a strikeout rate of just 17.6%. That low strikeout rate has become the norm for the 37-year-old in recent years, but it hasn’t stopped him from challenging for one of the most coveted milestones for a starting pitcher. The southpaw currently sits at 2,992 strikeouts for his career, meaning that he’s just eight away from becoming the 20th pitcher in MLB history to reach 3,000. With a vintage performance against the Rockies at Coors Field later today, he’d have the opportunity to add that milestone to his legacy. Kershaw and Rockies southpaw Austin Gomber (8.38 ERA in two starts) are scheduled to take the mound at 1:10pm local time this afternoon. Kershaw hasn’t topped seven strikeouts in a start this season, but the Rockies’ 27.5% team strikeout rate against lefties is the second-highest mark in MLB.

2. Tigers 40-man move incoming:

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Tigers would be adding southpaw Dietrich Enns to the roster ahead of today’s game. The 34-year-old last appeared in the majors in 2021, when he posted a 2.82 ERA in 22 1/3 frames for the Rays. He has a 2.89 ERA in 14 Triple-A starts for the Toledo Mud Hens this year after signing a minor league deal with the Tigers in the offseason, and now he’ll get the opportunity to face the A’s and southpaw Jeffrey Springs (4.24 ERA) at 1:10pm local time in Detroit. Before that can happen, the Tigers will need to make a corresponding move to create 40-man roster space. That could come by way of an injured player heading to the 60-day injured list or Detroit brass working out a trade, but since Detroit doesn’t have an obvious 60-day IL candidate, the most likely outcome is a player being designated for assignment.

3. Imanaga to return:

It’s been almost two months since southpaw Shota Imanaga went down with a hamstring strain, and while the Cubs have managed to go 26-19 without his help in the rotation, the cracks have begun to show in recent weeks. While Matthew Boyd has pitched like a front-of-the-rotation arm in his first healthy season in half a decade and Cade Horton has done admirable work in his rookie campaign so far, the rest of the rotation has scuffled.

Ben Brown was recently optioned after getting torched to a 7.65 ERA across his last seven starts. Colin Rea has a 5.92 ERA in nine starts since Imanaga went down. Even typically steady veteran Jameson Taillon has a 5.86 ERA in June after back-to-back blow up starts. Imanaga, who had a 2.82 ERA in eight starts this year before going on the injured list, will look to help stop the bleeding in the rotation and turn the Cubs’ rotation around. His first opportunity to do so will come against the Cardinals and right-hander Andre Pallante (4.48 ERA) later today in a game scheduled for 1:15pm local time.

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

1. Scherzer to be activated:

Veteran right-hander Max Scherzer is set to be activated from the 60-day injured list today. Scherzer made just one start for Toronto before going on the shelf due to a nagging thumb issue. For a Blue Jays team in clear need of starting pitching reinforcements, Scherzer’s return should be reason for optimism, given his Hall of Fame caliber resume and career 3.16 ERA. Scherzer will need to be re-added to the 40-man roster once activated. The Jays opened a spot when Erik Swanson was released earlier this week but then acquired Robinson Pina yesterday. Scherzer is scheduled to take the mound in Cleveland against right-hander Gavin Williams (3.58 ERA) at 6:40pm local time.

2. Zach Neto to undergo MRI:

The Angels are facing a potential injury scare today after shortstop Zach Neto was removed from yesterday’s game. Neto told reporters (including Jack Janes of The Sporting Tribune) last night that he’s dealing with some “soreness” in his shoulder after sliding into second base on an attempted steal and that he will undergo an MRI today to determine the severity of the issue. The 24-year-old added that he isn’t concerned about his shoulder and is just being cautious after undergoing shoulder surgery back in November. Scott Kingery took over the position after Neto departed the game and could be in line for reps at shortstop if Neto misses time. In 262 plate appearances this season, Neto is batting .278/.321/.494 (125 wRC+) with a dozen homers and 13 stolen bases.

3. Pitchers’ duel in the NL Central:

A battle of exciting young pitching talents is scheduled to take place tonight in Milwaukee, as top Brewers prospect Jacob Misiorowski will take the mound for his third career start after posting a 1.64 ERA with a 28.9% strikeout rate (and a less-appealing 13.2% walk rate) across 11 innings in his first two appearances. Misiorowski’s opponent will be Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year, a finalist for the 2024 NL Cy Young Award, and an early frontrunner for the Cy Young this season. Skenes has pitched to a phenomenal 1.85 ERA in 16 starts across 102 innings of work this year, striking out 27.2% of his opponents against a 6.9% walk rate. He’s allowed only five home runs (0.44 HR/9). The two young flamethrowers will face off at 1:10pm local time this afternoon.